News

The Investigative Reporting Workshop has released the trailer to its upcoming series, Years of Living Dangerously, which will air on Showtime in April 2014. The eight-part series examines the impact of climate change around the world, covering it from three angles: how it is affecting people, the politics that surround the issue, and solutions to address the problem.

Pollution in Hong Kong is worsening because of emissions produced by marine vessels, according to a report published by Rockefeller Brothers Fund grantee Civic Exchange, along with the Atmospheric Research Centre at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the Department of Community Medicine at the University of Hong Kong.

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund is pleased to announce the appointment of Keesha Gaskins as director of the Democratic Practice program's U.S. portfolio. Ms. Gaskins is responsible for program development and grantmaking to advance democratic reforms and other strategic efforts to strengthen the vitality of democracy in the United States.

In a New York Times op-ed column, Roger Cohen argues that an agreement with Iran to limit its nuclear program is still possible, despite not reaching a deal in Geneva over the weekend. Cohen quotes Stephen Heintz, stating that although Iran's nuclear knowledge cannot be destroyed, the international community should recognize its capability and "put it in a box where it is verifiable, contained, and controlled."

With the election of New York City's first new mayor in 12 years comes an opportunity to continue engaging the public in discourse that often fades after the ballots are cast. Talking Transition is a nonpartisan effort to empower New Yorkers as Bill de Blasio takes office. Rockefeller Brothers Fund grantees that are participating, include Make the Road New York, the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, and The New York Immigration Coalition, among others.

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.

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.