News

Today’s mix of hyper-capitalism, concentrations of economic and technological power, and impaired and imperiled democracy is undermining the common good.

2026 will be a hinge year when the United States can choose to reaffirm the ideals of its founding and continue the work of realizing them, or imperil the possibility. Challenging times require philanthropy to do more. 

The RBF stands in solidarity with our fellow foundations and charitable organizations. 

We reject attempts to exploit political violence to mischaracterize our good work or restrict our fundamental freedoms, like freedom of speech and the freedom to give. Our organizations will continue focusing on helping people across all backgrounds, geographies, ideologies, and belief systems to heal, thrive, and live peacefully together, protected by the freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution.

In 1928, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller addressed a letter to her sons, who would go on to establish the RBF in 1940. “It is not enough to rid ourselves of prejudice,” she wrote. “We must undo it.” Her charge remains our own, inspiring workplace policies that project empathy, uphold dignity, and help sustain performance through challenging times.

For the RBF’s Central America program, accountability sits at the very heart of its grantmaking. During a recent visit to Guatemala and El Salvador, a delegation of RBF staff and trustees had the chance to meet with some of its grantees, whose work requires commitment, sacrifice, adaptability, and, all too often, courage.

The U.S. attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend was a dangerous military action, derailing ongoing negotiations to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon while bringing the US and Iran to the brink of an all-out war. 

America’s parks reflect a vision championed by generations of Rockefellers who believed that conservation and public access can—and should—go hand-in-hand. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in our nation are at a crossroads, with major implications for the workplace. 

As a new year unfolds before us, the Stimson Center hosted a thought-provoking conversation with Stephen Heintz on January 9, 2025, to unpack the challenge at hand and presents credible pathways for U.S. global leadership in an interdependent world.