Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Special Fund Created to Provide Direct Relief to Victims of the Earthquake in China

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Launches Initiative with The Bridge Fund to Support Work on the Ground in Sichuan Province

NEW YORK, May 22, 2008 - In the face of unspeakable destruction and untold human tragedy caused by the recent earthquake in Sichuan Province of China, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced that it is coordinating a donor appeal through The Bridge Fund, one of its special projects that has developed long-standing relationships with local and national Chinese charitable organizations since its establishment 12 years ago.

Working in close coordination with China Charity Federation, Sichuan International Friendship Association and the Sichuan Red Cross, the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors initiative - The Bridge Fund Sichuan Earthquake Compassion Fund - will assist approximately 100,000 people affected by the earthquake over a 12-month period. The fund will meet immediate needs in the region by providing critical supplies, including food, drinking water, tents, quilts, warm clothes, jerry cans, kitchen sets, illuminating equipment and medical services, including disease control.

The Bridge Fund is well situated to work effectively and swiftly on the ground having collaborated extensively with organizations based in Sichuan Province, including Chengdu, Aba Prefecture and Ganzi Prefecture, according to Melissa Berman, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

“The Bridge Fund will make use of its strong, deeply rooted relationships with non-governmental organizations based in Sichuan Province, providing a unique opportunity for donors who want the assurance that their contributions will have a direct impact and bring immediate relief to those who are undergoing such suffering,” Berman said.

Over the years, The Bridge Fund has worked with local partners in the most remote and hardest to reach areas of the region supporting healthcare, education, community development, cultural heritage preservation and environmental conservation.

“Our heart goes out to all the people who have been affected by this catastrophe, which has so devastated the vibrant communities that have been part of our lives for many years,” said Monica Garry, Executive Director of the Bridge Fund. “We hope that our work and familiarity in the region will help us anticipate and meet the needs of those who are suffering.”

Donations provided through the fund will aim to meet the initial appeal from the International Red Cross to raise $19.3 million dollars for the benefit of the Red Cross Society of China relief efforts. Contributions from the special fund will also be targeted to support a second phase of community rebuilding efforts, especially in the remote areas of Aba Prefecture to assist Chinese and Tibetans who have been injured, have lost their jobs and homes.

Donations may be made to:
The Bridge Fund Sichuan Earthquake Compassion Fund
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
6 West 48th Street, 10th floor
New York, NY 10036

About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors www.rockpa.org is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages effective giving programs for individuals, families, foundations and trusts. In 2007, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors advised on more than $165 million in giving in 30 countries. Headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, 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.” Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors also includes The Philanthropic Collaborative, a special charitable gift fund vehicle managed solely as a service to clients.

About The Bridge Fund
The Bridge Fund www.bridgefund.org, established in 1996, strives to fulfill its mission of promoting sustainable economic development, environmental conservation and cultural heritage preservation in Tibetan communities in China. Its priority is to assist the most disadvantaged of these communities, which lack or have limited access to economic opportunities, technical skills, education, and health care. Current programs are focused on education, healthcare, cultural preservation, business, environment and community development.

New Report Provides Data on Foundation Diversity

Friday, April 25th, 2008

First in series of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors publications on diversity in philanthropy analyzes 25 years of progress among the nation’s foundations

NEW YORK, April 25, 2008 - Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today released the first of three publications that examine the state of diversity in philanthropy. The series arrives as public pressure grows for foundations to be more responsive to underserved and diverse communities and foundation leaders reconsider the many ways to incorporate diverse perspectives into solving our greatest challenges.

Published with the goal of encouraging open dialogue in the field, highlighting accomplishments and promising programs, and recommending strategies to address institutional and field changes, the series will include quantitative data, analysis of model diversity programs and commentary by leaders in philanthropy and related fields.

The first report, Philanthropy in a Changing Society: Achieving Effectiveness through Diversity, is the most comprehensive examination to date of the major approaches to foundation diversity over the past 25 years. The Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors team thoroughly analyzed grant data collected by the Foundation Center and staffing and board composition trends from the Council on Foundations. The team tapped the advice of more than 50 philanthropy professionals and reviewed relevant literature to collect, describe and assess diversity programs and resources, and solicit comment on successes and challenges. These philanthropy leaders include scholars, directors of diversity programs, program participants and executives of major private, community and family foundations and philanthropic associations. Key findings include:

Overall, there was much progress from 1982 through 2006 among foundations. 2006 staff diversity had grown to 23.2 percent, from 12.6 percent in 1982, with board diversity at 13.0 percent from 4.3 percent. Program officer diversity reached 35 percent compared with 15.4 percent in 1985.

The share of grant dollars targeting minority populations increased modestly from 5.9 percent to 7.4 percent of foundation giving analyzed by the Foundation Center in its annual grants sample.

First half of 25 years saw greatest progress, with growth slower thereafter. While CEO and board diversity more than tripled during the entire period, only 41.5 percent and 32.7 percent of this change, respectively, took place between 1994 through 2006. Since the early 1990s grant dollars targeting minorities hovered just above or below eight percent.

Diversity within foundations varies greatly by staff title, with program staff representing the greatest diversity and more senior or executive roles less so - a situation similar to other sectors.

Diversity across foundation types also varies: independent foundations are most diverse among all staff, public foundations have the most diverse boards, and corporate grantmakers the most diverse pool of CEOs.

While number of grants and grant dollars targeting minority populations did not increase in direct proportion to increases in staff and board diversity, they did seem to increase and stabilize during similar periods.

Diversity programs evolved as the field became more aware of “inclusiveness” as the ultimate goal, i.e. ensuring the participation of diverse voices, rather than just on diversity head count.

Generally, programs had positive impact on individual participants and foundations, but limited resources, scale and duration, lack of coordination across foundations, isolated operations, and lack of outcome-oriented evaluations hampered replication or field-wide advocacy.

Affinity groups that began as informal support networks among staff of color have been the most consistent advocate for increasing diversity and inclusiveness.

“World events have made us increasingly aware of our global interdependence, and the case for diversity has evolved as we gain a better understanding of what it takes to be a truly inclusive society,” said Melissa Berman, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “We are especially proud to be providing our colleagues with objective information to help them further their institutional missions while reflecting and adapting to a changing society.”

Philanthropy in a Changing Society is the result of a grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

“Upholding human and individual rights has always been one of our guiding principles,” said Maureen Smyth, senior vice president of programs for the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. “We hope our colleagues will join us in exploring and implementing models that will promote greater inclusiveness within the field and in turn, better help society’s underserved communities.”

Noting that efforts to mobilize leadership are underway through the Diversity in Philanthropy Project, the Council on Foundations and regional associations of grantmakers in California, Massachusetts, Michigan and New York, the authors also recommend the following strategies:

• Increase advocacy, outreach and peer support by networks of foundation leaders grappling with improving effectiveness and responsiveness in the face of rapidly changing demographics.
• Collaborate with emerging donor communities to connect leadership among diverse communities with the larger institutional philanthropy field.
• Improve and expand existing programs that increase the pool of diverse candidates for staff and board positions, support institutional efforts to include diverse voices in all aspects of their work, or efforts to reach out to disadvantaged and vulnerable communities across all program areas.
• Promote field impact through coordinated multi-program strategies to leverage resources focusing on increasing diversity and inclusiveness, particularly at regional levels.
• Increase research on trends in staffing, board composition and grantmaking so foundations have data to establish benchmarks and monitor progress.

Philanthropy in a Changing Society: Achieving Effectiveness through Diversity is available at no cost by contacting info@rockpa.org. A PDF can also be downloaded from www.rockpa.org/ideas_and_perspectives/publications.

About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages thoughtful, effective giving programs for individuals, families, foundations and trusts. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors advises on more than $200 million in annual giving in 60 countries. Headquartered in New York City with offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the organization was originally developed as the private philanthropy service of the Rockefeller family and traces its antecedents to John D. Rockefeller, Sr., who in 1891 began to professionally manage philanthropy “as if it were a business.”

Analyses include grants of $10,000 or more, as reviewed since 1989, and grants of all amounts examined prior to 1989.

First Practical Guide to Mission-Related Investing by Foundations

Friday, March 21st, 2008

Published by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Policy manual offers comprehensive information to launch effective MRI programs

NEW YORK (March 7, 2008) - Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has announced the publication of a comprehensive, practical guide that translates the concepts, ideas and philosophy of Mission-Related Investing (MRI) into useable policies and practices for foundation trustees.Building on a growing body of knowledge and practice areas,

Philanthropy’s New Passing Gear: Mission-Related Investing marks the first comprehensive implementation guide available to ensure the effective launch of an MRI program and its integration with existing policies and processes. “Foundations in the United States have $600 billion in their endowments and can unleash more of their resources to positively change societies today. As a result, mission-related investing is an idea whose time has come,” said Doug Bauer, senior vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and a co-author of the guide with Steven Godeke, a noted expert in the field. “An MRI program can be daunting to execute,” says Godeke. “Our goal is to provide the knowledge and tools that enable foundation trustees and executives to be energized by the opportunities and outcomes that MRI makes possible, and to move philanthropy into a new leadership position for effecting change.”Broadly defined, mission-related investing encompasses any investment activity designed to generate a positive social or environmental impact in addition to providing a financial return. It is receiving attention, in part, because the field of philanthropy has changed dramatically and donors of all types and sizes are recognizing that traditional grantmaking models are neither the sole route, nor always the most effective one, to achieving social impact. In fact, industry pioneers are advancing entrepreneurial, market-based approaches to creating social capital and impact that often involve a foundation using endowment assets in excess of the usual five percent allocation to grants. According to Bauer, there is also an increased interest to change operating structures, rethink grantmaking efforts, and to foster collaboration between program and investment professionals on advancing new philanthropic models like MRI.

Philanthropy’s New Passing Gear: Mission Related Investing outlines how foundations can:

• Ground a strategy within their values and mission;
• Understand various catalysts for MRI;
• Structure a policy discussion in the boardroom;
• Integrate MRI into existing program and investment processes;
• Link investment asset allocation with program goals;
• Determine the appropriate MRI investment tools and strategies;
• Select program and investment consultants;
• Organize their board, staff and consultants to find, evaluate, approve and execute MRI investments;
• Monitor investment performance of an MRI portfolio; and ultimately,
• Integrate social returns into the ongoing investments and program decisions of the foundation.

“What we’ve learned from our research and our work with the pioneers in this field is that a modest start in MRI can have great impact,” continued Bauer. “This book will be essential to helping with those first critical steps and building ongoing support for an MRI strategy. Foundations can not and should not wait for a perfect system.”

Philanthropy’s New Passing Gear: Mission-Related Investing includes 12 case studies that reflect the diversity of approaches used by organizations currently practicing MRI such as The F.B. Heron Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, KL Felicitas Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation, the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and The Russell Family Foundation. The guide and its appendices also contain tools and templates for creating and executing MRI strategies.

“There is little that is more exciting in philanthropy today than mission-related investing. By putting investment assets to work for mission, MRI allows trustees to uphold their fiduciary duty while increasing the effectiveness of foundations in serving their mission. This excellent guide goes a long way in showing us how to do it,” said William Dietel, Special Counsel and former Chairman, F.B. Heron Foundation.

Additional underwriting for the project was provided by the Flora Family Foundation and the Woodcock Foundation. Philanthropy’s New Passing Gear: Mission-Related Investing, A Policy and Implementation Guide for Foundation Trustees, is available at no cost by contacting info@rockpa.org or calling 212-812-4369. A PDF can also be downloaded from www.rockpa.org.

About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (www.rockpa.org) is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages effective giving programs for individuals, families, foundations and trusts. In 2007, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors advised on more than $165 million in giving in 30 countries. Headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, 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.” Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors also includes The Philanthropic Collaborative, a special charitable gift fund vehicle managed solely as a service to clients.

About Godeke Consulting
Godeke Consulting (www.godekeconsulting.com) is an independent investment advisory firm which works with foundations, corporations, and non-profit organizations to integrate their financial and philanthropic goals. Founded in 2001, it advises clients on the creation and execution of mission-related investment strategies across asset classes and program areas. Its services include strategy development, due diligence, negotiation, and documentation of mission-related investments, investment manager searches, and portfolio performance measurement. Clients include The Rockefeller Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation, The Conference Board, The F.B. Heron Foundation, The Altman Foundation, Common Ground, The World Economic Forum and corporate clients in the financial services and pharmaceutical industries.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Opens Doors in Los Angeles, 9/27/07

Friday, September 28th, 2007

Second California location extends activities of thriving San Francisco office and expands team of professionals serving California donors

Los Angeles, September 27, 2007 – In a move that will address the growing demand from donors in the greater Southern California area for expert guidance on giving matters, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has announced the opening of a Los Angeles office. This expansion builds on the establishment of a San Francisco office in 2004, which has served donors throughout the West Coast, and brings to 27 the number of philanthropy professionals available to donors through Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the largest independent nonprofit advisory service of its kind.

“Interest in philanthropy continues to grow in the Southern California area and we have had the privilege to work with numerous foundations, individuals and corporations in the region through our San Francisco office,” said Melissa A. Berman, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, which is headquartered in New York City. “Our mission is to help donors – no matter where they are located – put more thoughtful strategic dollars into communities. With a fully staffed dedicated Los Angeles location we believe we can bring the most value and support to philanthropists from Santa Barbara to San Diego.”

“This region is home to a vibrant nonprofit community and donors who have a pioneering spirit as well as the desire and ability to address the global “big picture” and critical local issues at the same time,” said Judy Belk, a senior vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, who leads all West Coast activities. “That’s a wonderful combination, and our team looks forward to deeper involvement with donors in the dynamic Southern California area through direct relationships, in partnership with wealth and legal advisors, and as we assist nonprofit and academic institutions in initiatives to educate donors more broadly.”

Ms. Belk has more than 20 years of experience in strategic philanthropy, community relations, corporate citizenship and non-profit management. Before joining Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, she served as vice president of global public affairs for Levi Strauss & Co. During her tenure at the company, Ms. Belk also led the Levi Strauss Foundation, with assets totaling over $120 million. Under her direction, the foundation and company developed a global reputation for international work in the fight against AIDS, economic development, and anti-racism initiatives. She currently serves on the boards of the Southern California Association of Grantmakers, the Ms. Foundation for Women, and the Marlborough School, and was until recently a board member for The Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Ms. Belk, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and master’s degree from California State University, East Bay, has written and lectured extensively on organizational ethics, race, and social change.

Ms. Belk is joined in Los Angeles by philanthropic advisor Melissa Downey, who was most recently a Donor Engagement Officer for Silicon Valley Community Foundation, where she managed a portfolio of 150 donor advisors providing grantmaking, research, due diligence and site visits. During her tenure at the foundation, Ms. Downey held a range of positions in the program, marketing and communications and strategic planning areas. She has had direct experience supporting a diverse portfolio of donors including developing and managing a $1 million arts initiative and the foundation’s Neighborhood Grants Program. Ms. Downey also worked in Los Angeles providing support to the Barbra Streisand Foundation and Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Kimberly Myers Hewlett will provide overall administrative support to the office, joining Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors with a strong track record in administration and management operations and a deep personal and family interest in philanthropy. Previously, Ms. Hewlett served as Alumni Relations Director for the Stanford University Medical School and held various administrative and project management positions throughout the private sector. She is an alumna of The Philanthropy Workshop West Program, a well respected “boot camp” for emerging philanthropists. Ms. Hewlett is actively involved in her families’ foundations and is a member of the Global Philanthropy Circle, sponsored by the Synergos Institute. She is a graduate of Stanford University.

Ms. Belk and her Los Angeles-based team will work closely with Rae Richman and Erica Sanchez in the San Francisco office as well as other New York-based professionals, all of whom have extensive experience in a broad cross section of global philanthropic issues, including the environment, education, healthcare, community development and the arts.
The new office is located at 6300 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 820, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (213) 226-0250, email info@rockpa.org.

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About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages effective giving programs for individuals, families, foundations and trusts. In 2006, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors advised on more than 130 million in giving in 30 countries. 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.” Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors also includes The Philanthropic Collaborative, a special donor-advised fund vehicle managed solely as a service to clients.

Inaugural Grants Made from Fund Created to Advance Giving among Emerging Donor Communities, 9/24/07

Monday, September 24th, 2007

$1.59 Million from W. K. Kellogg Foundation Cultures of Giving Fund goes to 14 U.S. Grantees

New York, September 24, 2007 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has announced the inaugural grantees of the Cultures of Giving Fund, an innovative initiative created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to empower emerging donor communities – notably the African American, Latino, Asian American, Native American and underserved immigrant communities – to lead, develop and grow philanthropic resources that address community causes. Grants totaling $1.59 million were awarded to 14 non-profit organizations across the United States and include six challenge grants to stimulate and increase the impact of giving from donors from the targeted communities. The remaining eight grants support the development and dissemination of training tools and other services to help community-based organizations engage these donors and strengthen their connections to social change issues.

These grants are the most recent efforts of the Kellogg Foundation’s ten years of exploration into and support of ways to unleash new resources for social change in communities of color. The Foundation partnered with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the nation’s largest independent, non-profit philanthropy advisory service, to develop the grantmaking programs of the Cultures of Giving Fund.

“The Cultures of Giving Fund honors the traditions of giving within and across cultures and recognizes that community members are uniquely equipped to identify and address community needs,” said Alandra Washington, Program Director, Philanthropy and Volunteerism, of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. “Mainstream philanthropy should continue to share responsibility for addressing needs and disadvantage, but many community donors are now able to offer a powerful resource. This program is designed to support the development of community-based philanthropy and to strengthen the civic voice of emerging donor leadership.”

The Cultures of Giving Fund’s grantees include:
Challenge grants to encourage new and increased giving from emerging donor communities:

• Foundation for the Mid-South ($175,000)
• Hispanic Federation ($300,000)
• Potlatch Fund ($125,000)
• Social Justice Fund Northwest ($200,000)
• Twenty-First Century Foundation ($200,000)
• Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee ($125,000)

Grants for training tools and other educational services:

• Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services ($75,000)
• Center on Philanthropy & Civil Society / Research Foundation of the City University of
  New York ($30,000)
• Delta Research and Education Foundation ($40,000)
• Faith Partnerships Incorporated ($40,000)
• Hispanics in Philanthropy ($75,000)
• Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. ($75,000)
• Native Americans in Philanthropy ($75,000)
• Women’s Funding Network ($55,000)

Grant details are available at http://rockpa.org/special_programs/cultures-of-giving-fund/.

“While leadership and affluence are growing among donors from many of these communities, much work remains to address poverty and inequities,” said Jessica Chao, a vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, which has partnered with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to develop and launch the Cultures of Giving Fund. “The W. K. Kellogg Foundation has long understood the incredible potential of giving from the many cultures that comprise the United States today. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is proud to be part of this extraordinary initiative.”

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About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that’develops and manages effective giving programs for individuals, families, foundations and trusts. In 2006, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors advised on more than $130 million in giving in 30 countries. Headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, 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.” Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors also includes The Philanthropic Collaborative, a special charitable gift fund vehicle managed solely as a service to clients.

$19 Million in Music Grants Awarded by Fund Created by “Payola” Settlement

Tuesday, December 19th, 2006

The New York State Music Fund helps broaden access to music through second round of grants to 218 nonprofit contemporary music appreciation programs.

New York, December 19, 2006 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced 218 recipients of the second cycle of grants from the New York State Music Fund (“the Fund”), an innovative program created by the Office of the New York State Attorney General to make contemporary music of all genres more available and accessible to diverse audiences and communities within New York State. Nonprofit groups from over 75 towns and cities were awarded grants totaling $19 million for programs ranging from hip-hop to new classical music, and jazz to folk music from around the world. The Fund grew out of settlements with major recording companies investigated for violating state and federal laws prohibiting “pay for play” (also called “payola”).

“The greater number and variety of applications since our first round demonstrate the vitality of this creative sector across the state and the need to level the playing field for all forms of music,” said Jessica Chao, vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the nonprofit organization that developed and manages the grant program. “These 218 grants will go a long way toward fulfilling the Fund’s mission of ensuring that people of all ages, backgrounds and interests have an opportunity to discover new and less familiar performers and artists.”

The New York State Music Fund published guidelines and criteria and accepted grant applications in a number of categories, including music education and public performances of music by artists working in hip-hop, reggae, fusion, jazz, new classical and folk music of all cultures. Applications related to recording, distribution or broadcast through traditional and new media were also eligible. Special emphasis was placed on reaching underserved populations and broadening awareness of artists, genres or styles with limited access to commercial broadcast or other mass distribution vehicles. The Fund received a total of 402 applications for its second cycle.

Awards to the 218 grantees represent every region of New York State and range from $10,000 to $500,000. Diverse forms of popular or experimental music, including indie rock, salsa, electronic, fusion and reggae account for almost 37 percent of grants and more than 15 percent celebrate a spectrum of jazz; nearly 25 percent include new classical music. The state’s ethnic or racial minority communities are served by close to a third of all programs, while 28 percent specifically target rural communities. The Fund’s size and emphasis on music of our time in all its forms set it apart from other arts grant programs.

An Advisory Panel comprised of recognized leaders from a cross-section of the music world evaluated and recommended the applications based on criteria focusing on artistic merit and community impact. The panel included Carl Atkins, musician, composer, and professor at Rochester Institute of Technology; Don Byron, musician and composer; Joseph Dalton, arts reporter and critic; Richard Kessler, musician and executive director of The Center for Arts Education; Michael Orlove, senior program director for Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs; Elisabeth Perez-Luna, a producer, host and writer at WHYY-FM; Bobby Sanabria, musician, composer and educator; Daniel Sheehy, ethnomusicologist and director and curator of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings; and Elisabeth Vincentelli, Arts and Entertainment editor of Time Out New York.

Grantees include:

• Boys Club of New York (Harlem) $100,000
  For the Music School, offering children age six to 20 comprehensive music education including lessons in a variety of acoustic and electronic instruments as well as music technology and band ensemble, training in technique and theory, and numerous performing opportunities playing a range of music including jazz, R&B, rock, funk and classical.
• Irish Arts Center/An Claidheamh Soluis (New York) $100,000
  For the presentation of a concert performance by traditional Irish musicians, curated by scholar and performer Mick Moloney and filmed by Academy Award-winning director Paul Wagner, for broadcast on New York’s public television stations.
• Just Buffalo Literary Center $70,000
  To support the Interdisciplinary Program Series’ headline performances and the school-based Williamsville/Buffalo Poetry, Music, Dance Celebration bringing together students from 37 schools to create new works culminating in a public performance.
• Pregones Theater (Bronx) $65,000
  For “March is Music,” a month-long Latin music festival presenting a broad selection of concert performances, public dialogues, and artist-led educational activities to showcase the diversity and dynamism of Latino musical heritage.
• Seagle Music Colony (Schroon Lake) $70,000
  To present to Adirondack audiences the operas The Goose Girl by Thomas Pasatieri and Lysistrata by Mark Adamo, who will direct the opera and give a public lecture; and to workshop the first act of Stephen Schwartz’s opera Seance on a Wet Afternoon.
• SUNY Cortland $500,000
  For “Live from the Heart of New York,” a two-year collaborative project comprised of seven local arts and community development partners, offering a broad spectrum of musical fare such as jazz, blues, folk and world music. The project will present a series of concerts and events incorporating a range of educational activities including composing workshops and master classes and use technology to enable “on demand” access via podcasts and broadcast.
• WXXI Public Broadcasting Council (Rochester) $165,000
  To support “BackStage Pass,” a series of broadcasts coupled with artist interviews in an hour-long, twice-monthly series for television, radio, and the Web featuring regional artists from Western New York representing a variety of multigenerational music and the Rochester International Jazz Festival.

This second cycle of funding also included a number of grantees that represented the “Special Initiatives” category, specially designed to address the music field’s ability to monitor and maintain an open and fair marketplace. Grantees in this category include:

• Alliance of New York Arts Organizations (Mattituck) $115,000
  For online courses and a blog for New York State musicians, composers, performers to learn how to distribute and promote their music online, protect themselves in the marketplace, and enhance their skills at making a living through music.
• Future of Music Coalition (DC) $250,000
  For an initiative to inform New York State musicians and citizens through statewide forums and Internet resources about key arts and media policy issues related to supporting an open and fair marketplace for creativity and cultural diversity such as payola, media consolidation, copyright, and emerging technologies.
• WFMU (Jersey City) $400,000
  To develop, host, and maintain a non-commercial digital library of “podsafe” music targeted to New York musicians and audiences. This web site will offer free legal music downloads, utilizing public domain material and songs licensed under Creative Commons by their creators.

For a full list of grantees, background on The New York State Music Fund and updates on future plans, please visit: www.rockpa.org/music. The web site also lists grant awards from the first cycle, which total $13 million. For information about the payola settlements related to the recording and radio industries, visit www.oag.state.ny.us.

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About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (www.rockpa.org) is an independent, nonprofit service that develops and manages effective giving programs throughout the world. In 2005 Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors advised on and managed more than $130 million in giving to more than 30 countries. Headquartered in New York City with offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, 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.” Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors also includes The Philanthropic Collaborative, a special donor-advised fund for international giving and special projects including partnerships with major public and private institutions.

Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health Announces Second Cycle of Grants Awarded by Panel of Community Leaders

Monday, July 24th, 2006

Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health Announces Second Cycle of Grants Awarded by Panel of Community Leaders

Collaborative initiative convened by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors awards $250,000 to organizations providing direct support to Gulf Coast revitalization

NEW YORK (July 24, 2006) – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced seventeen grants from its Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health (“the Fund”) that were awarded by panels composed of Gulf Coast community leaders. The grants, which totaled $250,000, were awarded to organizations in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia addressing such issues as housing and urban planning; needs of hurricane survivors and the diaspora; youth; culture and arts; worker and day laborer rights; and environment, health and green rebuilding.

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 second grant cycle awarded by the panel of local leaders. Since its inception in September 2005, the Fund has awarded nearly $700,000 in grants.

“The Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health is an important way that the philanthropic community is responding to the devastation wrought by hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” said Melissa A. Berman, president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “Working with local community leaders is key to addressing the underlying problems that would prevent the sustainable and just redevelopment of the Gulf Coast region. We’re pleased that in a relatively short time, we have been able to make grants that will have a marked impact on achieving the goals of sustainable redevelopment and building community-based regional power that can inform and influence policy on all levels.”

The grantees include:

• Alliance for Affordable Energy
• Center for Environmental and Economic Justice
• Common Ground Worker Education Project
• Community Advocacy, Research and Education, Inc.
• Gert Town Revival Initiative
• Grand Bayou Community United
• JuneBug Productions, Inc.
• Kids Rethinking New Orleans’ Schools
• Lighthouse Community Development Corporation
• Louisiana Bayoukeeper
• Louisiana Interchurch Conference
• Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation
• People’s Organizing Committee
• New Orleans Kids Camera Project
• Portersville Revival Group
• Southwest Workers Union
• US Human Rights Network

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.

Members of the Advisory Board include:

Sharon Alexis
Katrina House of Care
New Orleans, LA

Dr. Regina Benjamin
BayouClinic
Bayou La Batre, AL

Bishop James Black
Ctr. for Environmental and Economic Justice
Biloxi, MS

Elodia Blanco
Concerned Citizens of Agriculture St. Landfill
Tickfaw, LA

Stephen Bradberry
New Orleans ACORN
New Orleans, LA

LaTosha Brown
Saving OurSelves Coalition
Mobile, AL

Victoria Cintra/Sue Weishar
Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance
Jackson, MS

Johanna Congleton
Physicians for Social Responsibility - Louisiana
New Orleans, LA

Pam Dashiell
Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
New Orleans, LA

Scott Douglas
Greater Birmingham Ministries
Birmingham, AL

Derrick Evans
Turkey Creek Community Initiatives
Gulfport, MS

Joe Forte, Jr.
Citizen of Chalmette
St. Bernard, LA

Shana Griffin
INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence and
The Women’s Health & Justice Initiative
New Orleans, LA

Monique Harden
Advocates for Environmental Human Rights
New Orleans, LA

Jaribu Hill
MS Workers Center for Human Rights
Greenville, MS

Derrick Johnson
MS-NAACP
Jackson, MS

Rose Johnson
No. Gulfport Community Land Trust
Gulfport, MS

Brenda Robichaux
United Houma Nation
Raceland, LA

Wilma Subra
Subra Company
New Iberia, LA

Huy Bui
National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies
Silver Spring, MD

Aaron Viles
Gulf Restoration Network
New Orleans, LA

Angela Winfrey-Bowman
People’s Institute for Survival & Beyond
New Orleans, LA

Beverly Wright
Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
Baton Rouge, LA

“The 54 grants we have awarded since March are illustrations of the scope of needs still unmet in the Gulf Coast region,” said Penny Fujiko Willgerodt, a vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors who is overseeing the Fund. “Deep involvement of community leaders who bring to the process diverse perspectives allows the Fund to take important steps in addressing these needs and to have a lasting impact on the region.”

Applications for the next cycle of grantees are due in early October 2006 and will be announced in November. Organizations interested in submitting grant proposals can obtain more information on the Fund’s Web site (http://rockpa.org/gulfcoastfund/rfp/)

Music Fund Created by “Payola” Settlement Makes First Grants

Wednesday, July 12th, 2006

$13 million awarded by The New York State Music Fund to 153 nonprofit contemporary music appreciation programs

New York, July 12, 2006 – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors today announced the first 153 grantees of the New York State Music Fund (“the Fund”), a groundbreaking grant program created by the Office of the New York State Attorney General to make contemporary music of all genres more available and accessible to diverse audiences and communities within New York State. Grants totaling $13 million were awarded to nonprofit groups from Oswego to Brooklyn for programs ranging from hip-hop to new classical music, and jazz to folk music from around the world. The Fund grew out of settlements with major recording companies investigated for violating state and federal laws prohibiting “pay for play” (also called “payola”).

“This first round of grants, in its geographic breadth and diversity of exciting programs, represents a significant step in achieving the Fund’s goals to enable people all across the state to experience the joy of music, and especially to learn about new forms of music,” said Jessica Chao, vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the nonprofit organization that developed and manages the grant program. “The enthusiastic response we received from groups of many sizes and types demonstrates the deep interest in music by people of all ages and backgrounds, and the related needs that remain unmet in many communities. We’re pleased to be part of the solution.”

The New York State Music Fund published guidelines and criteria and accepted grant applications in a number of categories, including music education and public performances of music by artists working in hip-hop, reggae, fusion, jazz, new classical and folk music of all cultures. Applications related to recording, distribution, or broadcast through traditional and new media were also eligible. Special emphasis was placed on reaching underserved populations and broadening awareness of artists, genres or styles with limited access to commercial broadcast or other mass distribution vehicles. The Fund received a total of 304 applications for its first cycle.

Awards to the 153 grantees represent every region of New York State and range from $15,000 to $750,000. Diverse forms of popular or experimental music, including hip-hop, indie rock, fusion and reggae account for about 37 percent of grants and more than 13 percent celebrate a spectrum of jazz; 30 percent include new classical music. The state’s ethnic or racial minority communities are served by 45 percent of the programs, while 47 percent target low-income communities. The Fund’s size and emphasis on music of our time set it apart from other arts grant programs.

An Advisory Panel comprised of recognized leaders from a cross-section of the music world evaluated and recommended the applications. The panel included Karen Park Canning, ethnomusicologist and musician; Joseph Dalton, arts reporter and critic; Willie L. Hill, Jr., musician, educator and director of the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Murray Horwitz, radio commentator, songwriter and director of the American Film Institute’s Silver Theater and Cultural Center; James Jordan, music publisher and former director of the New York State Council on the Arts’ music program; Mike Ross, director of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign; Mildred Ruiz, singer, actress and playwright; Ray Vega, jazz trumpeter and lecturer at the music conservatory at SUNY-Purchase; and Su Zheng, ethnomusicologist and associate professor of music at Wesleyan University.

Grantees include:

• City Parks Foundation (New York City) to expand free concerts to low-income neighborhoods in all five boroughs of New York City showcasing hip-hop, reggae, soul, funk, blues, Latin American, and jazz music – $230,000
• Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center (Buffalo) for increased programming of experimental and new music to be presented in The Church, its new space featuring concerts, residencies, new works and recordings - $150,000
• Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture (Bronx) for Bomplenazo 2006: A Biennial of Afro-Puerto-Rican Culture and the Mott Haven Latin Jazz Connection, two festivals celebrating the African and Latin musical roots of the South Bronx - $90,000
• Mama Foundation for the Arts for Gospel for Teens (Harlem), a community-based music education program stressing artistic discipline and commitment by training aspiring teens in this uniquely American musical form - $30,000
• North Country Public Radio (Adirondack Region) for “UpNorth Music,” a collaborative project with regional arts councils to record, archive, broadcast, and podcast all genres of music by artists living and working in New York’s North Country - $330,000
• Syracuse Jazz Fest, which annually features legendary artists such as David Fathead Newman, Dr. John, Ahmad Jamal, Diana Krall, Richie Havens, Jimmy Heath, Aaron Neville and the Ramsey Lewis Trio, among others - $39,000

A full list of grantees and information about the second cycle of applications, which are due by September 12 and will be announced in late December, can be found at www.rockpa.org/music

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.