Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Money Talks
BusinessWeek TV, 12/13/03

Saturday, December 13th, 2003

Money Talks
BusinessWeek TV, 12/13/03

ANCHOR: This time of year, many small businesses give to the community to help promote their name and image, as well as to help their charity. But there are strategic ways to give in order to have the biggest impact – and give something in return. First, create a plan. Develop a social responsibility statement. Let your employees be involved in the planning. Give them a budget. Try partnering with a charity. American Express once raised $1.7 million when it sponsored the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. Choose a charity that you are passionate about. And for small businesses, giving is often centered around local charities.

MELISSA BERMAN, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors: Businesses generally donate somewhere between 1-1 ½ percent of pre-tax net income to charity. That’s been a pretty steady figure over the years. It rises and falls as the economy goes, but that’s generally the benchmark number.

Read more…

Efficiency experts
CBS Marketwatch, 12/3/03

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2003

Efficiency experts
How to research a charity’s spending effectiveness
CBS Marketwatch, 12/3/03

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) — Before giving to charity, a growing number of Americans are performing due-diligence research with the fervor of investors screening stocks.

Philanthropy is coming to be seen more as an investment in a cause than an act of generosity or a tax deduction. Many donors are seeking to learn how much of the money they provide is actually put to work, rather than eaten up in administrative costs.

“The harm and the damage of not assessing charities carefully is, it’s taking money away from the groups that are really doing a good job,” said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, which operates an independent, non-profit charity evaluator called CharityWatch.

Read more…

RPA Names Two New Board Members
9/5/03

Friday, September 5th, 2003

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Names Two New Board Members

Educator and foundation leader bring global and hands-on experience to solving pressing education issues

NEW YORK, September 5, 2003 — Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced that it has elected Valerie Rockefeller Carnegie and Rien van Gendt, an educator and internationally known foundation leader, respectively, to its Board of Directors.

Ms. Carnegie’s experience includes teaching middle school students – primarily those with learning and emotional disabilities – in both Australia and the United States, including the East Harlem neighborhood of New York City. She has also served as an assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Education in Washington, DC during the Clinton administration. Dr. van Gendt is executive director of the Van Leer Group Foundation in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. A well-known expert on international philanthropy, he is also a lecturer and author of several books and articles.

Ms. Carnegie and Dr. van Gendt bring to their new positions many years of experience in education, global philanthropy, educational policy, and in directly addressing the obstacles facing “at risk” children worldwide. The appointments underscore Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ commitment to maintaining a global perspective as it extends the philanthropic knowledge, capabilities and network built by the Rockefeller family over the course of five successive generations.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages giving programs for individuals, families, foundations and trusts. The organization serves approximately 100 clients, and over the past decade has advised on and managed more than $850 million in giving to over 40 countries. The Rockefeller Philanthropy staff has extensive experience in a broad range of global philanthropic issues, and offers specialized and sophisticated guidance usually available only at major foundations.

“The appointment of Valerie and Rien to our Board is an important step toward supporting donors’ growing interest in the crossroads of family and international philanthropy,” said Melissa A. Berman, president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “Their complementary backgrounds give them unparalleled insights into issues, including the needs of children, and their perspectives will prove invaluable to shaping how we help donors identify and assist beneficiaries as part of effective giving programs.”

As a special education teacher in Australia, Ms. Carnegie taught children considered by their regular public schools to be at risk of failure. She also designed a curriculum for Harlem’s Central Park East Secondary School, and managed a Resource Room for junior high students with learning disabilities. She is currently involved in the charter school movement. In her Department of Education post, Ms. Carnegie worked closely with the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Education to coordinate a federal initiative on teachers’ professional development, and represented the Department at political events and policy conferences. Ms. Carnegie holds Masters’ degrees in Special Education from the Bank Street College of Education, and in Secondary Social Studies from Columbia University Teachers College; she earned her bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Stanford University. Ms. Carnegie is a Trustee of Spelman College, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Asian Cultural Council; she also held a post on the Management Advisory Board of Oasis Homeless Youth Shelter and was a Mentor for Social Ventures Australia.

Prior to his current position, Dr. van Gendt was for many years the Executive Director of the Bernard van Leer Foundation, which falls under the aegis of the Van Leer Group Foundation, a leader in global philanthropy. In that post, Dr. van Gendt played a key role in sustaining and extending the mission of the Foundation, which concentrates its resources on promoting the optimum development of disadvantaged children up to the age of eight – the period when interventions yield lasting benefits to children and society. He has been recognized internationally for his work in addressing global social issues, and has held leadership positions throughout his career, including Chairman of the Parliamentary Forum of Amnesty International; a consultant to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Unesco, the International Institute for Educational Planning and the European Commission; Chairman of the International Committee of the U.S. Council on Foundations; Editor of the magazine The European Community; and is a well respected lecturer on Economics.

Dr. van Gendt currently serves on the Board of the European Foundation Center and chairs its International Committee; several boards related to real estate investment; and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Jewish Humanitarian Fund, among others. He received Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Economics from the University of Amsterdam, and holds honorary doctorate degrees from the University del Norte in Colombia and Newcastle University in Australia.

Small Charities Abroad Feel Pinch of U.S. War on Terror
New York Times, 8/5/03

Tuesday, August 5th, 2003

Small Charities Abroad Feel Pinch of U.S. War on Terror
The New York Times, 8/5/03

SCARBOROUGH, Trinidad and Tobago – The United States Treasury Department says unwitting or unscrupulous charities are among the biggest financiers of global terrorism. But the volunteers at Environment Tobago cannot see what that has to do with them.

Read more…

No More Wiggle Room
Chronicle of Philanthropy, 5/6/03

Tuesday, May 6th, 2003

No More Wiggle Room
Big U.S. foundations see drop in assets for third straight year
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 5/6/03

The declining stock market continued to erode the assets of the nation’s largest private foundations in 2002, causing more than 100 of them to reduce or freeze their grant making for this year, according to a new Chronicle survey.

Read more…

Noted Foundation Expert Joins RPA
4/28/03

Monday, April 28th, 2003

Noted Foundation Expert Joins Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

John A. Edie, formerly of Council on Foundations, named Senior Fellow

NEW YORK, NY – April 28, 2003 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced the appointment of noted attorney and foundation specialist John A. Edie to the position of Senior Fellow. Mr. Edie will add his expertise to the organization following a long and distinguished career with the Council on Foundations, where he served as senior vice president and general counsel for twenty-two years. He will be instrumental in guiding Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ clients on legal trends and issues related to foundations, and in broadening awareness of new philanthropic institutions around the world.

“John’s extraordinarily broad experience and deep expertise – particularly his global work – uniquely position him to understand, describe and shape the philanthropic instruments that will create positive change,” said Melissa A. Berman, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, an independent service that helps individuals, families, trusts and foundations develop effective giving programs.

Throughout his career, Mr. Edie has advised governing boards and staff of all types of foundations, and donors in the initial stages of forming foundations frequently seek his counsel. Further, he has helped advise governments and foundations in Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, The Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Jamaica, Mexico and Russia. “Over the course of several generations, the Rockefellers have set an enviable standard for creative and effective philanthropy, both locally and on an international level,” said Mr. Edie. “The opportunity to blend my experience with the broad collection of professional talent already in place is an exciting prospect. I am eager to contribute what I have learned to their tradition of innovation and integrity.”

Well known for a writing style that makes complex legal issues accessible to the layperson, Mr. Edie is the author of more than ten publications in the field of philanthropy, including First Steps in Starting a Foundation; Family Foundations and the Law; Beyond Our Borders: A Guide To Making Grants Outside the U.S.; and Foundations and Lobbying: Safe Ways to Affect Public Policy. He is a member of the California and District of Columbia Bar Associations and the Exempt Organizations Committee of the American Bar Association. Mr. Edie is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of California Law School (Berkeley).

“As donors increasingly look to assist those outside their own national borders, we know that John Edie’s remarkable expertise from Eastern Europe, Asia, South America and beyond will help donors achieve their goals, said Eileen Rockefeller Growald, Chair of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “We are pleased that he will be adding his considerable knowledge and global perspective to our first-class team at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.”

RPA and The Foundation Incubator Form Strategic Partnership
3/18/03

Thursday, March 20th, 2003

Unique alliance gives donors tools and guidance to maximize philanthropic activities

SAN FRANCISCO and PALO ALTO, Calif., March 18 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and The Foundation Incubator today announced the formation of a strategic partnership that will provide an unparalleled range of professional management services and participatory learning opportunities aimed at helping donors to maximize the impact of their gifts.

A first-of-its-kind alliance, the move represents another advancement in meeting the mounting needs and concerns of modern-day philanthropists, according to Elizabeth L. Bremner, President, The Foundation Incubator and Melissa A. Berman, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. The groups will collaborate in providing services to individual donors; co-sponsoring donor-education programs; increasing awareness of international giving opportunities; and working to support the unique needs of emerging philanthropists.

Founded by the Rockefeller family, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that helps donors create thoughtful, effective giving programs throughout the world. The Foundation Incubator, an active, engaged community of new and established foundations that stimulates collaboration and innovation in philanthropy, was founded in 2001 to address the needs of the growing number of philanthropists based in Silicon Valley.

“Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has long admired The Foundation Incubator’s groundbreaking concept. This alliance is a natural step toward fulfilling our shared mission to provide donors with the support, information and resources they need to be thoughtful and engaged philanthropists,” said Ms. Berman. “We’re proud to be involved in a partnership that has the potential to shape the future of giving not just in the United States, but also the world.”

Elizabeth L. Bremner, president of The Foundation Incubator, called the relationship’s synergy “very exciting. By pairing our proven incubator approach with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ track record of excellence in foundation planning, grantmaking and program management, we can offer donors a resource of great breadth and depth, and one that will help them see that the possibilities for meaningful and effective philanthropy are limitless,” she said.

According to both Bremner and Judy Belk, the former head of the Levi Strauss Foundation who now leads Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ San Francisco office, the partnership comes at a critical time for donors on the west coast.

“Despite the economic downturn, the region is experiencing unprecedented growth in philanthropy,” said Belk. “Many people have made a commitment that they want to be involved in philanthropy and the services of this collaboration will be invaluable to them,” she continued.

Based in Palo Alto, The Foundation Incubator’s 36 current members include family, corporate, public and community foundations and related philanthropic groups and individuals, with assets totaling approximately $30 billion and $1.6 billion in annual grantmaking. The organization’s peer-learning environment fosters best practices and encourages innovative ideas and new leadership in philanthropy. For more information please contact 650-354-1600 or www.foundationincubator.org.

Headquartered in New York City, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has advised on and managed more than $850 million in giving to 40 countries over the past decade. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors can be reached in San Francisco at 415-543-0733; in New York at 212-812-4330 or www.rockpa.org.

Rockefellers Open Valley Venture
The Mercury News, 2/26/03

Wednesday, February 26th, 2003

Rockefellers open valley venture
Group sees giving power despite bad economy
The Mercury News, 2/26/03

The Rockefellers are betting on Silicon Valley’s recovery.

Tuesday, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors – established 120 years ago to advise the famous East Coast family on giving – opened an office in San Francisco. It’s the latest of numerous ventures that organizations tied to the Rockefellers have quietly set up in the Bay Area over the past few years.

The goal is to help shape the course of giving in a region that, despite the economic downturn, is viewed as influencing the future of American philanthropy. Their foray also suggests that while the valley’s current economic situation isn’t anything to get excited about, there’s still a lot of money left over from the boom years for philanthropy.

Read more…

Rockefeller Opens West Coast Philanthropy Office
2/26/03

Saturday, February 22nd, 2003

Rockefeller Opens West Coast Philanthropy Office

Goal is to help regional donors maximize impact of giving

SAN JOSE, Calif., February 26 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced the opening of an office in California to assist individuals and families on the West Coast in developing and managing effective giving programs. The expansion comes at a time when the region is experiencing unprecedented growth in philanthropy, with California leading the way, according to Melissa Berman, president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, who made the announcement here today at the Council on Foundations’ annual Family Foundation Conference.

“Even with the current uncertain economic conditions philanthropic leadership and engagement on the West Coast is burgeoning and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future,” said Ms. Berman. “Opening an office in the Bay Area is a natural step in carrying out our mission to extend global giving and make available to a broad range of donors the considerable philanthropic expertise the Rockefeller family has developed over five successive generations,” she continued. “Now we can meet the needs of donors in the west with a knowledgeable local team that works in close concert with our main office.”

Judy Belk, currently a Senior Advisor with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and well known in the philanthropy community both in California and on a national level, is heading the new office.

“This is a particularly exciting time to be involved in philanthropy, and I am gratified to be in a position to connect West Coast donors – known for their innovation and creativity – with the Rockefellers’ tradition of effective giving and the breadth and depth of resources and knowledge Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors offers,” said Ms. Belk.

Ms. Belk cited several factors that were weighed in the decision to establish a dedicated West Coast office, including:

• The fastest growing segment of California’s philanthropic sector has been the creation of new family foundations with living donors;
• The number of family foundations increased twice as fast as all other foundations in the state and projections point to a significant growth in assets and giving over the next two or three decades;
• Although local giving is still the preference for Californians, support for international and national initiatives is growing and exceeds national trends; and
• There is a greater-than-average emphasis by California donors on results, innovation and active involvement.

“Clearly, over the past decade, major cities on the West Coast have emerged as geographic centers for philanthropic activities, but our research has indicated that a great need remains for advice and counsel on how to maximize the impact of those activities and then build on that momentum to reach the next level,” said Ms. Berman. She also noted that, to further broaden the resources available to clients, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has formed a strategic alliance with The Foundation Incubator, a Silicon Valley-based peer learning community of foundations that stimulates collaboration and innovation in philanthropy.

Ms. Belk brings to her new post more than 20 years of experience in strategic philanthropy, community relations, corporate citizenship and non-profit management, including leading the Levi Strauss Foundation. In addition to acting as an adviser for numerous organizations, she currently serves on the board of the Ms. Foundation and is a trustee for Citizens Fund, a family of socially responsible mutual funds with assets over $800 million.

Ms. Belk nd her California-based team will work closely with their colleagues in the main office to help implement the philanthropic visions and goals of donors on the West Coast. The professionals at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors have extensive experience in a broad cross section of global philanthropic issues, including the environment, education, healthcare, community development and the arts, and offer specialized and sophisticated guidance usually available only within major foundations.

“This new office allows us to address the growing interests and unmet needs among donors in this part of the country,” said Eileen Rockefeller Growald, chairperson of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “The West Coast has been ably represented on our board for several years by noted Bay Area philanthropist Anne Bartley; she was recently joined by Stuart Davidson, who is well known to the West Coast philanthropy community. We believe that these recent developments are further demonstrations of our family’s commitment to enhance and promote philanthropy throughout the world.”

Profile: Correlation between bad weather and your investment portfolio’s performance
Marketplace Morning Report, PRI, 2/17/03

Monday, February 17th, 2003

Correlation between bad weather and your investment portfolio’s performance
Marketplace Morning Report, Public Radio International, 2/17/03

TESS VIGELAND, anchor: Of course, we usually use the stormy weather music when the markets are down – it’s a bit of a musical metaphor – but could there possibly be a correlation between bad weather and your investment portfolio’s performance? A new survey says yes, when it’s due to climate change from all those greenhouse gases we put out. MARKETPLACE’s Judy Martin reports.

Read more…