Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Gulf Coast Ecological Health and Community Renewal Fund Awards Grants Selected by Panel of Community Leaders

Thursday, May 25th, 2006

Gulf Coast Ecological Health and Community Renewal Fund Awards Grants Selected by Panel of Community Leaders

Collaborative initiative convened by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors awards $200,000 to organizations providing direct support to the Gulf Coast revitalization

NEW YORK (May 25, 2006) – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced sixteen grants from its Gulf Coast Ecological Health and Community Renewal Fund (“the Fund”) that were awarded by panels composed of Gulf Coast community leaders. The grants, which totaled $200,000, were awarded to organizations in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama addressing issues in social justice, including the right and ability of residents to return to the region; environmental and ecological health, protection and restoration; and strengthening local organizing efforts.

The Fund is a special collaborative initiative created by local community leaders and experienced grantmakers to support the revitalization of the Gulf Coast. This is the first of several cycles of grants that will be awarded by the panel of local leaders.
“The devastation wrought by hurricanes Katrina and Rita presented an historic opportunity for the philanthropic community to address underlying causes that contributed to the severity of the disasters in the Gulf Coast,” said Melissa A. Berman, president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “The community leaders and grantmakers who came together to create the Fund focused on communities that were historically disenfranchised due to race, class, gender or immigration status. These sixteen grantees represent an important step in achieving goals of sustainable redevelopment and building a community-based regional power base that can inform and influence local, regional and national policy.”
Grantees include:
• Mobile Baykeeper
• People’s Environmental Center
• Texas Environmental Advocacy Services (TEJAS)
• Common Ground
• NAACP Gulf Coast Advocacy Center
• National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness
• New Orleans Workers Justice
• People’s Hurricane Relief Fund
• ACLU of Mississippi
• Action Communication and Education Reform
• Community In-power and Development Association, Inc
• Circle of Love Outreach
• Redemption Community Development Corporation
• REJOICE, Inc.
• Northern Louisiana Interfaith Sponsoring Committee

Founded in 2005 by 13 donors, the Fund is overseen by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors professionals who donate their time in the grantmaking and outreach process. Founding donors include the Agua, Beldon, Dome, John Merck and Rockefeller Brothers Funds; the Ford, Jenifer Altman, Johnson Family, Mitchell Kapor, Nathan Cummings and Park Foundations; and The New York Community Trust.

The Fund’s Advisory Group is comprised of a cross-section of Gulf Coast community leaders who advise on Fund strategies, policies and identify needs on an ongoing basis; the Advisory Group used its local perspective to make recommendations to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, which is ultimately responsible for the final decisions.

“We received 63 applications for this first cycle of panel-chosen grants, and anticipate the same level of interest for succeeding rounds, because local organizations in the Gulf Coast have the strongest insights about immediate and long-term health of their communities,” said Penny Fujiko Willgerodt, a vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors who is overseeing the Fund. “Everyone involved with this Fund is gratified that these focused grants will have a meaningful impact on the region’s future.”

Applications for the second cycle of grantees are due on June 12, 2006 and will be announced in mid-July. Organizations interested in submitting grant proposals can obtain more information on the Fund’s Web site (http://rockpa.org/gulfcoastfund/rfp/).

Guide to 2006 Proxy Season Aims to Increase Active, Informed Voting by Foundations

Monday, April 17th, 2006

Guide to 2006 Proxy Season Aims to Increase Active, Informed Voting by Foundations

Global warming, political contributions, and sexual orientation anti-bias policies are hot issues; publication serves as “call to action” by outlining key issues and companies affected

New York and San Francisco, April 17, 2006 – Publicly traded companies are entering a “proxy season” in which more than 300 shareholder proposals of social import are up for votes. Resolutions related to global warming, political contributions, and sexual orientation anti-bias policies are among this year’s most controversial or “hot” issues while natural resources, toxics, and charitable giving showed sharp increases in interests. Worker’s rights and sustainability issues were the top vote getters in 2005 & 2004 and are expected to do well again this year. These findings, and guidelines to navigate the proxy process, are found in the second annual Proxy Season Preview, an important tool to help foundations – some of the nation’s largest shareholders – to cast engaged, informed votes on issues directly relevant to their missions and programs, and thereby influence corporate policy while also protecting the value of their endowments.

American foundations’ endowments have hold more than $500 billion, much of which is invested in the equities of U.S. companies. These investments place foundations on equal footing with large institutional investors. Yet research has shown that most foundations delegate proxy voting responsibilities to investment managers, who often automatically vote in accordance with management recommendations – even when they are not aligned with a foundation’s own interests and values. In fact, according to recent Council on Foundations statistics, while a growing number of foundations express interest in actively voting their proxies, the actual number of those doing so is declining.

Proxy Season Preview Spring 2006: Foundations Aligning Missions and Investment, published by the As You Sow and Jessie Smith Noyes foundations and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, gives foundations an “at a glance” breakdown of upcoming proposals, the issues behind them, and which companies are involved.

“Foundations annually grant five percent of their endowments to support their missions, but how many utilize the remaining 95 percent to promote the same missions?” asked Michael Passoff, associate director of As You Sow’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program and author of the preview. “We received more than 3,000 requests for last year’s preview, which indicates that a growing number of foundations have recognized that it is time to take stock and take action – and that proxy voting is an easy first step to take” he continued.

Proxy proposals generally fall into two categories – governance, focusing on traditional managemen issues critical to a company’s financial health, and social, calling for policy changes relative to matters directly related to foundations’ programmatic goals. Proxy Season Preview Spring 2006 breaks down the issues commanding the most attention now, those that are ongoing, and those likely to be of concern in the near future. These include:

• Hot Issues: Global warming (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions reduction, climate science and energy efficiency); labor standards; political contributions; and sexual orientation policies.
• Fast-Growing Issues: Charitable giving; natural resources; and toxics.
• Top Vote Getters: Adopt sexual orientation anti-bias policies; equal employment opportunity; prescription drugs; and sustainability.
• Ongoing Campaigns: Animal welfare; genetically engineered food; HIV/AIDS; human rights; military sales; nuclear waste; predatory lending; recycling; tobacco; and sales of violent videos.
• New Issue: Customer Privacy

“It has long been our belief that when foundations do not consider the implications of their proxy votes, they are overlooking powerful opportunities to advance their missions and often acting against their own best interests,” said Doug Bauer, senior vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “We have now given foundations the tools that can both anchor them in a constantly changing corporate landscape and help them be catalysts for change.”

Proxy Season Preview Spring 2006 offers a comprehensive list of companies with votes scheduled; foundations involved in filing particular petitions; a compendium of relevant recent news, including case studies of a shareholder dialogue, campaign and foundation voting policy; and a wrap-up of NGO involvement in the proxy process. It is a companion to an earlier publication, Unlocking the Power of the Proxy, which gave foundation representatives, for the first time, information they needed to understand how to exercise their fiduciary responsibilities relative to proxy voting – and why it was critical to do so.

“We created Proxy Season Preview Spring 2006 as a ‘call to action’ for our peer organizations to take leadership positions on issues that matter on the most basic of human levels,” said Victor De Luca, president of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation.

Proxy Season Preview Spring 2006 and Unlocking the Power of the Proxy are available at no cost by contacting Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors at info@rockpa.org or 212-812-4330. They are also available as a downloadable PDF file at www.rockpa.org and www.asyousow.org. For more information about the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation, please visit www.noyes.org.

RPA Names New Board Chair

Tuesday, April 11th, 2006

Kevin Broderick Named Chair of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Additions to Board and staff named; firm advised on $130 million of giving in 30 countries in 2005

NEW YORK, April 12, 2006 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors announced today that Kevin P.A. Broderick, has assumed the Chairmanship of its Board. He takes Board leadership of the independent, nonprofit service at a time of expansion, with the organization advising donors on an unprecedented $130 million in more than 30 countries.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ expanded operations are reflected also in the recent addition of Julia Robbins to its Board and Richard McKeon as manager of donor services.

Broderick succeeds Eileen Rockefeller Growald, who had served as Chair since the Rockefeller family established the service in 2002 to offer to a range of donors the sophisticated guidance on effective giving usually available only at major foundations. During her tenure the organization grew to be the leading and largest advisory service of its kind, with a full time staff of 29 serving 125 clients from offices in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

“Global interest in thoughtful, philanthropy is increasing rapidly, creating an exciting period for donors, grantees and advisors alike,” said President and CEO Melissa Berman. “Kevin Broderick’s deep financial expertise and long involvement in philanthropy will serve our clients well as we move into the next phase of our growth. Julia Robbins and Rich McKeon bring our Board and staff, respectively, an exciting blend of considerable philanthropy, nonprofit-management and advisory experience.”

Kevin P.A. Broderick is a principal with Meriwether Capital, a private-equity firm specializing in the acquisition of middle-market companies for long-term investment. He joined Meriwether after retiring from DaimlerChrysler where he had held senior corporate financial positions. He has served on the boards of Rockefeller Financial Services and Rockefeller & Co. since 1998 and currently serves on the board of Segrest Farms Inc. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Seizert Capital Partners, Inc. and the Board of Visitors of the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, and was formerly on the Board of BPU Reynolds Alumina, Inc. A longtime resident of the Detroit, Michigan area, Mr. Broderick is immediate past President of the Detroit Historical Society and President of the Board of Trustees of the Grosse Pointe Farms (MI) Foundation.

“The Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ Board and staff are a dynamic, engaged and passionate group,” said Broderick. “I look forward to working closely with this team to build on the tremendous accomplishments achieved during Eileen Growald’s tenure.”

Mr. Broderick is joined on the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Board by Julia Robbins, who sat on the board of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors at its inception. Ms. Robbins has been a long-time member of the boards of the Rockefeller Family Fund and the Environmental Advocates of New York. As a participant in the Youth, Community Gardens and the Urban Environment funding collaborative at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Ms. Robbins was integral in forming the coalition that saved hundreds of community gardens in New York City from destruction. An environmental lawyer, Ms. Robbins works in the Environmental Protection Bureau of the New York State Attorney General. She holds a BA from Middlebury College, a JD from Fordham University School of Law and an LLM from Pace University School of Law.

The expansion of the Board is echoed in staff growth, as noted by the appointment of Richard F. McKeon as manager of donor services in the New York office. Prior to joining Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Mr. McKeon spent a decade in retail banking management for Chase and Fleet banks and five years overseeing the FleetBoston Financial Foundation’s grant program in the metro New York market. In this role, he funded hundreds of nonprofit organizations working in community and economic development, youth development, education and arts and culture. He also managed a program for Seedco, a nonprofit community development financial institution that helps small businesses in New York City with financing, marketing and business planning. Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed Mr. McKeon as Chair of the New York City Youth Board of the Department of Youth and Community Development. He is currently Chairman of the Board for the Lehman Center, a 2,310-seat performing-arts center affiliated with Lehman College. He previously served as the Treasurer and a member of the Contributions Advisory Group, a New York City-based organization that serves corporate grant makers. Mr. McKeon holds a BA from Fairfield University and an MBA from Fordham University.

“Payola” Settlement Leads to Music Funding Opportunities

Friday, January 20th, 2006

$15 million earmarked for music education and appreciation programs in New York State; Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors accepting grant applications for The New York State Music Fund

New York, January 20, 2006– Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today launched a new grant program by releasing a Request for Applications for the New York State Music Fund (“Music Fund”). This program is funded by settlements reached by the Office of the New York State Attorney General and will make contemporary music of all genres more accessible to diverse audiences and communities within New York State. Grants from the Music Fund, which currently holds $15 million, will be disbursed to nonprofit organizations associated with music education and appreciation efforts.

The Music Fund was created when the New York State Attorney General’s Office resolved investigations against major record companies that had violated state and federal laws prohibiting “pay for play” (also called “payola”). The settlement agreement stipulated that funds paid by music businesses would support music education and appreciation for the benefit of New York State residents. The Attorney General’s Office enlisted the services of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to develop and manage the grant program. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a nonprofit organization, is one of the nation’s largest and most experienced philanthropy services and has developed or facilitated more than $850 million in giving over the past decade.

“This is a creative vehicle through which grants to well-established nonprofits will enable people from all across New York State, from all walks of life, to experience the joy of music,” said Melissa Berman, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “We’re excited about our role in helping people of all ages discover emerging artists, sample music genres new to them or perhaps learn to play an instrument.”

Grant applications from nonprofit organizations are due by March 31st; awards and a second round of requests for applications will be announced in June, 2006. For the purposes of the Music Fund, “contemporary music” encompasses written composition and performance of all genres, including classical, jazz, music from around the world that is based in living classical or folk traditions, experimental music, and noncommercial forms of popular music including alternative rock, country, hip hop, and others. Proposed programs can include a range of activities from any or all of the following categories:

• Creation of diverse new works of music by emerging or established composers, musicians, ensembles, or bands;
• Live Performance of diverse forms of music being created by today’s emerging to established composers, musicians, ensembles, or bands;
• Media – recording/distribution/broadcast through traditional or new media of diverse works created by today’s composers and musicians (Particular emphasis will be placed on use of noncommercial media vehicles); and
• Music Education – School and community-based music activities and programs provided by cultural organizations that promote skill-building in, and understanding and appreciation of, music of our time.

Special emphasis of the Music Fund will be on reaching underserved populations – those whose opportunities to experience a variety of music have been limited by socioeconomic status, ethnicity, geography or disability – and broadening awareness of underrepresented music – artists, genres or styles with limited access to commercial broadcast or other mass distribution vehicles.

Funded activities must take place in New York State and benefit New York State residents. Generally, funded projects are to be completed within a one-year period, but a limited number of twoyear grants will be awarded. Further, the Music Fund will also consider from nonprofit organizations a limited number of special initiative proposals that address the music field’s ability to monitor and maintain an open and fair marketplace for the production and distribution of music in New York State. Grant proposals will be evaluated by an Advisory Review Panel knowledgeable about the range of music proposed and communities throughout New York State.

Full details of the grant program are available at www.rockpa.org/music.

American Red Cross to Distribute $50 Million in Grants
6/30/04

Wednesday, June 30th, 2004

American Red Cross to Distribute $50 Million in Grants to Programs Nationwide Supporting On-Going September 11 Recovery

The Mount Sinai Medical Center is Among Early Grantees; Receives $1.5 Million to Expand Treatment for People with 9/11 Health Needs

NEW YORK, June 30, 2004 – The American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program today announced that it has allocated $50 million from the Liberty Disaster Relief Fund to a nationwide grant-making program to support the longer-term recovery needs of thousands of people directly impacted by the events of September 11, 2001.

Over the next two years, American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Grants will fund programs large and small which offer services in communities throughout the United States. Grants will be issued to organizations addressing a wide variety of recovery needs including: health; mental health and wellness; community-based recovery; children and youth; ensuring access to September 11 services; and more. The first formal request-for -proposals will be issued as early as July 2004 with funding awards anticipated in the fall of 2004.

“As people continue taking the difficult steps toward recovery, the Red Cross wants to ensure there are viable community-based programs that will assist them,” said Alan Goodman, Executive Director of the Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program. “Funding programs that provide services to people with September 11-related needs maximizes the effective use of Red Cross’ resources and extends our reach—we’re able to make sure help is there for those who need support today and down the road.”

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to Guide Program

The Red Cross has engaged Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to guide the structure and development of the grant-making program. The nonprofit organization is one of the nation’s largest and most experienced philanthropy services, and has developed or facilitated more than $850 million in giving over the past decade. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors will also administer the grant application and monitoring processes. The Red Cross will make all final award decisions.

“We’re deeply honored to be part of this important Red Cross effort to help individuals and communities recover from the most devastating event in our home city and our nation’s recent history,” said Melissa A. Berman, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “This is a unique opportunity to apply our knowledge, experience and commitment to thoughtful, effective philanthropy. The Red Cross Recovery Grants will support the extraordinary community organizations that address the complex challenges of long-term recovery from the wide-ranging impacts of September 11.”

The initial request-for-proposal (RFP) is expected to be issued in July. Organizations interested in applying for funds should visit www.redcross.org/september11/help for details, updates on upcoming request-for-proposals, and instructions on applying.

AMERICAN RED CROSS

“As good stewards of the donated dollar, the Red Cross is applying the best possible expertise to meet client needs. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors provides just that, and we’re counting on them to help us with the most effective distribution of the grants to meet the unmet needs of people affected by the September 11 attacks,” said Goodman.

Mount Sinai Medical Center Receives $1.5 Million

An example of the type of funding the Red Cross will provide to community-based organizations is a grant award of $1.5 million to the World Trade Center Health Effects Treatment Program at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. The program provides comprehensive diagnostic, treatment, and advocacy services for those who have WTCrelated health problems, as part of an integrated system of care for workers and volunteers who participated in the rescue and recovery efforts, debris removal and sifting, and/or the restoration of services at the World Trade Center site following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.

“We are extremely grateful to the American Red Cross for this generous grant that will enable Mount Sinai to continue treating responders who suffer from WTC-related health conditions with no out of pocket expense,” said Robin Herbert, MD, Associate Professor of Community and Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and co-director of the World Trade Center Health Effects Treatment Program. “Thousands of Ground Zero workers are still suffering from serious medical problems, and many of them face life-long illnesses.”

The Mount Sinai World Trade Center Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening Program has screened more than 8,600 Ground Zero workers and found that many of them have respiratory, sinus and/or mental health symptoms that have persisted for more than a year. Forty percent of WTC responders seen in Mount Sinai’s WTC Treatment Program lack health insurance and one-third are now unemployed.

“The Red Cross is honored to support Mount Sinai’s World Trade Center Health Effects Treatment Program,” said Goodman. “The grant will finance the Program’s addition of a third treatment facility, making its services more accessible, and also enable it to meet health-related needs of these heroic individuals into the future.”

The Treatment Program is coordinated by the Mount Sinai-Irving J. Selikoff Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, an internationally respected diagnostic, treatment, and referral center for occupationally related illnesses. Among those eligible for or currently receiving free treatment are workers and volunteers involved in the rescue and recovery, restoration of essential services and clean up/debris removal at either the World Trade Center site or the Staten Island landfill. Information about the Mount Sinai Health Effects Treatment Program is available at: (212) 241-9059.

“Mount Sinai’s Treatment Program exemplifies the type of effort we are seeking to fund through our Recovery Grants program—easy to access, tailored to the unique needs of those individuals directly impacted by the attacks and crucial to their recovery,” said Goodman.

Other organizations and programs awarded funding by the Red Cross illustrate the wide variety of services they are seeking to support.

• Trial Lawyers Care received $1,215,085 to connect families to pro bono legal assistance for applying to the Victims Compensation Fund.
• National Center for Victims of Crime received $203,470 to support its Critical Choices Initiative, which helped those impacted by 9/11 understand the implications of applying to the Federal Victims’ Compensation Fund, and trained attorneys and service providers to understand and help meet families’ legal needs.

From a $78,900 request for financial planning support to today’s $1.5 million award for long-term health issues, the programs are diverse but they have one thing in common—helping people move forward in their recovery.

AMERICAN RED CROSS

About The American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program:

The American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program provides assistance, support and guidance to those most directly affected by the September 11 attacks. Current services include case management, financial assistance for mental health and health care, subsidies to cover health insurance costs, support and information groups and other financial assistance. The Red Cross also provides community-based organizations with funding to enhance long-term, local services for people affected by 9-11. For information on services, call (877) 746-4987 [TDD (800) 63-1220] or visit www.redcross.org/september11/help.

About The Mount Sinai Medical Center

The Mount Sinai Medical Center encompasses The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The Mount Sinai Hospital is one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most-respected voluntary hospitals. Founded in 1852, Mount Sinai today is a 1,171-bed tertiary-care teaching facility that is internationally-acclaimed for excellence in clinical care. Last year, nearly 48,000 people were treated at Mount Sinai as inpatients, more than 72,000 received care in the emergency department, and the outpatient department recorded nearly 470,000 visits. Mount Sinai School of Medicine is internationally-recognized as a leader in ground-breaking clinical and basicscience research, as well as innovative approaches to medical education. Mount Sinai ranks 9th among the nation’s 125 medical schools in the percentage of graduates who go on to faculty positions in medical schools across the country. Mount Sinai also is in the top 25 in receipt of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants with a total of more than $154 million during Fiscal Year 2003. Information about Mount Sinai can be found online at: www.mountsinai.org and www.mssm.edu

RPA Names CFO and Adds to Advisory Team
6/22/04

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2004

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Names CFO and Adds to Advisory Team

Significant expansion reflects increased interest in effective giving

New York, NY, June 22 2004 — Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced that it had named Daniel Stubbs as Chief Financial Officer, Jessica Chao as Senior Philanthropy Advisor and Walter Sweet as Philanthropy Advisor. The move significantly expands the organization and will enable it to broaden its activities at a time when there is increased interest in global and missiondriven giving among donors.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages giving programs for individuals, families, foundations and trusts. Over the past decade, it has advised on and managed more than $850 million in giving in more than 40 countries.

“Dan, Jessica and Walter each bring exceptional experience that will enhance many areas of our organization, continue our commitment to thoughtful, effective giving, expand our reach into emerging donor communities, and serve the philanthropic needs of our growing client base,” said Melissa A. Berman, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “The skills and talents each has acquired in their outstanding professional careers complement the broad and deep expertise of our current team.”

Dan Stubbs joins Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors after a long career in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, as Director of External Reporting in Prudential Financial’s Controllers Department, Mr. Stubbs reported on over $14 billion in assets. During his years at Prudential, he also served as Director in the Policyowner Relations Division, and helped re-engineer the financial processes that served as the foundation for the successful Prudential Financial, Inc. IPO in December 2001.

Prior to joining Prudential, Mr. Stubbs served in a Board of Regents appointment as the Executive Secretary (Director) of the New York State Board for Public Accountancy, formulating laws, rules and regulations governing the practice of public accounting in New York State. He held senior positions at Bellcore, including Chief Financial Officer of its Network Systems division and Controller of its corporate computing facilities. As Corporate Controller of the New York State Urban Development Corporation, Mr. Stubbs managed financial activities associated with major development projects including the Javits Convention Center and the Syracuse University Carrier Dome Stadium.

Mr. Stubbs serves on the board for the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and chairs the Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession program Advisory Board, a one-week program held each summer to expose tri-state area, inner city students to careers in finance. He is a member of the adjunct faculties of Long Island University and Rutgers University, and is Treasurer of the Prince Hall Urban Renewal Corporation, which is dedicated to providing affordable housing to low-income and senior citizens in Newark, New Jersey. Also active in the American Institute of CPAs, New Jersey Society of CPAs and the National Association of Black Accountants, Mr. Stubbs holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration from Pace University.

Jessica Chao, a noted expert in foundation and program management and grantmaking, brings considerable experience from her work as an independent consultant to nonprofits, foundations and philanthropies nationwide; as a senior executive of several of the nation’s leading nonprofits; and through her work with donors in the Asian, Latino and African-American communities.

Most recently, she launched the Coalition for New Philanthropy, an initiative to strengthen philanthropy in communities of color, including African-American, Asian American and Hispanic American. She was formerly the vice president of the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds, where she designed and developed one of the largest private sector arts and cultural programs in the country, which received the President’s Medal of Arts. She has been a member of the Advisory Committees of the National Center for Family Philanthropy; the Ford Foundation’s Social Justice Initiative; and the Smithsonian Asian American Initiative. Her board memberships have included the New York Area Regional Grantmakers; Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and the Ridgewood Arts Council. Ms. Chao frequently writes and addresses conference and seminar audiences on numerous philanthropy-related topics, notably on the traditions and preferences of the emerging multi-cultural donor. She has advised many leading foundations, including the Ford, Kellogg Packard, Rockefeller, Hasbro, Twenty-First Century, Asia and Gill Foundations. Earlier in her career, she was a company and faculty member of the Martha Graham Dance Company. She holds a B.A. and M.A. from Columbia University.

Walter Sweet has been a program officer at the New York Community Trust, the nation’s largest community foundation. In his capacity as Budget and Special Projects Officer for The New York Community Trust, Mr. Sweet developed a $30 million annual discretionary grants budget; conducted special project grantmaking; recommended fund sources for grants; and monitored and evaluated programmatic activities. Further, he served as the emergency grants program officer for the September 11th Fund, a joint fund of The New York Community Trust and The United Way of New York City. Most recently, as Vice President of the family-owned Sweet Analysis Services, he managed contractual agreements for international joint ventures and new business development, including with the U. S. Federal government and military operations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in American History from Columbia University.

About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages effective giving programs. Headquartered in New York City, it traces its antecedents to John D. Rockefeller, Sr., who in 1891 began to professionally manage philanthropy “as if it were a business.” He set the style of family giving by specifying that grants would be used “for the well-being of people throughout the world.” In the past decade, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has advised on and managed more than $850 million in annual giving in more than 40countries. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors also includes The Philanthropic Collaborative, a donor-advised fund for international giving and special projects.

RPA Names Four New Board Members

Monday, February 9th, 2004

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Names Four New Board Members

Group brings nationally recognized expertise in the arts, education and community relations

NEW YORK, February 9, 2004 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc. today announced the election of four prominent nonprofit leaders and policymakers to its Board of Directors. The group further enhances the depth of the board’s experience in the arts, education and community relations. The announcement was made in New York City at the largest meeting of family and private foundations, the Council on Foundations’ Family Foundations Conference. Named to the Board of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors were:

• Steven A. Minter, past President, Cleveland Foundation and Executive-in-Residence, Cleveland State University;
• Abby M. O’Neill, past Chair, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Rockefeller Financial Services;
  Marnie S. Pillsbury, Executive Director of The David Rockefeller Fund; and
• Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President and Chief Executive Officer, WETA

“These knowledgeable and talented individuals are joining us at a dynamic time in both our organization’s growth and in philanthropy in general,” said Eileen Rockefeller Growald, Chair of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “Having access to their considerable wisdom will help us to bring critical insights to donors looking to achieve lasting impact on the most challenging issues of our time.”

Steven A. Minter has earned a national reputation for his ability to forge collaborative relationships among community entities, both on the national level and most notably, in Cleveland, Ohio. He currently serves as Executive in Residence at Cleveland State University, a post he assumed after his retirement as President and Executive Director of the Cleveland Foundation, the nation’s oldest and second-largest community foundation. During his 28-year tenure at the Foundation, Mr. Minter was deeply involved in Cleveland’s revitalization and in building a strong and vibrant local community.

Mr. Minter has also served on the boards of Community Foundations of America, the American Public Welfare Association; the Council on Foundations; The Foundation Center; Child Welfare League of America; and the National Community AIDS Partnership. He currently serves on the corporate boards of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and KeyCorp.

The eldest grandchild of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Abby M. O’Neill has held numerous leadership positions in the arts, education and financial services. She has led the boards of Rockefeller Financial Services, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Greenacre Foundation and Bradford College. She has also served as Vice Chair of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and as Trustee of the Asian Cultural Council. Ms. O’Neill currently serves as an Honorary Trustee of the Parent-Child Home Program of Nassau County; a Trustee of the Community Foundation of Oyster Bay; and the Youth & Family Counseling Agency of Oyster Bay.

Education and arts issues have been at the core of Marnie S. Pillsbury’s many philanthropy-related positions, which include her current roles as Executive Director of the David Rockefeller Fund, Trustee of the Stuart Family Foundation, and philanthropic advisor to David Rockefeller. Ms. Pillsbury is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations; the President’s Council for the International Women’s Health Coalition; the International Council for the Museum of Modern Art; and the Advisory Committee for the David Rockefeller Fellows Program at the New York City Partnership. She serves as a Trustee or Board member of Rockefeller University; World Learning Inc., and the Women’s Campaign Fund. A graduate of Wellesley College, Ms. Pillsbury also holds an M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Sharon Percy Rockefeller has been president and CEO of WETA – Washington, D.C.’s flagship public television and radio stations – since 1989. Prior to assuming the CEO position, Ms. Rockefeller served on WETA’s Board of Trustees for seven years, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for 12 years, including four years as Chair. She has also held board positions at Stanford University, the University of Chicago, and the Smithsonian American Art Commission. Ms. Rockefeller currently serves on the Boards of PepsiCo, Sotheby’s and the Museum of Modern Art, and is a member of the Trustees Council of the National Gallery of Art and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a Trustee of both The Phillips Collection and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. A graduate of Stanford University, Ms. Rockefeller is active in the fields of education, fine arts, government and women’s issues, and received the Charles Frankel Prize from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1994.

About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages effective giving programs. Headquartered in New York City, it traces its antecedents to John D. Rockefeller, Sr., who in 1891 began to professionally manage philanthropy “as if it were a business.” He set the style of family giving by specifying that grants would be used “for the well-being of people throughout the world.” In the past decade, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has advised on and managed more than $850 million in annual giving to more than 40 countries. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors also includes The Philanthropic Collaborative, a donor-advised fund for international giving and special projects.

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.

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.