Accounting Firm Creates Fund to Back Studies of Government

PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting and consulting firm, has formed an endowment to stimulate research and discussion on improving government performance.

The endowment will award grants for research and conferences and provide for sabbaticals for government executives to study ways to improve the performance of government at the federal, state, and local levels.

Approximately $2-million will be allocated to the endowment annually, depending on the quality of proposals from applicants, according to a spokeswoman for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“We will examine what the public sector will look like in the future and better understand the impact of globalization on future national governments,” said Mark A. Abramson, executive director of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for the Business of Government.

For 1998-99, the endowment’s main focus will be on the attributes of outstanding government leaders, new approaches and techniques in government operations, and ways that government can manage the transformation of its organizations, employees, and culture.

Grants totaling $15,000 will support research papers by academics, journalists, and officials of non-profit organizations. Grants of $20,000 will go to non-profit groups that hold conferences in one of the three main areas of study.

For more information, contact Mr. Abramson at 1616 North Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, Va. 22209-3195; (703) 741-1733.