Bruno Manno

Bruno is a senior advisor at the Progressive Policy Institute and a former Assistant Secretary for Policy in the U.S. Department of Education.

Bruno received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from the University of Dayton and a Ph.D. from Boston College. He is the co-author or author of numerous books and articles on K-12 education policy and reform as well as philanthropy.


A forest path divides in two different directions
Mapping Pathways to Economic Opportunity: A Guide for Donors

What kind of job opportunities do young people say they want? And what kind of employment opportunities exist?

The Authorizer: What Donors Should Know About Evaluating Charter Schools

All charter schools are not created equal. Donors should ensure that they are supporting—and creating—the highest quality independent schools possible.


Happy group of kids running towards the classroom at the school - education concepts
Yes, Charter Schools Do Reduce Inequality

Income differences correlate with achievement gaps in our schools. Charter schools are closing those gaps.

Berufsausbildung in der Industrie und Handwerk // Engineering education - trainers, students and trainees
A Donor’s Guide to Career and Technical Education

Supporting more pathways to jobs and opportunities.


Engineer Showing Apprentices How To Use CNC Tool Making Machine
Apprenticeships: A Donor’s Guide to Creating New Pathways to Opportunity

In the face of dissatisfaction with the traditional college-to-workplace pipeline, apprenticeship programs are providing another avenue to workplace success.

Child wearing medical mask in front of closed playground representing school closures and learning loss from COVID-19 pandemic.
A Donor’s Guide to Understanding the Great School Shutdown and Pandemic K-12 Learning Loss

There are promising solutions to the learning loss puzzle, but donors need to overcome the “urgency gap” between current recovery efforts and what needs to be done.


Gen Z high schoolers studying robotics and STEM education, representing Gallup and Walton Family Foundation survey of Gen Z careers in technology
Gen Z Career Choices and STEM Education

A recent Gallup survey sheds light on Gen Z attitudes and exposure to STEM education, and how donors can factor this information into their giving decisions.

Donors joining together to support social repairers; A Donor’s Guide to Rebuilding Our Communities One Zip Code at a Time
Supporting Social Repairers: A Donor’s Guide to Rebuilding Our Communities One Zip Code at a Time

In a new book, Seth Kaplan provides donors with a useful road map for supporting the men and women working to rebuild communities through a “sideways approach” to building relationships.


Child with excavator looks at bulldozer, representing donors' wish to support career education programs.
Donor support for career education programs

Here’s a career education framework spanning early childhood to high school that donors can use to guide their financial support for these programs.

Whither education philanthropy?

A report from Grantmakers for Education provides insight into the direction that grantmaker giving is trending.