News

The New York Times has announced the addition of Vali Nasr, a Rockefeller Brothers Fund trustee, to its roster of opinion contributors. Dr. Nasr is one of more than two dozen newly appointed contributors, who will write monthly columns for the newspaper as well its newly reincarnated International New York Times, formerly known as the International Herald Tribune.

According to the 2013 CPA-Zicklin Index, released last month, the number of large American companies ranked highest for transparent political disclosure and accountability grew by more than 150 percent since last year. The index is a joint effort between the Center for Political Accountability, a Rockefeller Brothers Fund grantee, and the Carol and Lawrence Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research .

During a plenary session at the Independent Sector's annual conference on September 30, 2013, Stephen Heintz, president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, unveiled planning for a "National Purpose Initiative," an effort to reunite Americans around a common purpose. The project aims to engage hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of Americans in a dialogue that will culminate in a broadly shared agenda of national priorities.

For the fourth time, Stephen Heintz, president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, is among the honorees of this year's NonProfit Times' Power & Influence Top 50. Recognized as a skilled negotiator, The NonProfit Times highlights his new effort to engage Americans in a conversation about the United States' challenges and priorities in the 21st century.

Last month, the Fund elected Valerie Rockefeller Wayne to chair the Rockefeller Brothers Fund board of trustees. Ms. Wayne is a middle school special education teacher specializing in adolescents with learning differences and emotional disabilities. She first joined the RBF board in 2003. Ms. Wayne succeeds Richard Rockefeller, who had led the Fund since 2006.

Rina Castelnuovo's powerful photo essay in The New York Times on July 14, 2013, featured Palestinians and Israelis brought together by grief, after having lost loved ones killed in the region's conflict. The families were convened by Rockefeller Brothers Fund grantee the Parents Circle Families Forum.

In April, Partners Albania held a nationwide competition for civil society organizations, social enterprises, and small business ventures to pitch and develop innovative, sustainable business ideas. Fifteen groups competed during the two-day Green Ideas Competition.

Charting Our Progress is an annual report of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s activities over a three-year period. This year's cover story, by Charles Granquist, spotlights The Pocantico Center, which is located on the historic Rockefeller family estate.

Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations Thomas Pickering, and former Deputy National Security Advisor and Ambassador to the United Nations Nancy Soderberg, have published an op-ed on CNN's website encouraging Secretary of State John Kerry to sign an order to change a 2010 Supreme Court decision that has hindered peacebuilders from doing their jobs.

The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) has found new and surprising ways to reach audiences through arts. CIR has partnered with Tides Theatre in San Francisco to adapt investigative news articles and a documentary film into one-act plays. CIR is also collaborating with arts organizations in Berkeley, California to showcase animated shorts based on the news. Another CIR initiative brings spoken-word poet José Vadi onto its staff.