News

In June 2013, the RBF contracted with M+R Strategic Services to conduct an impact assessment of the Democratic Practice program's money-in-politics grantmaking. The purpose of the impact assessment was to step back after 10 years of grantmaking and  review the money-in-politics portfolio, including related transparency grants.

Discerning and communicating the impact of grantmaking and other programmatic contributions are essential to a foundation's mission as well as its commitment to stewardship, transparency, and accountability. A year after a committee of Rockefeller Brothers Fund trustees and staff was established to tackle this issue, their approach to impact assessment has been published in the report, Evaluating Program Impact.

The Story of Brownfields, written by Anita Nager, a recognized leader in the environmental field, documents the Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s 14-year history of brownfield grantmaking and presents a narrative of the foundation’s choices, against a timeline its grantees’ activities and the brownfield remediation and redevelopment efforts of New York City and New York state.

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has released a report examining its Sustainable Development grantmaking from 2005–2010. The RBF first began grantmaking on climate change in 1984. The most recent phase of the RBF‘s work on climate change began in 2005, with the board‘s endorsement of the proposal to shift the bulk of the Fund‘s Sustainable Development resources toward combating climate change.

In 2008, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund launched a foundation-wide project to assess and improve diversity within its operations and grantmaking. The 2012 Diversity Project update summarizes the Fund’s progress in collecting and analyzing data on human resources, operations, grantmaking, public programs, and conference activities. This report also provides a brief update on board diversity, which was previously examined by staff in 2010.

The Peacebuilding program guidelines are now available. Formerly known as Peace and Security, the Peacebuilding program is grounded in the theme of conflict transformation. The revised program aims to identify opportunities to support innovative and collaborative approaches to conflict prevention, management, and transformation; strengthen constituencies and political will for durable peace; and explore solutions to emerging transnational threats.

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has a strong institutional commitment to philanthropic excellence. During 2010, the RBF commissioned the Center for Effective Philanthropy to conduct a series of surveys to gain insight into grantee and applicant perceptions of the Fund’s performance. We are pleased to share the Grantee Perception Report and Applicant Perception Report, along with our insights.

In early 2008, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund launched a foundation-wide project to assess and improve diversity within its operations and grantmaking.  A Diversity Working Group  consisting of staff members from across the Fund was created to explore diversity and inclusion at the RBF, with an initial goal of determining whether the Fund might embark on specific initiatives or strategies to strengthen its commitment.

The Promise of Pocantico is a comprehensive document aligning statements of mission, vision, and principles with the insightful program initiatives and responsible financial considerations, based upon the significant history and assets of Pocantico. The report presents the plan that was approved by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund's board of trustees in June 2008.

NativeEnergy has published a summary of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s carbon footprint from 2007–2009. Since partnering with NativeEnergy in 2005 to calculate and decrease its carbon footprint, the Fund has reduced more than 2,400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.