Philanthropy In Progress
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10 Members of the Council on Foundations in Action
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giving and grantmaking since 1949.
A Profound Future. The Council’s vision for the field is of a vibrant, growing, and responsible philanthropic sector that advances the common good. We are part of a broad philanthropic community that will contribute to this vision. We aim to be an important leader‌along with each of our unique and dedicated members.
To help showcase the pride we share in the work and missions of ALL our members, the Council on Foundations would like to introduce you to 10 of our members who represent the growing diversity of the global philanthropic community.
Philanthropy in progress
Our Proud Past. The Council on Foundations is a powerful partner in ensuring excellence and effectiveness in strategic
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Vision The Council’s vision for the field is of a vibrant, growing and responsible philanthropic sector that advances the common good. We see ourselves as part of a broad philanthropic community that will contribute to this vision. We aim to be an important leader in reaching the vision.
Mission The Council on Foundations provides the opportunity, leadership and tools needed by philanthropic organizations to expand, enhance and sustain their ability to advance the common good. To carry out this mission, we will be a membership organization with effective and diverse leadership that helps the field be larger, more effective, more responsible and more cooperative. > By “common good,” we mean the sum total of conditions that enable community members to thrive. These achievements have a shared nature that goes beyond individual benefits. > By “philanthropic organizations,” we mean any vehicle that brings people together to enhance the effectiveness, impact and leverage of their philanthropy. This includes private and community foundations, corporate foundations and giving programs, operating foundations and public foundations as well as emerging giving and grantmaking mechanisms involving collective participation.
10 Members of the Council on Foundations in Action 1 Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund..................................... 2 2 The Mead Family Foundation............................................... 4
4 DentaQuest Foundation.......................................................... 8 5 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.................................................10 6 New York Life Foundation.....................................................12 7 The Discount Foundation.....................................................14 8 William T. Grant Foundation.............................................16 9 The Boston Foundation..........................................................18 10 French American Charitable Trust...............................20
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3 VNA Foundation................................................................................ 6
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Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund established 1953 Council Member since 1977 Assets | $430 million Grants | $332 million
The Haas, Jr. Fund works to ensure that those most in need— including immigrants, gays and lesbians, people of color, children and youth — are able to achieve their full potential in our communities, our economy and our society.
The Council The field of philanthropy is incredibly diverse — the United States alone is home to more than 100,000 foundations of widely varying sizes, missions, and interests. The Council on Foundations provides our industry with a shared platform for speaking out on the important issues that affect the work we do, and our ability to do it well. The Council also plays a vital role in helping people understand the contributions of philanthropy to our society. By working together through the Council, foundations can accomplish so much more for themselves and for the field than we could by working on our own.
“The Council on Foundations provides on key issues, as well as an array of resources, guidance, and learning and networking opportunities for individual foundations. At the Haas, Jr. Fund, we have found our Council membership to be invaluable in alerting us to the latest trends and good ideas in philanthropy and in helping us become a better grantmaker.� Ira Hirschfield, President
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a national voice for philanthropy
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The Mead Family Foundation established 1989 Council Member since 1990 Assets | $23 million Grants | $1 million
The Mead Family Foundation seeks to empower youth to have crisis-free lives, strong families and excellent education.
“The education received at Council on Foundations conferences, via webinars or online, is invaluable. The Council has a great website with lots of material we need to become more informed. Initially, we had our bylaws and a few guidelines but really didn’t know where to go next. Council materials helped us learn about everything from site visits to board policies. My guess is that 70% of our policies are based on the information we received from the Council. I have used the salary survey to set salaries and make raises. Without the Council, this would have been an impossible task.” Betsy Mead | President
The Council The Council on Foundations has provided high quality start-up education for family foundations for many years. They also provide legal and policy education in the field. Another major benefit is networking between foundations of all types, and between thought-provoking speakers and that I have heard. Where else can you laugh with Alan Alda and be inspired by President Clinton all within a few years? The quality of speakers is second only to the relevant content. Access to thought leadership is one of the best ways our board and staff can stay engaged and learn. Their commitment to keeping members informed on political issues and educating Congress is so vital to the philanthropic field. The Council is a force on Capitol Hill for foundations. It actively engages members of Congress in positive dialogue around the benefits of our sector to society and the work of foundations in neighborhoods all across the country. The Foundations on the Hill program (in partnership with the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers) is a very forward-thinking program, equipping foundations to be more civically engaged. We learned that there was so much more that we could do than we had realized! Rather than throwing a bunch of papers at us, the Council’s program actually took us by the hand and walked us (literally) through the legislative process.
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leaders as well as non-profits. The Council has the best conference speakers
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VNA Foundation established 1995 Council Member since 1996 Assets | $51.5 million Grants | $2,083,469
The VNA Foundation supports home- and community-based healthcare for the medically underserved in the Chicago metropolitan area.
The Council The Council on Foundations offers a variety of educational tools useful to foundations like VNA. VNA primarily takes advantage of learning opportunities offered at the Council’s annual conference, through networking with fellow Council members, and through Council publications and listservs. Of particular use are educational opportunities offered to our board members, and the emails and newsletters that help us to stay abreast of legislative discussions, proposals, and actions.
“The Council on Foundations allows its members access to a breadth It provides opportunities to view the sector through the eyes and actions of a wide variety of foundations, and its annual meetings bring together colleagues whose paths we would not otherwise cross. The Council’s role as convener is extremely valuable—at a Council conference useful information is gained not only at the sessions, but also through peer interchange at a lunch table or coffee break. By investing in the Council, members ultimately invest in themselves and their mission. Membership supports activities that promote the value of philanthropy and the significant work that is being done, through grantmaker/grantee partnerships, across the street, and across the nation.” Robert Robert N. N. DiLeonardi DiLeonardi || Executive Executive Director Director
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and depth of information that is not available on a regional level.
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DentaQuest Foundation established 2000
“The Council on Foundations is a valuable investment for the DentaQuest Foundation as we grow geographically and programmatically. We place a great deal of value on the three
Council Member Since 2004
strengths that foundations contribute to the
Assets | $38 million
betterment of society: knowledge, resources
Grants | $4 million
The DentaQuest Foundation supports and promotes optimal oral health by partnering and collaborating with key stakeholders and the communities they touch, raising awareness and supporting solutions.
and relationships. Membership in the Council enhances our ability to develop strategies and skills in each of these areas. Through our Council on Foundations membership, the DentaQuest Foundation benefits from the best practices of a diverse community of philanthropic leaders who share our commitment to individual and societal wellbeing, responsible stewardship of resources, and above all, commitment to results.� Ralph Fuccillo | President
The Council As philanthropy is increasingly recognized as an essential component of a healthy and productive society, the principles, policies and practices by which we steward resources requires constant review and improvement. The Council on Foundations is an active forum in which philanthropies appreciation of the diverse populations we serve and our understanding of the communities and conditions in which they live. This focus on diversity and inclusion, civic and community engagement, and strategies for creating lasting impact based on a realistic understanding of root causes adds greatly to our ability to take responsible action. Through state-of-the-art communications, the Council guides its members in good governance and effective stewardship of resources. Council publications introduce vibrant thought leaders, powerful educational tools, and forward thinking strategies that make us better able to engage with constituencies and educate those around us. The Annual Meeting and Conference is a superb example of how the Council provides members with exposure to key civic, political, social and cultural leaders. Given the range of membership, the Council is to be applauded for meeting so many different interests with thoughtful insight and planning.
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share common interests and explore differences. Our work is enriched by an
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Alfred P. Sloan Foundation established 1934 Council Member since 1971 Assets | $1.6 billion
Š LINZ; Image courtesy of Photographer John Mitchell, NZ IPY CAML Voyage 2008
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Grants | $72.5 million
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation makes grants in support of original research and education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and economic performance.
The Council The Council on Foundations brings awareness to the important work of philanthropy. It brings together the role philanthropy plays in giving and how it affects society. The Council has stressed the importance of philanthropy in ways that are understandable across the board. It has conveyed the concept that government cannot and will not be the sole source of relief to those in need. Government and philanthropy will complement each other’s efforts to raise awareness and tackle the issues facing the world.
ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION “Nowhere else can an organization get diversity, advocacy, educational opportunities, and more than at the Council on a diverse range of organizations for networking, brainstorming, and the ability to learn from others in the field. They are the main source of information and research in the hub of philanthropic citizenship. “ Fred Schnur | Vice President & Secretary
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Foundations. Through its leadership, the Council brings together
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New York Life Foundation established 1979 council Member Since 1993 Grants | $11.5 million
Inspired by New York Life’s tradition of service and humanity, the New York Life Foundation has, since its founding in 1979, provided more than $120 million in charitable contributions to national and local nonprofit organizations. Through its focus on “Nurturing the Children,” the Foundation supports programs that benefit young people, particularly in the areas of mentoring, the establishment of safe places to learn and grow, educational enhancement opportunities and childhood bereavement. The Foundation also encourages and facilitates the community involvement of employees, agents, and retirees of New York Life through its Volunteers for Life program.
The Council The Council on Foundations represents many types of philanthropic organizations that make up the sector. They have created principles and practices and promote best practices. They provide a vital voice for philanthropy with elected officials and key constituencies. They are an organization we can all rally around. The Annual Conference and other events provide us with the opportunity to interact and benchmark with our peers. Involvement with the annual Foundations on the Hill philanthropic issues. Regular public policy updates keep us informed and prompt us to take action when needed.
“In addition to the very real benefits we get from membership, being part of the Council on Foundations also allows us to demonstrate our support of the larger philanthropic sector and the role corporate foundations and giving programs can play in that sector.� Chris Park | President
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event gives us a chance to meet with our elected officials and to educate them about
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The Discount Foundation established 1977 Council Member since 2006 Assets | $8 million Grants | $650,000
The Discount Foundation focuses on developing the power of the working poor to improve their economic status through organizing for worker justice. The Foundation supports collective action by workers through community and faith based organizations, especially those working in collaboration with unions and other worker organizations.
The Council It is critical that philanthropy has a respected, thoughtful, and proactive advocate that represents the field, in all its diversity, at the national level. The Council on Foundations serves that purpose with vigor and integrity, articulating the values that are the core of our work, including a commitment to social and economic justice.
philanthropy I have especially relied on the Council on Foundations to keep me informed of legislative developments affecting and influencing the field. No other organization serves this absolutely vital role. As important, is the Council’s long-term commitment to increasing the diversity of the board and staff of its members. This is a goal I strongly believe in and which is essential to the integrity of our field.” Henry Allen | Executive Director
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“Over the twenty plus years I have been working in
“The Council on Foundations serves as an anchor between
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the William T. Grant Foundation
William T. Grant Foundation established 1936
and the larger nationwide
Council Member Since 1989
philanthropic community. It binds us in many ways to our colleagues while providing ‘one-
Assets | $270 million
stop’ supportive resources and
Grants | $12 million
services that are not available to
William T. Grant Foundation is committed to furthering the understanding of human behavior through research. Today, the Foundation supports research to understand and improve the settings of youth ages 8 to 25 in the United States, and the way research evidence is used in policy and practice that affect youth.
us elsewhere.” Larry Moreland Senior Vice president, Finance and Administration
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The Council The Council on Foundations has improved the philanthropic landscape by forcefully responding to issues that affect our community. The Council’s annual District Days and Foundations on the Hill events allow members to put forth and discuss issues that are pertinent to our community and society at large with Congress. It is an effective lobbying tool that keeps philanthropy and its issues in the forefront of the minds of our elected officials. Our foundation also benefits tremendously from the annual conference sessions, training courses — inperson and web-based — and web-cast issues sessions, which allow our staff to keep current on the latest and important issues and skills-sets, and helps us anticipate what may be down the road. This is crucial for medium-sized (and smaller) foundations such as ours, who lack the in-house resources to provide such activities.
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The Boston Foundation established 1915 COUNCIL Member Since 1957 Assets | $871 million Grants | $92 million
The Boston Foundation, Greater Boston’s community foundation, devotes its resources to building and sustaining a vital, prosperous city and region, where justice and opportunity are extended to everyone.
The Council It is crucial for the field of philanthropy to have a membership organization that can speak with a common voice and advocate on behalf of all foundations, regardless of size. The Council on Foundations is particularly supportive of developing standards for the entire community foundation field. Our Vice President for Programs, Ruben OrduĂąa, chairs the Standards Action Team, which oversees the National Standards for Community Foundations program. The program provides a blueprint for developing effective, ethical, transparent, and legal community foundations.
“The Council on Foundations plays a of—and developing standards for— America’s philanthropic organizations, large and small. Membership in the Council means that we have access to a network of our peers, a central clearinghouse for information about issues of tremendous importance to our work, and a powerful platform for sharing knowledge with foundations across the country. “ Mary Jo Meisner Vice President, Communications, Community Relations and Public Affairs
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critical role in advocating on behalf
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French American Charitable Trust established 1989 Council Member Since 1998 Assets | $32 million Grants | $4 million
The French American Charitable Trust helps develop and sustain networks of community-based groups in the U.S. and France that educate, organize, and empower people to actively participate in developing public policies that directly affect their lives.
“I believe the Council on Foundations offers an important window into what the philanthropic community is thinking and doing writ-large. For those working in a small part of that sector, it is useful to put our work into the overall context of networking opportunities with foundations we don’t normally interact with and with our colleagues. “ Diane Feeney | President
The Council Philanthropy plays a vital role in any society, supporting cutting edge programs, under-funded activities, and areas that are often ignored and/or benefit the public good. However, philanthropy plays an especially vital role in a society where there is a great discrepancy between the have and the have-nots. The Council on Foundations is committed to ensuring that best practices, education, collaboration, and exchange among foundations exists so that the sector can best live up to its promise of benefiting the public good.
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the larger philanthropic community and it also affords us great
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Council on Foundations Statement on Inclusiveness The Council on Foundations was formed to promote responsible and effective philanthropy. The mission requires a commitment to inclusiveness as a fundamental operating principle and calls for an active and ongoing process that affirms human diversity in its many forms, encompassing but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, economic circumstance, disability, and philosophy. We seek diversity in order to ensure that a range of perspectives, opinions, and experiences are recognized and acted upon in achieving the Council’s mission. The Council also asks members to make a similar commitment to inclusiveness in order to better enhance their abilities to contribute to the common good of our changing society.
2121 Crystal Drive, Suite 700 | Arlington, VA 22202 | tel 703.879.0600 | fax 703.879.0800 | www.cof.org