New York State of Mind?
By Drew Lindsay (The Chronicle of Philanthropy) – These philanthropists don’t always go about their giving in traditional Big Apple fashion.
William Ackman, 49
Among the billionaire hedge-fund managers in philanthropy, Mr. Ackman is one of the most focused on measuring impact and sparking change in new ways. “When you think about how profits are going to be made in the 21st century, they’re going to be made solving problems,” he told Forbes recently.
Mr. Ackman’s family foundation (which has awarded nearly $100 million in grants in the past three years) was an early backer of the 10-year-old One Acre Fund, which helps poor farmers in Africa get financing, training, and market access. A recent Ackman project: supporting the expansion of Kiva, a pioneer in microloans for families in developing countries, into New York City to aid low-income small businesses.