2014 Letter from the Chair and President

In January 2014, Overbrook’s Chair and President released their annual letter updating grantees, colleagues and others interested in the Foundation’s work over the next year. This year’s letter focuses on two initiatives formally approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors at the end of 2013: establishing a portfolio of grantees in the Human Rights Program working to reform the role of money in politics and focusing on new strategies for movement building in the Environment program.

Current Program Areas

Through its Environment Program, the Foundation supports projects focusing on biodiversity conservation in Latin America, and sustainable production and consumption in the United States. Several grants are also awarded for specific climate change initiatives and organizations using media to increase public awareness of environmental issues. Finally, the environment program launched a new portfolio in 2014 focused on movement building.

Overbrook’s Human Rights Program supports organizations within the U.S. that are advancing the U.S. domestic human rights movement. It also makes grants to strengthen gender rights in the U.S. through supporting reproductive justice and LGBT rights, with a distinct focus on marriage equality. As they are central to the democratic process and the success of our grantees, the Foundation supports non-profit media and media reform. In Latin America, the Foundation funds organizations defending human rights defenders and advancing gender rights, both women’s rights and LGBT rights.