The first and most recent is called Achieving Teacher and Principal Excellence: A Guidebook for Donors. An introduction to the guide cites data those at most any point on the political spectrum can agree: "...studies have found that having a high-quality teacher throughout elementary school can offset—or even eliminate—the disadvantage of a low socioeconomic background. Philanthropists serious about improving education in America, particularly among our neediest children, cannot ignore the importance of improving human capital." (This is a topic about which PhilanthroMedia has written plenty. )

Moving beyond (and to the Right) of generally-accepted principals (pun intended) are the next round of guidebooks listed on the Philanthropy Roundtable site including: Jump-starting the Charter School Movement: A Donor's Guide, Helping People to Help Themselves, and finally: Reviving Marriage in America: Strategies for Donors.

I can't tell you what can be found in these guides because my printer is jammed and I'm out of ink but I'm sure they are great if you are into that sort of thing. Feel free to tune in...