Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Contact information (headquarters):
6 West 48th Street, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212-812-4330
Fax: 212-812-4335
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors also maintains offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Type of foundation: Grantmaking public charity.
Types of grants: General operating, project, capital, endowment.
Description: Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is a nonprofit organization that currently advises on and manages more than $200 million in annual giving. RPA serves more than 160 donors in the United States and internationally. RPA staff work with donors to develop thoughtful, effective philanthropy. To date, RPA has advised on more than $3 billion in giving.
In addition, RPA sponsors several projects aimed at directing philanthropy toward specific needs/issues. These include, for example:
- California Education Policy Fund: Supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Fund makes grants to support organizations working on education policy (pre-K through college) in California.
- Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Environmental Health: The Fund has disbursed over $2.6 million to date to more than 145 grassroots and community-based organizations working on a wide range of issues from the coastal regions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas.
- Women in the World Foundation: This new foundation evolved out of Newsweek and The Daily Beast’s Women in the World Summit, launched by the publications’ editor-in-chief, Tina Brown, in March 2010. It will make grants, highlight organizations working toward solutions, and promote collaboration aimed at advancing women and girls.
Sample grants: Numerous grants to media have been made through Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, including:
- $350,758 to Link Media for planning and production of the One Nation Many Voices film contests (2008).
- $350,000 to WNYC Radio for production, broadcast and online distribution of a series of radio plays and audio theater; audio theater high school education program; and distribution of a selection of recordings of Tom Stoppard radio plays (2008).
- $200,000 to KCET Community Television of Southern California for national distribution of BBC World News on PBS (2008).
- $150,000 to Educational Broadcast Corporation for general support (2008).
- $150,000 to Free Press for general support (2008).
- $125,000 in two grants to Public Radio International for increasing public awareness (2008).
- $50,000 to NPR for coverage of Asia (2008).
- $25,000 to Democracy Now for Democracy Alliance Commitment (2008).
- $25,000 to American Public Media for coverage of Asia on Marketplace (2008).
- $10,000 to WGBH for the Becton Fund (2008).
- $2,000 to KQED for general support (2008).
Fit for public broadcasting: There is clearly interest among RPA clients in supporting public media. Clients provide general support to media as well as topic-specific support aligned with their particular interests. Some of the sponsored projects also offer opportunities for public media.
Deadline: Some of the sponsored projects have request deadlines. Applicants should review individual project guidelines.
How to apply: Some of the sponsored projects make grants and have specific application guidelines. Otherwise, RPA functions much as a manager of donor-advised funds. The most fruitful approach is likely to establish a relationship with RPA staff, who then function as advisors to donors.
Giving range: Past grants to media have ranged up to $500,000. Past RPA grants have ranged as high as $7,500,000.
Assets: $48,792,085 (2009).
Total giving: $17,505,981 (2009).
View Annual Report here [PDF].
