Mind Trust lands $3.75M in grants to launch, support local schools

Education reform group The Mind Trust announced Thursday that it has received $3.75 million in new donations from two donors who have been generous to the Indianapolis-based not-for-profit in the past.

The Laura and John Arnold Fund—a Houston-based foundation named for a billionaire Houston couple that made its fortune from oil and gas—has given The Mind Trust a $3.5 million grant. And the Glick Fund has contributed $250,000.

The Arnold fund has been particularly charitable to the Mind Trust. The group received an $11.1 million donation from the fund in 2016, the largest single donation The Mind Trust has ever received since its founding in 2006.

Laura Arnold is a former oil company executive and John Arnold is a former hedge fund manager specializing in natural gas trading who worked at Enron.

The Glick Fund, founded by Gene and Marilyn Glick in 1998 to help fund arts, education and human-services causes in central Indiana, has given The Mind Trust numerous gifts over the years, including a $250,000 donation a year ago.

The donation will help the education group in its goal to “launch and support high-quality public schools, recruit and develop top educational talent, and promote conditions that support school success in Indianapolis,” the not-for-profit said.

The grant from the Arnold foundation will also fund The Mind Trust's “school supports strategy,” which helps executives, school leaders and teachers.

“At The Mind Trust, we realize it’s important to support the creation of new schools as well as help existing schools maximize their success,” said Mind Trust CEO Brandon Brown in written comments. “Our new school support strategy will provide a range of supports to schools across our city with the goal of significantly increasing the number of Indianapolis students who attend a high-quality school."

The Mind Trust said it has raised more $80 million since 2006.