Talk by former longtime Ford Foundation president hosted by NYU Heyman Center for Philanthropy’s Neil Grabois

Susan Berresford, former president of the Ford Foundation and now a philanthropy consultant for The New York Community Trust, will discuss how foundations can meet the challenges presented by the current economic situation, in a public dialogue with Neil Grabois of the George H. Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies. The event will happen Monday, November, 3, 2008, from 12:00 - 2:00pm, at NYU Bronfman Center, 2nd Floor, 7 East 10th Street, in NYC’s Greenwich Village.

Berresford was with the Ford Foundation, among the largest foundations in the U.S., for 38 years and served as its president and CEO from 1996 to 2008. Under her leadership, the Foundation expanded its work on poverty reduction, human rights, peace building, governance reform, education, and the arts. Among many groundbreaking initiatives, she led the creation of the International Center for Transitional Justice, which works to help societies emerging from conflict create processes that promote justice and secure sustainable peace, and helped establish and capitalize nearly two dozen new foundations around the world, including the African-led and governed TrustAfrica. Prior to joining the Foundation, Berresford served as a program officer for the Neighborhood Youth Corps from 1965 until 1967. In 1967-68 she worked for the Manpower Career Development Agency, where she was responsible for the evaluation of training, education, and work programs.

Grabois, the moderator, was most recently vice-president of the Carnegie Corporation and is a past president of Colgate University. He is now a senior consultant with the Heyman Center.

RSVPs to attend this event are required. Please go to www.scps.nyu.edu/berresfordevent or call 212 998-6770 to reserve a seat.

MEDIA ONLY: Coverage of this event is welcome. Please contact Christopher James at 212.998.6876 or christopher.james@nyu.edu for press credentials.


About the Heyman Center and the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies-

The George H. Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising is NYU’s center for applied research and graduate and continuing professional study in the areas of fundraising and grantmaking.

Founded in 1934, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS) is among the 14 colleges and schools that comprise New York University, one of the largest private research universities in the United States. Through its faculty, curricula and vibrant professional and academic networks, NYU-SCPS captures the expertise of key sectors where New York leads globally: Real Estate and Construction Management (through the NYU Real Estate Institute); Hospitality, Tourism, Sports Management (through the NYU Preston Robert Tisch Center); Philanthropy (through the NYU George H. Heyman Center);Global Affairs; Communications Media, Publishing, Digital Arts, Design; Business, Leadership and Human Capital Management, Integrated Marketing, Public Relations, Legal Studies, Finance, Taxation, Accounting, Management and Technology (through the Division of Programs in Business); and the Liberal and Applied Arts, among others. Rigorous and timely programs in these and related areas attract full-time undergraduate and graduate students immersed in university life, working professionals in 14 graduate programs, motivated adults earning undergraduate degrees (through the Paul McGhee Division), and New Yorkers of all backgrounds enrolled in approximately 2,500 continuing education courses, certificate programs, conferences, and seminars annually.

Press Contact

Christopher James
Christopher James
(212) 998-6876