How We Began

The mission of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund is to achieve equity in education by working with those affected and inspiring all to end racism and poverty.

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We understand that our mission is to be part of the larger work of bringing about justice and equity to the United States. We focus on education as both a process and tool for personal and social transformation, in addition to being a central institution in U.S. society.

We work with those most affected to center the experiences and wisdom of communities of color and those living in or near poverty as indispensable to designing the solutions needed. We seek to inspire all to end racism and poverty, two of the most significant root causes of inequity in the United States. We focus our work in Connecticut as our home state and a state of stark inequity.

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Listening to the stories of the people, families and communities we partner with has always been an essential part of our work and a Graustein family value. Building upon our long tradition of supporting and inspiring the children of our communities, the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund has shifted its initial focus from early childhood toward a new vision of equity in education. Moving toward the new mission took many years and lots of hard work.

The Graustein family immigrated to Boston from Prussia in 1874. Adolph was only 12 but understood the value of learning. A decade later, Adolph started his own family. Determined that his children should make the most of the freedom and opportunities of this country, he encouraged all six to pursue education as a way of creating their own opportunities. Each Graustein child – Archibald, William, Jeannette, Alice, Edward, and Winifred – pursued education with vigor and applied the skills and insights they acquired to innovate, lead or establish new directions.

Listening to the stories of the people, families and communities we partner with has always been an essential part of our work and a Graustein family value. Building upon our long tradition of supporting and inspiring the children of our communities, the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund has shifted its initial focus from early childhood toward a new vision of equity in education. Moving toward the new mission took many years and lots of hard work.

The Graustein family immigrated to Boston from Prussia in 1874. Adolph was only 12 but understood the value of learning. A decade later, Adolph started his own family. Determined that his children should make the most of the freedom and opportunities of this country, he encouraged all six to pursue education as a way of creating their own opportunities. Each Graustein child – Archibald, William, Jeannette, Alice, Edward, and Winifred – pursued education with vigor and applied the skills and insights they acquired to innovate, lead or establish new directions.

The Grausteins

William, or Bill as he is known to family and friends, is a former geologist and serves as the Lead Trustee for the Graustein Memorial Fund. Bill also launched the Community Leadership Program (CLP) through the Graustein Family Office and is now a Senior Advisor for the program. CLP builds the community’s capacity to work inclusively to imagine its future and to act effectively and compassionately to bring that vision into being. Learn more about CLP here.

Our Objective

We understand that our mission is to be part of the larger work of bringing about justice and equity to the United States. We focus on education as both a process and tool for personal and social transformation, in addition to being a central institution in U.S. society. We work with those most affected to center the experiences and wisdom of communities of color and those living in or near poverty as indispensable to designing the solutions needed.

Key Issues

As an organization committed to achieving equity in education, we give priority to the following work to Advance Educational Equity:

  • Anti-racism curriculum work and teacher training
  • Equitable early childhood education system
  • Equitable school climate (including efforts addressing disproportionate discipline and over-policing, exclusionary language practice, etc.)
  • Equitable school financing.
  • Recruiting teachers of color.

Add Your Heading Text Here

Listening to the stories of the people, families and communities we partner with has always been an essential part of our work and a Graustein family value. Building upon our long tradition of supporting and inspiring the children of our communities, the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund has shifted its initial focus from early childhood toward a new vision of equity in education. Moving toward the new mission took many years and lots of hard work.

The Graustein family immigrated to Boston from Prussia in 1874. Adolph was only 12 but understood the value of learning. A decade later, Adolph started his own family. Determined that his children should make the most of the freedom and opportunities of this country, he encouraged all six to pursue education as a way of creating their own opportunities. Each Graustein child – Archibald, William, Jeannette, Alice, Edward, and Winifred – pursued education with vigor and applied the skills and insights they acquired to innovate, lead or establish new directions.

Add Your Heading Text Here

Listening to the stories of the people, families and communities we partner with has always been an essential part of our work and a Graustein family value. Building upon our long tradition of supporting and inspiring the children of our communities, the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund has shifted its initial focus from early childhood toward a new vision of equity in education. Moving toward the new mission took many years and lots of hard work.

The Graustein family immigrated to Boston from Prussia in 1874. Adolph was only 12 but understood the value of learning. A decade later, Adolph started his own family. Determined that his children should make the most of the freedom and opportunities of this country, he encouraged all six to pursue education as a way of creating their own opportunities. Each Graustein child – Archibald, William, Jeannette, Alice, Edward, and Winifred – pursued education with vigor and applied the skills and insights they acquired to innovate, lead or establish new directions.

Add Your Heading Text Here

Listening to the stories of the people, families and communities we partner with has always been an essential part of our work and a Graustein family value. Building upon our long tradition of supporting and inspiring the children of our communities, the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund has shifted its initial focus from early childhood toward a new vision of equity in education. Moving toward the new mission took many years and lots of hard work.

The Graustein family immigrated to Boston from Prussia in 1874. Adolph was only 12 but understood the value of learning. A decade later, Adolph started his own family. Determined that his children should make the most of the freedom and opportunities of this country, he encouraged all six to pursue education as a way of creating their own opportunities. Each Graustein child – Archibald, William, Jeannette, Alice, Edward, and Winifred – pursued education with vigor and applied the skills and insights they acquired to innovate, lead or establish new directions.

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