The education sector has yet to harness the benefits of innovative financing mechanisms for development, as has been the case in other sectors like health. In “Innovative Financing for Education,” R4D Managing Director Nicholas Burnett and Oxford University Visiting Research Fellow Desmond Bermingham draw upon their extensive knowledge of education and on R4D’s work on innovative finance in other areas to examine how innovative financing can be applied to mobilize funds for education. This first ever review of innovative finance for education, published by the Open Society Institute in conjunction with R4D, seeks to answer the following key questions: What is innovative financing for development and why do we need it? What is the state of education in the world and why do we need innovative financing for education? What lessons can be learned from innovative financing experience in other sectors? What are the new ideas for innovative financing for education? What next steps must be taken to mobilize funds through these innovative channels?