Council on Foundations

Ruth Chance, involved with and employed by such foundations sa the Rosenberg Foundation and the Ford Foundation at different times in her career, discusses the mission, purpose, and goals of the Council on Foundations. Most important is the Council's position of leadership for its members. Chance discusses the Council's move from New York City to Washington, D.C., the importance of foundation staff, the impact on foundations of the nineteen sixties, the 1969 Tax Reform Act, and the government's role in philanthropy.

Merrimon Cuninggim describes his work with foundations, starting in the early nineteen sixties and including his work on the Council of Foundations, beginning around 1967. He describes the shaping of modern foundation work in the United States, from 1969 congressional hearings through the Reagan and George H. Bush presidencies. He describes criticism of the Council of Foundations, as well as the ethical dilemmas and social impact of foundations.

Humphrey Doermann describes his personal involvement in foundation work, particularly the Bush Foundation in Minnesota. Further, he talks about the role of the Council on Foundations, its leadership and impact on membership, and its future.

Jean Fairfax discusses her background and career, and how each of these involved and influenced her active participation in charity, volunteerism, and philanthropic foundation work. Fairfax speaks of the history of the Council on Foundations and its goal, in her view, of the promotion of justice. She comments on philanthropy in the context of civil rights, diversity, and ethics, placing a special emphasis on the historical patterns of African-American philanthropic or charitable giving.

David F. Freeman, former president of the Council on Foundations, discusses his upbringing, education, and the development of his values with regard to his eventual dedication to civic service and career in philanthropy. He speaks of the early history and the role or purpose of the Council on Foundations, and the effects of the 1969 Tax Reform Act on the Council and on foundations, in general. Freeman also speaks of his work at the Scherman Foundation, emphasizing the concerns of social welfare. Finally, he speaks of the generational differences he perceives in foundation administration.

Robert F. Goheen, former chairman and chief executive officer of the Council on Foundations, discusses his career and experiences at the Council. He speaks of his philosophy of philanthropy and the impact of the 1969 Tax Reform Act on foundations. In addition, Goheen comments on his Presbyterian upbringing as a central influence on the development of his values and career in philanthropy.

Dorothy Johnson,a career philanthropist, speaks of the role and activities of the Council on Foundations. She discusses the Council's philanthropic principles and practices, and how these relate to the ethics of foundations, in general. Johnson also comments on Regional Associations of Grantmakers, or RAGs, specifically, on her involvement with the RAG in Michigan. Finally, she discusses her views on the role the government should take with regard to philanthropy.

James Joseph, who provided leadership to the Council on Foundations beginning in 1971, discusses the beginnings of the Council and its original initiative of information sharing between foundations. He speaks of the 1969 tax reform debate, the diversity controversy which rose to the surface in 1971 in a Montreal protest and resulted in his election to the Council's board of trustees, and the many changes, which characterized his time at the Council in the nineteen eighties. Finally, Joseph comments on the Council's mission, particularly the goal of improving the public's understanding of organized philanthropy.

Russell G. Mawby, president and chief executive officer of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, relates his association and perspective on the Council on Foundations. He cites the Council's main role as being a forum for important leadership and communication within the philanthropic world. In addition, Mawby discusses the 1969 Tax Reform Act and its impact on foundations.

J. Irwin Miller speaks about his and his family's traditional involvement with philanthropy, and the Council on Foundations' impact on philanthropy. In addition, Miller discusses ethics and the crisis facing public education in the United States. He also comments on James Joseph's success as a leader of the Council on Foundations.

John W. Nason speaks of his background, career, and involvement with the Council on Foundations. He emphasizes the Council's role in creating a better environment for and perception of foundations on Capitol Hill. In addition, Nason comments on the Council's leadership capacity and the great impact it has had on American philanthropy, especially in the aftermath of 1969 Tax Reform Act.

Eleanor Peterson, head of a regional association of the Council on Foundations, describes her work with the Council beginning in 1974, including the 1969 Tax Reform Act, ethical issues, leadership, and the relation of philanthropy to government.

Alan Pifer, a one-time member of the board of the Council on Foundations, describes the history of foundations in the U.S. from the nineteen fifties to the nineteen nineties. He discusses the role of United States Congressional hearings and the 1969 Tax Reform Act on foundations and the subsequent influence of the Council of Fundations on United States philanthropy.

James Shannon, former chairman of the board of the Council on Foundations, speaks of the Council's history and his own involvement with the Council and with philanthropy. He emphasizes the leadership qualities of the Council's current chairman, James Joseph, and the positive attributes of other of his Council co-workers who helped to focus and achieve the Council's mission and responsibilities. In addition, Shannon speaks of certain phenomena and groups that had critical, or even negative effects on the world of philanthropy and on the foundations themselves.

Thomas Troyer, an attorney who has represented the Council on Foundations since the early Seventies, discusses the impact of the 1969 Tax Reform Act on the Council and on the field of philanthropy. He speaks of the interplay and relations between foundations and Congress, and how these too were influenced by the 1969 Tax Reform Act. In addition, Troyer comments on the reasoning behind the Council's move from New York City to Washington, D.C., describes the history and growth of the Council, and emphasizes the Council's role as a force in the professionalization of the field of philanthropy.

In this interview, Homer Wadsworth discusses his involvement in the field of philanthropy and, more specifically, in the Council on Foundations. He speaks about the history, development, and function of the Council, as well as engaging in an assessment of the Council's recent activities. In addition, Wadsworth comments on the reasons for the 1969 Tax Reform Act and its impact on foundations and the Council.

Paul Ylvisaker discusses the history of the Council on Foundations and emphasizes its functional leadership role in the field of philanthropy. He comments on the split between liberal and conservative members of the Council, and the connection between philanthropic ethics and the importance of self-discipline to foundations. In addition, Ylvisaker speaks of the impact of the 1969 Tax Reform Act and the dynamic leadership the Council has received throughout its history, especially under the administration of James Joseph.