What's New

January 25, 2013

Program Officers join expanding teams in Thriving Cultures, Sustainable Environments, Strong Local Economies

 

The Surdna Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of four new Program Officers.  To more effectively deliver on our mission to foster just and sustainable communities in the United States, the Foundation recently decided to expand our program staff.  All four new staff members will be joining the Foundation in February 2013.

• Elizabeth Mendez Berry joins our Thriving Cultures program and brings a background as a cultural journalist and communications professional, as well as experience as a philanthropic consultant to the Ford Foundation. The Thriving Cultures program focuses on involving teens in the arts and fostering the growth of local artists as economic engines, participants in community development, and agents in social change.
• Jessica Garz also joins our Thriving Cultures program and brings to Surdna experience in community development and design, having recently conducted research on the intersection of culture and community development for The Urban Institute.
• Alison Corwin comes to Surdna from New Ecology, Inc. in Boston, where she served as a project manager on green affordable housing and sustainable community development. Alison also brings experience in urban planning and social enterprise development. She joins Surdna's Sustainable Environments program, which supports next generation infrastructure solutions that will improve transit systems, make buildings more energy efficient, better manage our water systems and rebuild regional food systems.
• José Garcia comes to the Foundation with a background in policy and advocacy, working with Dēmos and other national organizations on issues including economic opportunity and wealth building. José joins Surdna's Strong Local Economies program, which supports the development of robust and sustainable economies that include a diversity of businesses and access to quality jobs.

 

"With the addition of these four talented professionals, Surdna is poised to accelerate and deepen our work on the range of new program strategies we announced in December.  We are incredibly excited about the burst of energy and ideas this cohort of new staff members will bring to the Foundation," said Phillip Henderson, President.

Surdna's programs -- Sustainable Environments, Strong Local Economies, and Thriving Cultures -- will be better equipped to be effective investors, partners, and connectors in all of our areas of work with this added capacity.

The search was conducted by Gumbs + Partners, a New York City-based executive search firm serving the nonprofit community nationally and internationally.

About the Surdna Foundation

The Surdna Foundation - one of the nation's oldest family foundations - was established in 1917 by John E. Andrus, and is governed today by fourth and fifth generation Andrus family members.  Surdna seeks to foster just and sustainable communities in the United States - communities guided by principles of social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, strong local economies, and thriving cultures.  With assets of approximately $850 million, Surdna awards about $35 million in grants annually to hundreds of nonprofit organizations across the United States.

January 25, 2013

 

The Surdna Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Leticia Peguero as the new Executive Director for the Andrus Family Fund (AFF) and the Andrus Family Philanthropy Program (AFPP), effective February 18, 2013.

Ms. Peguero comes to AFF and AFPP with over 18 years of experience in social justice programming and philanthropy work.  She most recently served as Regional Vice President of the Posse Foundation, where she managed the organization's sites in Los Angeles, Boston, New Orleans and Houston.

Ms. Peguero replaces Steve "Kelly" Kelban, founding Executive Director of AFF and AFPP, who retired in October.

"The growth of the AFF and AFPP programs since their founding in 2000 has been amazing.  We are so pleased to have Leticia joining us to help us continue to develop new opportunities for members of the Andrus family to participate in philanthropic work that creates positive change in the United States," said Phillip Henderson, President of the Surdna Foundation.

Prior to joining the Posse Foundation, Ms. Peguero was the Deputy Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Local Funding Partnerships, where alongside the Local Funding Partnerships team she oversaw a $6.5 million portfolio that leveraged the power of partnerships by combining resources with local grantmakers to fund creative, pragmatic and community driven projects. Ms. Peguero's extensive experience working in nonprofits includes her role as Manager of Community Relations for the YWCA of the City of New York and Associate Director of Adult Education at Planned Parenthood of New York City where she was responsible for designing, implementing and managing a program to train healthcare professionals in New York City and the Caribbean on how to integrate HIV prevention services into reproductive care in a culturally appropriate and relevant manner.

Ms. Peguero said, "It's quite an honor to have the opportunity to work with the Andrus family.  I'm so impressed with what's been done through AFF and AFPP over the past 13 years, and I am excited to join the organization, build on this important work and help to move it forward."

Ms. Peguero is a graduate of the National Urban Fellows, one of the country's top leadership development programs.  Ms. Peguero also works in her community, especially focusing her efforts on providing capacity and strategic advice to small organizations run by people of color in New York City.  She is a Board member of the NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault and co-chairs their fundraising committee. Ms. Peguero holds a B.A. from Fordham University and graduated with honors from the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College with a Masters in Public Administration.

Andrus Family Fund's Mission Statement

The Andrus Family Fund, guided by the Transitions Framework and principles of racial equity, seeks to foster just and sustainable change in the United States. Specifically, we aspire to advance efforts leading to community reconciliation and improving outcomes for youth who are leaving the foster care system.

About the Andrus Family Fund and the Andrus Family Philanthropy Program

The Andrus Family's most prominent endeavor is the Surdna Foundation, established by family patriarch, John Emory Andrus, in 1917. Currently, the foundation has assets of more than $800 million and is among the dozen largest family foundations in the country.  Surdna's work is focused on fostering the development of just and sustainable communities across the United States.

Thirteen years ago the Board of Directors of the Surdna Foundation launched the Andrus Family Philanthropy Program (AFPP) to engage the more than 400 extended family members in philanthropy and public service. AFPP is an array of programs that promote and develop meaningful opportunities for younger members of the Andrus family to engage in public service, volunteerism, education, and training in philanthropy and non-profit work.

As part of AFPP, the Andrus Family Fund (AFF) was established to give fifth-generation family members ages 25-45 an opportunity to learn about and participate in organized philanthropy. While AFF is legally a fund of the Surdna Foundation, AFF defines and manages its own grant making program and process. Through AFF, a new generation of Andrus family philanthropists is identifying and implementing its own philanthropic vision.

For more information about the Andrus Family Fund, please visit:  www.affund.org

Residents of NE Portland are taking an "eco-district" approach to community rebuilding that centers on creating environmental wealth through social enterprise, outreach and advocacy. The most recent project is Let Us Build Cully Park! Working with 15 community based organizations, Verde, a Surdna grantee supported by all three program areas, established the Let Us Build Cully Park!  Coalition. This compelling video shows how this low-income community is building assets of all kinds through a model that we hope can be replicated in communities throughout the country.

 

Let Us Build Cully Park! Community Garden from PrettyGoodProductions on Vimeo.

Nonprofit Finance Fund's (NFF) annual State of the Sector nonprofit survey asks about nonprofits organizations' financial & management challenges and opportunities in 2012 and 2013. The annonymous survey takes only 10-15 minutes to fill out, and the results will be used to generate widespread awareness of nonprofits' experiences as they work hard to serve their communities.

Now in its fifth year, NFF's nation-wide survey provides robust data studied in detail by dozens of funders and featured prominently in leading publications(see previous results here). By filling out the survey, you help inform foundations, the media, government and other nonprofits about the state of the sector and showcase the smart decisions nonprofits are making to cope and adapt in difficult times.

The survey is now live.  To participate, click the icon below:

December 30, 2012

Surdna announces the death of John E. Andrus III, grandson of Surdna's founder, at the age of 103.  Mr. Andrus joined Surdna's board in 1969, serving as Chair for many years, and reached emeritus status in 1991.  He also served as a director of the John E. Andrus Memorial and the Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial as well as many other nonproift and civic organizations.

In addition to his business and philanthropic interests, Mr. Andrus was a devoted family man, many of whom were by his side at the time of his passing. He will be remembered by family, and current and former Surdna staff, as a great and kind man who lived life to the fullest.

Click here for a blog about the extraordinary life of John E. Andrus III by Nancy Ment, President and CEO of Andrus on Hudson...

Click here for obituary...

December 11, 2012.

Maximizing impact is a primary goal for every foundation.  We all see the importance of making sure each dollar we spend goes as far as possible.   At Surdna, we've taken that to heart by revamping our program guidelines so that they better address today's challenges.  Our goal is to more effectively deliver on our mission to help build more just and sustainable communities across the U.S.  We will take care to cultivate the best organizations and the most creative ideas, and to fund the implementation of practical solutions in service of our mission.

Specifically, we've sharpened our program strategies to pinpoint the areas where we can create meaningful change in order to make communities sustainable, economically strong and culturally vibrant.  I encourage you to take a look at our guidelines for Surdna's three programs:  What We Fund overview, Strong Local Economies, Sustainable Environments, Thriving Cultures. 

For more than 90 years, the Surdna Foundation has sought to foster just and sustainable communities across the United States and the improvements we've made to our program guidelines won't change that. We will continue to nurture communities and seek to improve their quality of life, making them places where people want to live, work and play. But we are striving do our work even more strategically, more collaboratively, and with the kind of expertise that reflects the best thinking of our grantees and practitioners in the field.

We are excited about our plans, and we look forward to continuing to partner with local and national organizations so that more of our nation's communities enjoy sustainable environments, strong local economies and a vibrant cultural life, all serving to enrich and reinforce one another. We look forward to working with you.

Phillip Henderson
President

Teens’ Artistic and Cultural Advancement

We believe that art and culture training programs can help young people achieve their educational and career goals, and catalyze change in their communities.

The Thriving Cultures Program therefore supports programs that successfully connect teens to artistically rigorous and culturally relevant programs that equip them with practical and life-enhancing skills. We value programs that prepare young, emerging artists to be creative and innovative leaders in their communities.

What we fund:

Overall, we seek organizations that have a proven and longstanding commitment to serving teens and that emphasize skill building. We seek funding opportunities that:

• Provide high quality arts training that integrate life skills.  These skills include:  written and oral communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and leadership development;
• Encourage teens to connect to their cultural identity through art-making;
• Provide young people with a well-developed, sequential curriculum that meets the increasing skills of participants;
• Foster strong mentoring opportunities for artists with teens;
• Employ accomplished faculty and guest artists who engage teens in art forms that reflect their cultural interests and community;
• Use research and evaluation tools to track the progress of teens’ success over time;
• Share best practices in regards to training and evaluation in order to strengthen the field of youth arts training.

We give preference to organizations that:

• Embrace artistic and design excellence;
• Find innovative ways to use arts and culture to make communities more just and sustainable;
• Prioritize the needs of low-income communities and people of color in their work;
• Maintain sound financial practices and management; and
• Demonstrate a capacity and willingness to share best practices and knowledge with their colleagues and others in the field.

We do not fund:

• Individuals;
• In-school arts programs, including elementary or middle-school programs;
• Projects that enhance in-school arts training (e.g. guest artists, professional development for arts faculty);
• Recruitment efforts at specialized public arts high schools, arts-focused charter schools or community music schools;
• One-time projects;
• Organizations that solely provide arts-integrated learning (e.g. arts as a pedagogy for teaching other academic subjects or as a mode for health and social services delivery).

How to apply:

If you are interested in applying for a Surdna Foundation grant, please submit a letter of inquiry by clicking here. Please note: We can only support organizations that meet our guidelines listed under "What we fund."

by Phillip Henderson, President, Surdna Foundation

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was at my first Independent Sector conference, and was a freshly minted foundation president. So I felt privileged to follow the “CEO Track” at the conference. One of the sessions that I thought might be amusing was one on storytelling. So I wandered into that windowless, basement conference room – you know the one—along with the other “CEO Trackers” to hear some stories. What I got instead completely blew me away. It was my first experience of the world of Andy Goodman. With humor, practiced ease, and airtight logic, Andy had me completely mesmerized for that hour, and I emerged from the session a true believer in the power of stories to communicate the messages we care about.

I went back to Surdna and instructed my staff to use stories at the next board meeting, sensing that this could be a transformative moment for me and for the organization. But subtly, slowly, inexorably our old habits of presenting tedious PowerPoint slides began to creep back. It turns out that telling compelling and illuminating stories is more than just important, it’s really hard. It requires training, concentration, and focused attention to do it right and to do it well.

Fast forward a few years and I find myself reading The New New Deal by Michael Grunwald. Grunwald’s book is a terrific read, a tour of Obama’s massive economic stimulus package in 2009. The book reminds the reader of just how much value was imbedded in this stimulus and how much promise the investments made through the stimulus have for the future of the country. The book also reminds us, in painful, intricate detail, just how poorly the transformative vision of this stimulus was transferred to the conventional wisdom of the population-at-large. It’s so bad that, for a while, the Administration stopped using the word stimulus at all. The jargon-heavy description of what went wrong ascribes blame to a hijacked narrative. But what they really mean is that the Obama Administration and its allies did a really poor job of telling a good story about the stimulus. And, it turns out, just as Andy Goodman has been telling us, stories matter.

In a way, the battle to define the stimulus, in fact to define what the future of our country can and should be, is a battle of stories. Sometimes we talk about competing visions, and, yes, sometimes about competing narratives. But in the end we are talking about stories. I think too often we believe that the work will speak for itself, and at some level it does. But if we want transformative change, we need to believe in our bones that communicating good stories, repeating anecdotes of small and large triumphs, and speaking in unison through these stories about what matters most to us is core to achieving success. Story telling is not a “nice to have,” it’s a “must have.”

Surdna continues to advance the idea that stories and shared messages matter to us. We’ve been working over the past year-plus with partners in the environmental community to build a storybank and shared message platform about the clean economy, and are now working on a storybank about next generation infrastructure solutions in our metro areas. We know that merely having the stories isn’t enough. We recognize now, much as I recognized in the months after my Andy Goodman Experience, that just believing in the power of stories isn’t going to carry the day. We need to commit time, build expertise, share, and promote our stories in order to tap into their ancient and future power for transformational change.

 

Dozens of elected officials launch Local Progress, the first national municipal policy network dedicated to advancing innovative legislative strategies in America's cities and towns

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Building on their recent electoral victories, 37 progressive elected officials from 32 municipalities around the country united last weekend to launch Local Progress, a network of leaders dedicated to promoting "broadly-shared prosperity, equal justice under law, sustainable and livable cities, and good government that serves the public interest effectively."

The gathering kicked off with a rousing address from Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union, who said that SEIU is committed to building robust progressive infrastructure at the state and local level because it is crucial to improving the lives of working families. "We're building a movement for a more fair and just society," said Nick Licata, the Seattle City Councilmember who is chairing the network. "And we're off to an amazing start."

Local Progress will facilitate sharing and development of policy innovations, local legislation, organizing strategies, and communication tools. It will also help progressive advocacy organizations and elected officials collaborate on policy work in cities around the country and elevate issues into the national dialogue.

"After decades of rising inequality, rebuilding America requires smart and sustained communication and coordination between progressive advocacy groups and elected leaders," said Nisha Agarwal, deputy director of the Center for Popular Democracy, which is a founding partner of Local Progress. "It's crucial that we share innovative municipal policies and collaborate to realize our goals of equity, opportunity, and inclusion." Cities are the driving force of America's economic engine: the top 100 metropolitan areas account for about 75 percent of the nation's gross domestic product; the top ten cities have an economic output that is about equal to that of 35 states.

"We have deep relationships with leaders in cities around the country," said Gloria Totten, president of the Public Leadership Institute, also a founding partner of the new network. "And we're bringing them together through Local Progress to share their best practices and unite behind a progressive agenda for our country."

On Saturday morning, participants and outside experts discussed ways to rejuvenate the economy through the creation of good, middle class jobs. "We had lively presentations about how cities can foster smart economic growth," said Wilson Goode Jr., the Philadelphia City Councilman who led the conversation.  "Everyone agreed that we have to build an economy where workers are paid a living wage with adequate benefits, sick leave, and the security they need to support their families."

The legislators spoke optimistically about their vision for the coming decades. "A broad coalition of voters sent a powerful message on election day," said Faith Winter, Mayor Pro Tem of Westminster, CO. "Voters want government that works in the public interest - not just the interest of multinational corporations - and that treats everyone with the respect and dignity they deserve."

The attendees said they planned to continue push forward aggressively on coordinated legislative campaigns in the months and years ahead. Priorities include making government services more accessible for immigrants, creating middle-class green jobs and vibrant livable neighborhoods, empowering community residents to participate in democratic budgeting decisions, and supporting parents by strengthening schools and making work rules more flexible.

The Founding Board of Local Progress is

Wilson Goode Jr., Philadelphia (PA) City Council: (215) 686-3414

Brad Lander, New York (NY) City Council: (718) 499-1090

Chuck Lesnick, Yonkers (NY) City Council: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; (914) 377-6060

Nick Licata, Seattle (WA) City Council: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; (206) 684-8803

Joe Moore, Chicago (IL) City Council: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; (773) 338-5796

Julia Ross, St. Louis Park (MN) City Council: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Faith Winter, Westminster (CO) City Council: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; (303) 594-5594

and includes two core partner non-profit advocacy organizations: the Public Leadership Institute and the Center for Popular Democracy (www.populardemocracy.org).

This article was written by the heads of the following organizations: Scott Bernstein of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, Kimberly Freeman Brown of Green For All, David A. Foster of the BlueGreen Alliance, Phillip Henderson of the Surdna Foundation, and Mindy Lubber of Ceres.  It is published as an editorial in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Superstorm Sandy and the subsequent nor'easter laid bare the precarious state of the physical systems that make our cities and towns tick-our infrastructure.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York declared what we have long known: America faces "a new reality when it comes to these weather patterns. We have an old infrastructure and we have old systems, and that is not a good combination."

Those who lived for a week or more without electricity, water, or transportation in the aftermath of Sandy instantly understood the fragility of our physical systems. But now it's up to foundations and nonprofits to make the link for voters, policy makers, businesses, and others about the part we all need to play in rebuilding better. A meaningful recovery requires us to push a vision of next-generation infrastructure that improves the nation's transit systems, makes buildings more energy-efficient, better manages water systems, and improves our food system.

If philanthropy does its job well in pushing for a next-generation system, it could play a big role in creating millions of new, steady jobs, revitalizing the economy, and rebuilding communities so they work better for everyone, not just the affluent.

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