David Rockefeller Fund

Established in 1989 with the more modest goal of being a vehicle to give to local charities where the Rockefeller family had homes: in New York City, Westchester County and coastal Maine. With the David Rockefeller Fund, which allows spouses to be involved as full board members just like blood relatives, money is set aside for so-called discretionary grants. Family members can give fund money to a charity of their choice — even if it is outside normal giving areas. In 2016 the David Rockefeller Fund divested itself of investments in fossil fuels, which some other family giving vehicles have also done. Its endowment is now being invested with environmental, social and governance guidelines. This change was pushed by two of the younger trustees, who made their case to the larger board.