New World Foundation

The New World Foundation is a left-wing foundation,[1] based in New York.[2] It supports organizations that work on behalf of civil rights and that seek to encourage participation of citizens in American democracy.[3] It was founded in 1954 by Anita McCormick Blaine, a prominent member of the McCormick family and an heiress to industrialist Cyrus Hall McCormick and a supporter of Henry Wallace's 1948 presidential campaign. Its initial funding of about $20 million[4] was noted for progress towards education, ethics, peace, and public health.[4]

In its mission statement, the New World Foundation stated as of 2009:

We see the strengths of progressive ideals and committed activists, who every day are inventing democracy and extending its boundaries. But we also know the strength of reaction, inaction, and injustice in blocking democracy’s advance. Our work and our tradition is to tip the balance, to add resources to the side of justice, to widen the channels for participation, and to ensure that another generation will see by example how they can make a difference.[2]

During the early 1960s, the New World Foundation's goal was to aid education and promote better intergroup and international relations.[5] During the early 1970s, the Foundation supported various civil rights and community projects.[6] Hillary Clinton, whom Marian Wright Edelman had mentored, was on the board from 1982 to 1988, and was its chair for some of that time, including 1987.[7] During that time, the Foundation gave money to a variety of organizations active in civil rights and other New Left causes,[8] including the Christic Institute, Grassroots International, Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), FAIR, and the National Lawyers Guild.[7][9][10] By the early 1990s, the foundation was giving money to a Silicon Valley group fighting consequences of computer industry toxins,[11] all the while undergoing criticism for being invested in the likes of Louisiana Pacific, Nike, and Philip Morris.[11]

  1. ^ Gerth, Jeff; Van Natta, Don Jr. (2007). Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0-316-01742-8. p. 82.
  2. ^ a b "Who We Are". New World Foundation. Archived from the original on 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2016-08-06.
  3. ^ "Environmental Grantmakers". Multicultural Environmental Leadership Development Initiative. University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  4. ^ a b "New Republic Windfall". Time. 1954-03-01. Archived from the original on November 16, 2010. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  5. ^ "Foundation Elects 2 to Board" (Fee required). The New York Times. 1962-06-13. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  6. ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (1999-07-14). "Brenda Hughes Moore, 56, Wife Of Bishop and Rights Advocate". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  7. ^ a b "Limbaugh Responds to FAIR". FAIR. 1994-06-28. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  8. ^ Troy, Gil (2006). Hillary Rodham Clinton: Polarizing First Lady. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 0-7006-1488-5. p. 29.
  9. ^ Michael Fumento, "Investors Business Daily" October 14, 1992 http://fumento.com/hillary.html
  10. ^ AIM (Accuracy in Media) Report, 2003 Report #15 http://www.aim.org/publications/aim_report/2003/15.html
  11. ^ a b Joan Roelofs (2003). Foundations and public policy: the mask of pluralism. SUNY Press. ISBN 0-7914-5642-0. p. 145.