8. Giving Back >
8.1 Ben & Jerry’s Foundation >
8.1.2 The U Fund
The U Fund
The trustees of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation oversee and administer a one-time, $5 million gift that resulted from Unilever’s acquisition of Ben & Jerry’s in 2000. These funds are granted proactively to nonprofit organizations that support citizen education and activism around globalization issues and social justice.
In 2005 the Trustees distributed $345,000 in U Fund grants to six organizations.
- $150,000 to United for a Fair Economy, an organization drawing attention to the dangerous consequences of growing income and wealth inequality and advocating for public policies and private sector practices to share prosperity.
- $25,000 to the Center for Community and Corporate Ethics, an organization that launched Wal-Mart Watch to focus on the business practices of the world’s largest retailer and other big-box retail stores.
- $25,000 to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), the largest community organization of low-and moderate-income families working together for social justice and stronger communities. ACORN organizes campaigns for better housing, schools, neighborhood safety, health care, job conditions and more.
- $10,000 to Africa Action, a group working to change U.S. foreign policy and the policies of international institutions in order to support African struggles for human rights, peace and development. Ben & Jerry’s Foundation funds were used specifically to shape public discourse on Darfur and to expose the U.S. failure to act to prevent genocide.
- $35,000 to the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and $100,000 to the New York Community Leadership Institute. Both organizations are working on New York’s Wal-Mart accountability campaign. Ben & Jerry’s Foundation funds were used to support the Fair Share for Health Care Act to ensure that large New York employers provide decent health benefits to their employees, thereby leveling the playing field for responsible local businesses.