NY Foundations Pledge to Help Underserved Communities
Public News Service New York
By Mike Clifford
June 14, 2011
Some major New York charitable foundations, that provide millions of dollars in grants each year, have joined a national effort to focus on getting at the root causes of social problems. The North Star Foundation has signed the pledge, meaning at least half of its grants this year will go do New York's most under-served communities.
... Lori Bezahler, president of the Edward W. Hazen Foundation, says her group was attracted to the pledge campaign because it makes the $1.5 million they'll grant this year that much more accountable.
"To say publicly, 'We are making this commitment,' in a way that makes us accountable for upholding those commitments, is important to us. It provides us with a way of being transparent to the communities that we're trying to serve."
The National Committee for Responsible Philanthropy came up with "Philanthropy's Promise," and at least 60 charitable foundations across the nation have signed up this month.
