The Educational Facilities Laboratories (EFL), an independent research organization established by the Ford Foundation, opened its doors in 1958 under the direction of Harold B. Gores, a distinguished educator. Its purpose was to help schools and colleges maximize the quality and utility of their facilities, stimulate research, and disseminate information useful to those who select sites, plan, design, construct, modernize, equip, and finance educational structures and the tools therein. This paper presents information on the history, operations, and accomplishments of EFL. Included are descriptions of EFL's funding, guiding principles, leadership, and operations over its 28-year history. It also explores EFL's aggressive philanthropic philosophy and innovative approaches to school project funding, it's development of the open plan approach that influenced basic school design in the 1960s and early 1970s, and the school construction systems and development team that created a standardized method for constructing school buildings. A discussion about EFL publications and a list of these publications and EFL films are provided. (Contains 3 resources.)