Philanthropy Enactment in Portuguese Public Schools: The Case of a Program on Digital Education by a Private Foundation

Abstract

This article focuses on how public schools interpret, translate, and contextualize programs delivered by private foundations in a “philanthropy enactment” process. To this end, it presents an empirical study focused on the interpretations of school actors from Portuguese public schools regarding a digital education program promoted by a tech-communication private foundation. Through document analysis and interviews, the data reveal a growing normalization of private actors’ involvement in these institutions. School actors are shown to increasingly welcome ready-to-use philanthropic programs, prioritizing support that helps them address their problems and achieve their objectives, irrespective of the provider’s identity. Despite this pragmatic approach, which limits critical reflection on the effects of private foundations within their institutions, the interviews reveal that philanthropy enactment is not merely passive. School actors exhibit a range of perspectives on philanthropic interventions, shaped by the specific challenges they encounter and the solutions they pursue.