The Educational Foundation of America (EFA) was established to continue the philanthropic legacy of Richard Prentice Ettinger and Elsie P. Ettinger. Led by their descendants, EFA focuses on funding nonprofits active in Creative Placemaking, Climate, Democracy, and Reproductive Health and Justice, particularly in the Appalachian region, the South, and the Pacific Northwest. The Foundation provides general operating support, multi-year grants, builds partners' capacity, and aligns its endowment with its grantmaking objectives.
The Reproductive Health & Justice program of the Educational Foundation of America aims to improve access to abortion and contraception at both national and state levels. The program supports litigation strategies to protect and advance abortion access, provides direct support to abortion providers, offers core support and capacity-building assistance to abortion funds nationwide, and promotes innovative communications efforts to destigmatize abortion care. At the state level, it funds organizations that use civic engagement, litigation, communication, and advocacy to improve reproductive access, with a focus on the Appalachian region, Alabama, and Florida. The Foundation has also co-launched the Reproductive Health Investors Alliance (Rhia Ventures) to use impact investing strategies, including shareholder engagement, to support reproductive rights in the workplace, aligning investments with grantmaking goals.