"Benchmarking 2009: Trends in Education Philanthropy" is Grantmakers for Education's (GFE) second annual study of grantmaking trends and priorities among members. As a national network dedicated to improving education outcomes through philanthropy, GFE members are mindful of their role in fostering greater knowledge in the field. They believe it's vital for funders to understand how their efforts relate to those of others in the field, and, in these times of great change, they especially believe that funders can't afford to work in isolation. This new study provides a much-needed examination of how GFE's diverse members are responding to some of 2009's most significant developments--particularly the economic downturn and the greatly expanded federal investment in education--and how they expect their funding priorities and strategies to evolve in the next few years. The study findings, which draw from a survey of 140 GFE member organizations, underscore four major themes shaping education philanthropy today: (1) Focus in the face of challenge; (2) Increased collaboration; (3) Innovation and scaling what works; and (4) Engagement with public policy. By detailing the deliberate and diligent work of so many funders, "Benchmarking 2009" serves as both evidence of and a lens for more strategic education grantmaking--and the GFE staff conclude the report with an overview of areas that require collective attention across the field to ensure the efficacy of all their work in the months and years to come. (Contains 12 figures.)