posted on: Monday, September 19, 2011

By Aaron Dorfman

I am pleased to announce that 32 more foundations from across the country have committed to dedicate a majority of their grants to benefit underserved communities and to provide substantial support for strategies that seek solutions to social problems.

They expressed their commitment by joining Philanthropy’s Promise, an initiative that we launched in June 2011, which seeks to encourage effective and strategic giving that leads to positive and lasting social change.

To date, 96 foundations have signed on to the Promise, representing more than $2.94 billion in annual giving, according to the latest available data.

The 32 grantmakers that joined Philanthropy’s Promise recently are:

Access Strategies Fund, Inc. (MA) Appalachian Community Fund (TN) The Arca Foundation (DC) Calvert Foundation (MD) Chinook Fund (CO) Crossroads Fund (IL) East Bay Community Foundation (CA) Elton John AIDS Foundation, Inc. (NY) Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund (CA) Fund for Idaho (ID) Fund for Santa Barbara, Inc. (CA) Fund for Southern Communities (GA) Funding Exchange, Inc. (NY) Grassroots International, Inc. (MA) The H. van Ameringen Foundation (NY) Hawai'i People's Fund (HI)

Haymarket People's Fund (MA) John M. Lloyd Foundation (CA) Marie C. and Joseph C. Wilson Foundation (NY) The Melville Charitable Trust (MA) Ms. Foundation for Women (NY) Peace Development Fund (MA) The Pride Foundation (WA) Quixote Foundation, Inc. (WA) Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Inc. (NY) San Diego Foundation for Change (CA) The San Francisco Foundation (CA) Three Rivers Community Foundation (PA) United Way of the Bay Area (CA) The van Ameringen Foundation, Inc (NY) Wisconsin Community Fund (WI) Women's Foundation of California (CA)

We hope that the foundations of Philanthropy’s Promise inspire others to think about how their philanthropic dollars can truly make a difference in people’s lives and our communities. At this time of great need, it’s not enough to give. We have to give smartly. We are delighted and grateful to have these 32 organizations on board.

Foundations that have signed on to Philanthropy’s Promise submitted public statements explaining their commitment. These grantmakers include big and small foundations, private foundations, family foundations, corporate foundations, community foundations and other grantmaking public charities.

Below are quotes from The San Francisco Foundation, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and Foundation Exchange, three grantmakers that signed on recently:

“With our endowment, we have the charge and responsibility to direct resources to address the pressing contemporary needs in our community. … The foundation’s strategy is to make sure that the voice of the marginalized is heard and included in solving social issues. We take this approach because we believe it is the only way to create equitable outcomes and find lasting solutions to the challenges facing our communities.”

- THE SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION, Sandra R. Hernandez, CEO, 
and David Friedman, Board Chair

“The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund’s core values align with NCRP’s belief that philanthropy has an important role to play in advancing the cause of equality for all people. For more than 50 years, the Haas, Jr. Fund has made substantial investments in organizations that are working every day to level the playing field and advance the cause of equal rights and opportunities for underserved people and communities. Inspired by our founders’ vision of a just and caring society, we plan to continue this support in the years ahead."

- EVELYN AND WALTER HAAS, JR. FUND, Ira S. Hirschfield, President

“We understand what it means to fund in communities of color, immigrant communities and working class communities. We, and a majority of our members, signed on to Philanthropy’s Promise as a pledge to our constituents that we will continue to work hard towards social and racial justice around the country.”
 

- FUNDING EXCHANGE, Barbara Heisler, Executive Director

A full list of grantmakers that have signed on to Philanthropy’s Promise and their public statements explaining their commitments are available at www.philanthropyspromise.org.

Thank you very much for your continued support of our work!

Aaron Dorfman is executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP).