1999 Annual Report
The mission of the Ben & Jerry's Foundation is to support and contribute to progressive social change in the United States. By progressive social change we mean efforts to change the underlying conditions that create social problems such as racism, sexism, economic disparity, and environmental destruction. We primarily fund small grassroots organizations and are willing to take risks funding new projects and small organizations struggling to survive.
Each year the Foundation receives for these purposes a portion of philanthropic dollars from Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., which amount to 7 1/2% of their pre-tax profits. In 1999 the Foundation gave away $283,950 in 45 grants. The average grant was approximately $6,310. The smallest grant was $1,000 and the largest grant was $10,000.
The company divides the 7 1/2% pool of funds between the Foundation, employee Community Action Teams (CATs), and Corporate Philanthropy. Each company manufacturing and administrative site in Vermont has an employee CAT, which gives small community service grants (under $1,000) within a specified area of the state. The Foundation grantmaking committee is an all employee team with representatives selected from each company site.
Due to the success of Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. over the past couple of years, the Foundation had the opportunity in 1999 to do something we've always wanted to do. We were able take advantage of a surplus of funds in order to shift our grantmaking budget from operating under the current year's estimated accrual to operating under the previous year's actual accrual. In other words, we were able to begin the year knowing exactly how much money we would have to give away. Going into the year 2000, we are very pleased to be operating under 1999's accrual of profits. With a larger, committed grantmaking budget, we are looking forward to making more generous and greater numbers of grants this year and beyond.
Our employee grantmaking team has been evolving as well. We no longer restrict Foundation Committee members to CAT representatives, but now open the seats up to all employees at each site, thereby allowing a greater number of staff members to participate in philanthropic works at Ben & Jerry's.
The Foundation grant application process remains the same as it has been. We have a two-step process. The first is to submit a Letter of Interest. The Foundation Director and at least one committee member review these letters. On average the Foundation receives over 400 Letters of Interest per cycle. Based on their initial letters, approximately 40 organizations are invited to submit a full proposal each cycle.
Funding decisions are made by the entire committee at our three grantmaking meetings during the year. Applicants usually hear from us regarding funding decisions about 12 weeks after they have submitted a full proposal.
We look forward to another year reviewing exciting and innovative proposals for social change work.