News

The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University has published a report about the intersection of media and policy in the Muslim world. The report is the product of a retreat held at The Pocantico Center in October 2011, which brought together 22 policymakers, ambassadors, journalists, and media development experts from the Middle East, Pakistan, Indonesia, the United States, and Europe.

Gail Fuller, director of communications, highlights the importance of the 990-PF in helping to tell a foundation's story on Philanthropy New York's blog. More than just an annual information return filed with the IRS, Fuller discusses how the wealth of data can be repurposed to increase a foundation's transparency and enhance its storytelling.

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has modified its Western Balkans guidelines by adding a peacebuilding goal. The amendment of this third goal will allow the Fund to continue to focus its work on the area of peacebuilding, foster collaboration with the RBF’s Peacebuilding program, and remain transparent about its work in the Western Balkans.

At a sustainability conference on December 13, 2011, Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan, and Palestinian Water Minister Dr. Shaddad Attili agreed that continued cooperation is crucial to solving the region's water issues. While the discussion was tense at times, each highlighted the need for reworking the Joint Water Committee, which was established in 1995, but was intended to be temporary.

Although the ability to accumulate private wealth in China has only been possible in the past three decades, philanthropy is growing fast. The RBF's Southern China program team discusses the often complex issues around effective philanthropy and how exchanges with U.S. counterparts can help.

Each summer, RBF grantee Focus the Nation selects 20 college students to participate in its ReCharge! retreat on Mount Hood in Oregon. Chosen as technicians, innovators, politicos, or storytellers, these rising leaders collaborate to explore the skills needed to advance clean energy solutions for the entirety of their careers.

In an editorial published in the Financial Times, economist Nicholas Stern cites data and analysis from the Carbon Tracker Initiative to call attention to the “contradiction between the way global fossil fuel reserves are evaluated and long-term [climate change] policy goals.” The Carbon Tracker Initiative is a project of InvestorWatch, and was made possible by support from the Growald Family Fund and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

Justin Maxson, president of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED), was recognized by environmental news site Grist.org as an individual leading change toward a more sustainable world. MACED is an RBF grantee that finances environmentally sustainable, community-supported, economic development strategies in Kentucky.

Fearless reporter Jeta Xharra was profiled in The New York Times on November 29, 2011. Xharra is the executive director of RBF grantee the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, an organization committed to promoting transparency and accountability through investigative journalism.

Nonprofit dance organizations are significant contributors to New York City's economy and residents' quality of life, according to a report published by Dance/NYC. The report also found that the city's dance organizations—particularly smaller groups—demonstrate a "strong start-up culture of dance," with a handful of staff producing high levels of new creations.