The Pew Charitable Trust
THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS. Public Policy Analyses.
Sun Oil Company founder Joseph N. Pew and his wife, Mary Anderson Pew established the Pew Charitable Trusts believing “the power of knowledge,” research and analyses, could solve challenging problems. Pew was founded in 1957 to educate Americans on the “values of the free market” and the “paralyzing effects of government controls on the lives and activities of the people.'"
Was Burns Vietnam sufficiently fact based to warrant Pew’s support?
Pew’s early grants were to research cures for cancer and to help historically black colleges. The Pew family offered their employees profit-sharing. Rebecca W. Rimel has been president since 1994 increasing the staff from 10 employees to 750 employees worldwide, many being experts on a range of policy issues.
Today’s Board of Directors is about half Pews: James S. Pew, J. Howard Pew II, Joseph N. Pew V, Mary Catharine Pew, M.D., R. Anderson Pew, and Sandy Ford Pew.
“Pew is a global research and public policy organization …a non-partisan… organization dedicated to … “inform[ing] the public by providing useful data that illuminate the issues and trends shaping our world.” It …conducts rigorous analysis, linking diverse interests to pursue common cause and insisting on tangible results.” Pew’s public opinion surveys are highly respected.
The Pew Foundation is deeply involved in: Environment: prohibiting mining in large protected areas, preserving America’s Wilderness, conserving Alaska penguins, creating shark sanctuaries, maintaining international biodiversity, ending illegal fishing, ending international trade in Endangered Species. State and local Government: improving state and local finances (e.g. pensions), economies and elections, and improving the performance of public safety organizations, Health: antibiotic resistance, inappropriate use of prescription opioids, safety of over-the-counter drug products and dietary supplements, children’s and underserved dental health, correctional health care, end-of-life care.
Open Secrets reveals Pew’s President Rebecca Rimel and Pew Trustees James, Howard, and Sandy Pew have made no political contributions for decades. Other Pew trustees have made very modest numbers of and amounts of contributions: Joseph Pew 41, all Republicans; Mary Pew 19 all Democrats except Romney; Anderson Pew 13, mostly Republican. The Pew family’s minimal participation in politics confirms the Foundation’s pledge of nonpartisanship. Its environmental focus does approach religious dimensions.