Foundations
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from U.S. foundations.
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Troy Polamalu Set for Nov. 23 NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, Presented by Fidelity Investments
IRVING, Texas, Nov. 20 -- The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame issued the following news release:
The University of Southern California and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor 2019 electee Troy Polamalu with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments. The Salute will take place this Saturday, Nov. 23, during the Trojans' football game against UCLA. Coverage of the game will start at 12:30 p.m. PT.
The NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute program, which began with the inaugural
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IRVING, Texas, Nov. 20 -- The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame issued the following news release:
The University of Southern California and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor 2019 electee Troy Polamalu with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments. The Salute will take place this Saturday, Nov. 23, during the Trojans' football game against UCLA. Coverage of the game will start at 12:30 p.m. PT.
The NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute program, which began with the inauguralCollege Football Hall of Fame Class in 1951, has become a hallowed tradition, and to this day the singular events remain the first of numerous activities in each inductee's Hall of Fame experience. During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, each inductee returns to his alma mater or college where he coached to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will remain on permanent display at the institution. The events take place on the field during a home game, and many inductees cite the experience as the ultimate capstone to their careers, providing them one more chance to take the field and hear the crowd roar their name.
"Known for his fearless hitting and flying tackles, Troy Polamalu ranks among the greatest defensive backs in USC history," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "He is truly worthy of the College Football Hall of Fame, and we are thrilled to honor him at the Coliseum."
A two-time First Team All-American, Polamalu earned consensus honors in 2002 and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in the nation. He led the Trojans to consecutive bowl games, including a victory in the 2003 Orange Bowl (he missed the game with an injury) and an appearance in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, where he set a Las Vegas Bowl record with 20 tackles.
A two-time First Team All-Pac-10 selection, Polamalu guided the 2002 USC squad to its first 11-win season since 1979, a share of the conference title and a No. 4 national ranking.
A two-year team captain, Polamalu was USC's MVP in 2001 and Most Inspirational Player in 2002. The Tenmile, Oregon, native recorded 281 tackles and six interceptions in his four-year career in Los Angeles.
Polamalu led USC in tackles (118) and interceptions (three) in 2001 after topping the team in interceptions (two) and deflections (seven) in 2000. A member of the Pac-12 All-Century Team, he was inducted into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
Polamalu was selected in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he spent his entire 12-year career with the franchise. The 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year went to eight Pro Bowls and led the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances, including wins in Super Bowls XL and XLIII. Polamalu is a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team. During his NFL career, he earned his degree from USC in 2011.
Polamalu and his wife established the Troy & Theodora Polamalu Foundation, which has raised millions for charity. Paying tribute to his American Samoan heritage, he supports the Fa'a Samoa Initiative, set up a medical clinic in Samoa, and serves on the board of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, of which he is an inductee.
Polamalu becomes the 32nd Trojan player to be inducted, joining Marcus Allen (1978-81), Jon Arnett (1954-56), John Baker (1929-31), Hal Bedsole (1961-63), Ricky Bell (1973-76), Tony Boselli (1991-94), Tay Brown (1930-32), Brad Budde (1976-79), Paul Cleary (1946-47), Sam Cunningham (1970-72), Anthony Davis (1972-74), Morley Drury (1925-27), John Ferraro (1943-44, 1946-47), Mike Garrett (1963-65), Frank Gifford (1949-51), Mort Kaer (1924-26), Matt Leinart (2003-05), Ronnie Lott (1977-80), Mike McKeever (1958-60), Erny Pinckert (1929-31), Marvin Powell (1974-76), Aaron Rosenberg (1931-33), O.J. Simpson (1967-68), Ernie Smith (1930-32), Harry Smith (1937-39), Lynn Swann (1971-73), Cotton Warburton (1932-34), Charles White (1976-79), Richard Wood (1972-74), Ron Yary (1965-67) and Charles Young (1970-72).
Three former USC coaches are also in the Hall: Howard Jones (1925-40), John McKay (1960-75) and John Robinson (1976-82, 1993-97).
Including the 2019 class, only 1,010 players and 219 coaches have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly 5.4 million people who have played or coached the game over the past 150 years. In other words, less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of those who have set foot on the gridiron have earned the distinction. Click here for a complete list of players and coaches in the Hall.
The 2019 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Hilton Midtown on Tuesday, Dec. 10. This year's College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: Terrell Buckley (Florida State), Rickey Dixon (Oklahoma), London Fletcher (John Carroll [OH]), Jacob Green (Texas A&M), Torry Holt (North Carolina State), Raghib "Rocket" Ismail (Notre Dame), Darren McFadden (Arkansas), Jake Plummer (Arizona State), Troy Polamalu (Southern California), Joe Thomas (Wisconsin), Lorenzo White (Michigan State), Patrick Willis (Mississippi), Vince Young (Texas) and coaches Dennis Erickson (Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami [FL], Oregon State, Arizona State) and Joe Taylor (Howard, Virginia Union, Hampton, Florida A&M). For more information on the Dinner, please contact Will Rudd at wrudd@footballfoundation.com or by calling 972.556.1000.
The 2019 Class will also be honored during the 15th Annual National Hall of Fame Salute at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 28, and they will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
The 2019 season marks the 10th season that Fidelity Investments, a leading provider of workplace savings plans in higher education, is serving as the national presenting sponsor of the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes. The salutes are one component of a multi-year initiative between the two organizations to celebrate the scholar-athlete ideal and a joint commitment to higher education.
Fidelity is also the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class and helped launch the NFF Faculty Salutes in 2011, which recognize the contributions of the faculty athletics representatives around the country.
Open Society Foundations Join Group Initiative to Support Women's Funds
NEW YORK, Nov. 20 -- Open Society Foundations issued the following news release:
Open Society Foundations have joined with three private U.S. foundations to provide at least $20 million in a combined effort to strengthen women's funds--organizations that provide financial and other support to advance the human rights and opportunities of women, girls, and LGBTI people around the world.
Women's funds have a long track record of knowing where and how to support organizations working to achieve gender equality in their communities, countries, and regions. Today, they are leading women's rights movements
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NEW YORK, Nov. 20 -- Open Society Foundations issued the following news release:
Open Society Foundations have joined with three private U.S. foundations to provide at least $20 million in a combined effort to strengthen women's funds--organizations that provide financial and other support to advance the human rights and opportunities of women, girls, and LGBTI people around the world.
Women's funds have a long track record of knowing where and how to support organizations working to achieve gender equality in their communities, countries, and regions. Today, they are leading women's rights movementsin some of the most challenging contexts and informing philanthropic donors in supporting those efforts.
The initiative will help women's funds invest in their own organizations--strengthening infrastructure, leadership, communications, fundraising, learning, and other efforts--to help them maximize their impact and achieve their goals.
Foundation for a Just Society, Open Society, the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation have designed the five-year initiative in consultation with women's funds.
"We at Prospera International Network of Women's Funds see this initiative as a great opportunity for ensuring a healthy and vibrant ecosystem for funding women's rights and gender justice throughout the world. By strengthening the capacity of women's funds to better operate and respond to a rapidly changing world, these funders will be able to better support feminist movements at the forefront of social change," said Emilienne de Leon, executive director of Prospera International Network of Women's Funds.
New Venture Fund has been selected by the four foundations through a competitive process as the initiative's fiscal sponsor and will provide guidance and administrative support to the initiative. The Fund will in turn be supported by Arabella Advisors, a philanthropic consulting firm.
Women's funds have received significant new resources from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Affairs Canada, and several private foundations in recent years. However, the vast majority of these resources are used to support grassroots organizations rather than the development of women's funds. This gap in funding reflects the limitations of women's funds to grow, and improve their support of grassroots movements.
This initiative is designed to build women's funds own organizational capacity--by using the resources to invest in areas such as communications; resource mobilization; leadership; information technology; and monitoring, evaluation, and learning, among others.
"Women's funds have been able to do so much already on limited budgets and restricted resources," said Wellspring Philanthropic Fund Program Officer Betsy Hoody. "It's exciting to think about what's possible if they have the resources to invest in their own leaders and organizations."
"At Foundation for a Just Society, we're proud of the ongoing, intentional effort to make sure women's funds help design and shape the way these resources will be used," said Nicky McIntyre, chief executive of Foundation for a Just Society. "We're hopeful that the initiative will show the many ways women's funds advance the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQI people in the communities where they work--and how much more they can do in the years ahead."
In addition to helping women's funds strengthen their own organizational capacity, the donors aim to make women's funds more visible to other funders and supporters of women's and LGBTI rights. The money will also support efforts to help women's funds learn from one another, and for philanthropic organizations to learn from them as well.
"This is an unprecedented opportunity for Open Society Foundations to be part of an ambitious, multi-donor effort to build the resilience of feminist activism and movements around the world," said Kavita N. Ramdas, director of the Open Society Women's Rights Program. "We also seek to diversify and democratize philanthropy so that nontraditional actors like women's funds are able to control and mobilize their own resources."
"Women's funds are essential to feminist movement building and we need to share and fund the incredible work that they do to advance the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQI people," said William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Program Officer Alfonsina Penaloza. "I'm particularly excited that we--and other private foundations--will have the opportunity to learn from women's funds about how we can adapt our own practices to better support their work and feminist movements."
The fund is being designed with input from a breadth of stakeholders--including women's funds--with a focus on equity, transparency, and inclusion. The first grants will be made in the first half of 2020 with the expectation that the initiative will continue through December 2024. At the end of five years, the donors will commission and publish a third-party evaluation of the initiative that will include recommendations for further action.
KFF Tracking Poll: On Health Care, Democrats, Democratic-Leaning Independents Trust Sen. Sanders Most
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation issued the following news release:
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- Democrats Want to Hear More about How Candidates' Plans Affect Seniors, How They Will Pay for Them, How Middle-Class Taxes Might Change, and How Will They Get Congress to Pass Them
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3 in 4 Americans Do Not Expect Congress to Take Action to Lower Drug Costs Before the 2020 Election
Ahead of tonight's Democratic presidential debate, Sen. Bernie Sanders is the candidate most trusted on health care by Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, though the Medicare-for-all plan he has
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation issued the following news release:
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- Democrats Want to Hear More about How Candidates' Plans Affect Seniors, How They Will Pay for Them, How Middle-Class Taxes Might Change, and How Will They Get Congress to Pass Them
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3 in 4 Americans Do Not Expect Congress to Take Action to Lower Drug Costs Before the 2020 Election
Ahead of tonight's Democratic presidential debate, Sen. Bernie Sanders is the candidate most trusted on health care by Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, though the Medicare-for-all plan he haschampioned is significantly less popular than the "public option" approach put forward by some other candidates, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.
Among the overall public, a narrow majority (53%) support the idea of a Medicare-for-all plan that would cover all Americans through a single government plan. At the same time, two-thirds (65%) say they support a government-run health plan that would compete with private insurance, often called a public option. Large majorities of Democrats support both a public option (88%) and Medicare-for-all (77%).
Most Republicans oppose both approaches to expanding coverage, but more of them favor a public option (41%) than Medicare-for-all (27%). Majorities of independents support both options, though a larger share favors a public option.
The poll also examines the public's views towards Medicare-for-all when they are provided descriptions that include the trade-offs under consideration.
When a Medicare-for-all plan is described as requiring many employers and some individuals to pay more in taxes while eliminating both out-of-pocket costs and premiums for all Americans, the public is split with equal shares (48%) supporting and opposing it. The public is also divided when the plan is described as increasing taxes individuals will personally pay, but decreasing their overall costs for health care (47% in favor, 48% opposed).
In Primary Race, Sen. Sanders is Most Trusted by Younger Adults; VP Biden Leads among Seniors
The poll finds that Sen. Sanders, who has drawn national attention to his Medicare-for-all plan since his 2016 presidential run, has built a significant trust advantage among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents.
When asked which candidate they trust the most to handle health care, nearly three in 10 (29%) name Sen. Sanders, with former Vice President Joe Biden (21%) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (19%) not far behind. No other presidential candidate comes close.
Sen. Sanders is by far the most trusted candidate among those ages 18-34, named by nearly half (47%) of this group. Vice President Biden is the most trusted among seniors by a wide margin (33%, with Warren next at 18%). Sen. Sanders holds a clear advantage among independents who lean Democratic, with four in 10 (39%) naming his as their most trusted candidate on health care while pure Democrats are divided, with similar shares saying they trust Sen. Warren (26%), Vice President Biden (23%) and Sen. Sanders (22%).
Health care remains Democrats' top issue, with one in four (24%) Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents offering it as the issue they most want to hear candidates discuss in the next debate. Smaller shares name the environment/climate change/energy (12%), immigration (6%), the economy and jobs (5%), education (4%) or gun control (4%).
Large shares of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say the candidates are spending too little time talking about how their health care plans will affect seniors on Medicare (50%), how to pay for proposed changes (47%), whether their plans would increase taxes on the middle class (45%), and how they will work with Congress to enact their plans (45%).
Most Say Washington Isn't Doing Enough to Lower Drug Costs and Doubt Congress Will Pass Anything
In spite of White House and Congressional proposals to lower what people pay for prescription, the poll finds that large majorities believe President Trump and his administration (70%), Democrats in Congress (75%) and Republicans in Congress (77%) are not doing enough to lower drug costs.
Seven in 10 Americans (72%) say it's unlikely that Congress will pass legislation to lower drug costs in the next year. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents are pessimistic about the prospects for enacting drug-cost legislation.
Despite ACA Marketplace Premiums Falling, Few Think That Is the Case
The Affordable Care Act's 2020 open enrollment period began this month, allowing people who buy their own coverage or are uninsured an opportunity to sign up for Marketplace coverage.
Premiums on average are somewhat lower this year than last year, though few people know it. The poll finds just 6% of the overall public believe premiums on average are lower this year, a fraction of the share (44%) who say premiums are up this year.
When assessing how well the health insurance marketplaces in the nation are working, the public is divided with similar shares saying they are working well (45%) as saying they are not working well (47%).
People are somewhat more positive about their state's marketplace, with half (52%) saying it is working well. People living in states that run their own marketplaces are more likely to say their marketplace is working well (58%) than those living in states relying on the federal government's HealthCare.gov marketplace (48%).
METHODOLOGY
Designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at KFF, the poll was conducted November 7-12, 2019 among a nationally representative random digit dial telephone sample of 1,205 adults. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish by landline (302) and cell phone (903). The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.
Filling the need for trusted information on national health issues, the Kaiser Family Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.
Table omitted. To view table click here: (https://www.kff.org/health-reform/press-release/kff-tracking-poll-on-health-care-democrats-and-democratic-leaning-independents-trust-sen-sanders-the-most-but-significantly-more-people-support-a-public-option-than-medicare-for-all/)
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Honors Mass. Resident Lisa Wallack With the 2019 Jim Tyree Chairman's Award
NEW YORK, Nov. 20 -- The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation issued the following news release:
JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, today announced Lisa Wallack as the recipient of the Jim Tyree Chairman's Award in recognition of her invaluable contributions as a volunteer leader, both nationally and in New England.
Named for Jim Tyree, former JDRF Chairman and a lifetime member of the JDRF International Board of Directors who passed away in March 2011, the Jim Tyree Chairman's Award recognizes a national volunteer leader who has made a significant
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NEW YORK, Nov. 20 -- The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation issued the following news release:
JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, today announced Lisa Wallack as the recipient of the Jim Tyree Chairman's Award in recognition of her invaluable contributions as a volunteer leader, both nationally and in New England.
Named for Jim Tyree, former JDRF Chairman and a lifetime member of the JDRF International Board of Directors who passed away in March 2011, the Jim Tyree Chairman's Award recognizes a national volunteer leader who has made a significantand noteworthy contribution to JDRF during their tenure of service. Wallack consistently leads by example, fostering relationships with volunteers and donors and partnering collaboratively with staff.
"We are elated to recognize Lisa Wallack, whose leadership on both the local and national levels has strengthened our organization and moved us closer to cures," said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., JDRF President and CEO. "Lisa's passion and steadfast resolve for our mission inspires us all."
Lisa's first involvement with JDRF came 47 years ago through her parents, Marilyn and Gerald Fishbone, who were among the founders of JDRF (which was then known as "JDF") after her brother Scott was diagnosed with T1D. She increased her involvement with the New England Chapter after her son Harris was diagnosed with T1D in 2001. Lisa currently serves as a member of the International Board of Directors and on the Advocacy & Impact and Talent & Compensation Committees. She is actively involved in the New England Chapter, where she served two full terms on the Board of Directors and as Chapter Board President. FY19 was a year of change for JDRF's governance model, and as Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee, Lisa was the driving force behind its transformation. Her leadership was essential in realigning the framework to ensure that JDRF is positioned with best-in-class governance in order to effectively and rapidly advance our shared mission to cure T1D.
JDRF recognizes and appreciates all the dedicated volunteers and supporters who commit their lives to the worldwide effort to end T1D. Volunteer Award recipients were recognized at the annual JDRF One Conference.
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About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.2 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter: @JDRF
Freedom Foundation Argues in Court to Defend California Teachers
OLYMPIA, Washington, Nov. 20 -- The Freedom Foundation issued the following news release:
A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday heard oral arguments on a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by several California teachers against their union, which is desperately hoping it never has to address the core issues in the case.
Lead plaintiff Bethany Mendez, a Freemont special education instructor, originally filed suit in March alleging the California Teachers Association refused to honor her request to opt out of union membership and dues in
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OLYMPIA, Washington, Nov. 20 -- The Freedom Foundation issued the following news release:
A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday heard oral arguments on a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by several California teachers against their union, which is desperately hoping it never has to address the core issues in the case.
Lead plaintiff Bethany Mendez, a Freemont special education instructor, originally filed suit in March alleging the California Teachers Association refused to honor her request to opt out of union membership and dues inthe wake of Janus v. AFSCME, a June 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling affirming that union participation is voluntary for public employees.
Six co-plaintiffs later joined the case, which also seeks class action status on behalf of similarly situated teachers.
The suit also names the National Education Association, the school districts of each plaintiff and the state of California as defendants.
In July, however, attorneys for the union asked for a dismissal, arguing Mendez "voluntarily" signed a "private" -- and binding -- membership card. The motion, which was originally scheduled for consideration in September but subsequently delayed until this month, also asserts there is no state action in a private transaction.
But attorneys for the Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit policy organization representing Mendez and the others, argue those interpretations ignore the clear language and intent of Janus.
"Janus protects the right of public employees to decline union dues deduction," said Karin Sweigart, Freedom Foundation litigation counsel. "But it also makes clear that anytime someone signs up for dues deduction, they are waiving their First Amendment rights-- and Constitutional rights cannot be waived unknowingly."
In order for an employee's dues deduction to be valid, Sweigart notes, the union must be able to demonstrate "informed consent" by presenting evidence he or she was advised of the full impact of their decision before signing up.
None of the teachers involved in the lawsuit were advised they were waiving Constitutional rights. In fact, Mendez and the others allege they were lied to by the union, which pressured them to sign a membership form they believed was still mandatory.
Sweigart takes further issue with the unions' assertion that a membership contract is a private agreement in which the government plays no role.
"The government is very much a partner with the union in this enterprise," she said. "The government employs the teachers and deducts union dues from their paychecks on the unions' behalf. The government collectively bargained with the union to take the money based solely on what the union says. If the union has no right to the money, the government is wrong to take it."
Sweigart said the motion to dismiss is a familiar union tactic.
"The unions have vast resources, while many of their members live paycheck to paycheck," she continued. "Far too many union members still believe they are required to pay dues. Union members have the right to choose whether they believe membership is valuable to them or not."
With offices in Washington, Oregon, California and, since October, Ohio, the organization exists to help workers exercise their rights and has the wherewithal to stay in the game to the last hand.
Community Foundation Board of Directors Announces Executive Search Partner
ATLANTA, Georgia, Nov. 20 -- The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta issued the following news release:
Last week, CEO Alicia Philipp announced her plans to retire from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta by the end of 2020 after 42 years of extraordinary service and leadership. The announcement was made during keynotes at National Philanthropy Day and at the Atlanta Regional Commission's annual State of the Region event. The Foundation Board and staff have been preparing for this transition for a couple of years with a robust, engaging and collaborative journey through research,
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ATLANTA, Georgia, Nov. 20 -- The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta issued the following news release:
Last week, CEO Alicia Philipp announced her plans to retire from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta by the end of 2020 after 42 years of extraordinary service and leadership. The announcement was made during keynotes at National Philanthropy Day and at the Atlanta Regional Commission's annual State of the Region event. The Foundation Board and staff have been preparing for this transition for a couple of years with a robust, engaging and collaborative journey through research,assessment, updated bylaws, strategic plans, corporate governance and committee charters.
The Foundation established a search committee earlier this year that created a comprehensive request for proposal process to source an executive search firm partner. The search committee invited proposals from a number of top executive search firms across the country, all known for their work with foundations and the broader nonprofit sector. From among the respondents, the search committee conducted interviews with five leading firms. BoardWalk Consulting was the committee's unanimous choice to be the Foundation's executive search partner.
According to Bert Clark, chair of the CEO search committee, "The committee was especially impressed by BoardWalk's deep experience with community foundations across the country, its nuanced understanding of iconic transitions, and its demonstrated commitment to metro Atlanta's nonprofit sector."
John Reid, chair of the Foundation's Board, noted "Our mandate to the search committee is to conduct a deliberate, comprehensive and creative process, one designed to surface the very best prospects to become what will be the fourth CEO the Community Foundation has ever had."
The search will be national, as befits an organization with the Foundation's mission and reputation, and the overall process is expected to take six months to complete. The leadership profile will be published in January for candidates to review, following BoardWalk's conversations with an array of critical Community Foundation stakeholders, including donors, staff, program partners, peer leaders across the metro area and beyond. Until then, inquiries and recommendations may be sent to CFGAtlanta@BoardWalkConsulting.com.
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About BoardWalk Consulting: BoardWalk Consulting is a national executive search firm based in Atlanta, committed to finding leaders that matter for missions that matter.(R) Founded in 2002, BoardWalk has recruited CEOs for hundreds of foundation and nonprofit clients in 33 states, the District of Columbia and a small number of other countries.
About the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta: Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been connecting the passions of philanthropists with the purposes of nonprofits doing that work. With nearly 70 years serving the 23-county Atlanta region and a robust team of experts, the Community Foundation leads and inspires philanthropy to increase the vitality of our region and the well-being of all residents, empowering our donors to focus on the joy of giving. The Community Foundation is a top-20 community foundation, among almost 800 nationally, with $1.2 billion in current assets and is Georgia's second largest foundation. Through its quality donor services and bold, innovative leadership on community issues, the Foundation received more than $162 million from donors in 2018 and distributed more than $128 million that same year to support nonprofits throughout the region and beyond. In 2018 Charity Navigator named the Community Foundation a four-star rated nonprofit, its top distinction, putting the Foundation among the top 10 highest-rated community foundations in the United States.
Boston College Electrician Hits SEIU Union, College With Lawsuit for Religious Discrimination in Forced Union Fees Requirement
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Nov. 20 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation issued the following news release:
Ardeshir Ansari, an electrician who works for Boston College filed a Title VII religious discrimination lawsuit today against the college and Service Employees International Union 32BJ, District 615 (SEIU) with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Legal Defense staff attorneys.
Ardeshir Ansari objects to supporting the union based on deeply held religious beliefs. Under the local SEIU's monopoly bargaining agreement at Boston College, however, he was told that
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, Nov. 20 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation issued the following news release:
Ardeshir Ansari, an electrician who works for Boston College filed a Title VII religious discrimination lawsuit today against the college and Service Employees International Union 32BJ, District 615 (SEIU) with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Legal Defense staff attorneys.
Ardeshir Ansari objects to supporting the union based on deeply held religious beliefs. Under the local SEIU's monopoly bargaining agreement at Boston College, however, he was told thathe must join or financially support the SEIU or be fired. To avoid being fired, Ansari paid fees to the union, despite his sincere religious beliefs. Ansari is invoking Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discriminating against an individual based on his or her religious beliefs.
On October 1st last year, Ansari sent a letter to Boston College and the SEIU informing them of how his religious beliefs conflict with joining or financially supporting the union. He asked that his union fees be diverted to charity instead of being sent to the union, which is a long-established remedy for such a conflict. Instead of responding, the college continued to take a cut of his paycheck and send it to SEIU officials in violation of his sincerely held religious beliefs.
In January this year Ansari filed charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against the college and union officials, and the EEOC determined this summer that both Boston College and the SEIU had violated Title VII. In September, the EEOC gave Ansari a right-to-sue letter, which authorized him to file a lawsuit under Title VII against the college and the union.
Consequently, Foundation staff attorneys today filed a lawsuit on Ansari's behalf against Boston College and the SEIU for illegally discriminating against Ansari for failing to reasonably accommodate his religious beliefs in violation of his rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The lawsuit further alleges that because Boston College made paycheck deductions for the SEIU despite Ansari's notice of religious objections, and because Ansari would have been fired if he did not pay the fees, their actions constitute quid pro quo religious harassment.
The lawsuit asks that the college and SEIU local pay all fees deducted from Ansari's paycheck to a charity mutually agreed upon and pay Ansari for damages for the emotional distress he has suffered while his rights have been violated for more than a year. It also asks the court to prevent the college from continuing to discriminate against his religious beliefs and asks that the union be required to inform workers that those with religious objections to the payment of union fees are entitled to pay those fees to a charity instead.
"Workers who have sincere religious objections to joining or funding a union are legally protected from being forced to violate their conscience," said National Right to Work President Mark Mix. "No one should ever be forced to choose between keeping a job to provide for their family and violating their deeply held religious beliefs by supporting a union."
"Ultimately, a Right to Work law that makes all union payments voluntary is the best solution to this type of illegal discrimination. That way, all workers who object to funding union activities are free to cut off such payments whether or not the nature of their opposition to the union is faith-based," added Mix.
