Foundation and private sector partners pledge $400 million for global education

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) welcomed $400 million in commitments from private sector and foundation partners on September 21, 2026, at its Innovative Partnerships event held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to a press release. The pledges mark a significant milestone in GPE’s “Multiply Possibility” campaign. The funds aim to help transform education systems and multiply possibilities for millions of children around the world. The event gathered leaders from foundations, the private sector, governments, civil society and international organizations. It comes in the run up to the High-Level Financing Event scheduled for September 23.

Co-hosted by the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, and the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the “Multiply Possibility” campaign aims to turn the tide on the global learning crisis. It seeks to provide better education to nearly 750 million children globally. The initiative arrives as countries confront shrinking aid budgets, rising debt pressures and growing demands on public resources. Without urgent investment, the world risks locking millions more children out of learning. This would deepen the skills gap, weaken future growth and leave countries less able to build resilience against economic, climate and security shocks.

Through the GPE Multiplier, the contributions will help countries unlock additional financing and expand the resources available to deliver their education priorities. The commitments reflect confidence in GPE’s ability to mobilize private sector and philanthropic financing alongside public investments. GPE’s partnerships model brings together governments, foundations and the private sector, along with sovereign donors and other funders. The goal is to unlock new resources, expertise and solutions to improve learning outcomes. The approach is designed to prepare young people for the future.

Contributors to the campaign include the Aga Khan Foundation, Cartier Philanthropy for People and Nature, CISCO Networking Academy, Dovetail Impact Foundation, Echidna Giving, Federer Foundation, Gates Foundation, Jacobs Foundation in partnership with IFFEd, Jannik Sinner Foundation, Legatum Foundation, Porticus, Rockefeller Foundation, Seiko Epson Corporation, The Audacious Project and UBS Optimus Foundation, among others. Laura Frigenti, GPE CEO, welcomed the announcements.

“GPE’s approach is redefining how education financing works by combining innovation, expertise and partnerships,” she said. “The private sector and foundations have a key role to play in transforming education. When aligned with national priorities and combined with domestic and public investment, their contributions help build lasting change.”

The Innovative Partnerships event serves as a key milestone leading up to GPE’s High-Level Financing Event at United Nations Headquarters on September 23, 2026. That gathering will convene heads of state and government, ministers, philanthropic leaders, private sector executives and development partners. Participants will work to mobilize greater investment in education and reinforce collective action. The aim is to ensure that every child can access quality learning opportunities. GPE currently supports over 90 countries in transforming their education systems.