We are delighted to feature one of Philanthropy New York’s newest members, The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies (ACBP), in the first edition of our Member Spotlight.
We asked Jeffrey R. Solomon, ACBP’s President, about the foundation and its latest initiatives.
What are your primary areas of focus?
Our foundations, located in Montreal, Jerusalem, and New York, focus on several areas, investing in the next generations: Canadian history and heritage, Jewish identity, Israeli educational reform, Israeli shared society, Israeli environment, and next generation philanthropy.
What current projects or initiatives are you working on?
We are working to assure the sustenance of core initiatives (as ACBP is scheduled to spend down by 2016), specifically:
- Karev Educational Initiatives (in Israel)
- Birthright Israel (in 52 countries)
- Historica (in Canada)
- 21/64 (in NY)
- Reboot (in U.S.)
- Completion of The Art of Giving: Where the Soul Meets a Business Plan (with Charles Bronfman), to be published in November 2009 by Jossey-Bass
Are you looking to connect or collaborate with other funders on a particular issue or project?
All of the above have any number of partners and joint funders. Once we have validated an approach that we incubate, we seek partners and work toward the project’s independence.
What are you currently reading?
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann.
What essential/interesting grantmaking resource would you recommend to a fellow funder?
Setting The Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality by Danny Meyer. While not a book about grantmaking, its core lessons are extraordinarily valuable for grantmakers, as there is much to be learned from the values and techniques of the hospitality industries in going about the work of grantmaking.