Former Public Welfare Board Member Defends His Views

To the Editor:

I want to express my deep appreciation for the kind words that Pablo Eisenberg wrote about my memo to the new board of the Public Welfare Foundation, where I urged it to return to the open and responsive grant making that distinguished the foundation in the past (“A Veteran Foundation Board Member’s Advice on Grant Making,” February 1)

In addition, I would like to correct an impression given in the foundation’s response provided by the present chair, Lydia Marshall. Ms. Marshall maintained that my views on grant making had been “fully vetted by the board over the years.”

This comment misses entirely the nature and purpose of my communication.

Ten of the 12 current board members, including Ms. Marshall, were not present when the changes in our grant-making practices were made in 2007 and when the entire debate on this subject took place. Changes in governance made at that time (which I also opposed) included the imposition of term limits that will lead to a turnover of 100 percent in the board by the end of this year. One hundred seventy-six years of institutional memory and directors’ experience will have been lost due to this policy.

The good news is that the newly recruited board members of PWF are dedicated individuals in whom I place great hope for the future of the foundation. My memo was directed to them in the hope that they would restore some of the wonderful traditions and practices that made the foundation, in Mr. Eisenberg’s terms, “one of America’s best foundations.” This is a hope that I continue to harbor today.

Tom Scanlon
Founder
Benchmarks
Washington