Threshold Foundation

is a progressive foundation individuals united through wealth, who mobilize money, people and power to create a more just, joyful and sustainable world.
2010 annual report

and a community of

our mission
To be a powerful and visible model of conscious, effective philanthropy. To create a fertile training ground that supports the full and authentic expression of our passions and purpose. To be a dynamic forum for learning about social issues and the people working to address them. To cultivate and continually renew the heart and soul of our community. To be a vibrant, growing and diverse multi-generational membership organization. To transform wealth into an instrument of change.

mission statement 2

about Threshold
Threshold is a community of individuals united through wealth, and a progressive foundation mobilizing money, people and power to create a more just, joyful and sustainable world.
Threshold provides a place where people with significant financial resources, a commitment to social change and an interest in their own emotional, psychological, and spiritual development can come together to scheme, dream, learn, work, play and see what happens. We have observed that social change flows from personal growth so we work on our inner lives and social responsibility simultaneously. Threshold meetings are an ongoing experiment an evolving form designed to encourage members to discover their most meaningful work and purpose, and engage in the world from that place. Threshold Foundation serves the social change movement through collaborating with and funding innovative national and international nonprofit organizations and individuals working towards social justice, environmental sustainability, humane economic systems and peaceful coexistence. Member volunteers administer the foundation with the assistance of Tides, which is located in San Francisco. Granted funds are raised annually with almost all donations coming from the membership. New members join Threshold primarily through a personal relationship with an existing member or by referral from a membership committee. Information about submitting a grant request to Threshold Foundation can be found on page 20 of this report and at www.thresholdfoundation.org.

about threshold 3

news from the year

In 2010, the Threshold Community continued to evolve its grantmaking programs. Nevertheless, one of the things that I have found to be ever constant, is our commitment to funding the new and cutting edge projects of the progressive non-profit world. Indeed, my elevator speech has started to include the phrase, Thresholds grants are the Venture Capital money in the progressive non-profit world. Our return on investment is the knowledge that we are supporting dynamic social change groups reaching for justice and a sustainable world. Its a fun speech to giveand Im sure Im the envy of many corporate leaders who have to defend their profits!

our Standing Committee Grants and process: Some news and highlights of the year include the extraordinary number of Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) received for this grantmaking cycle. Over 700 LOIs for Thresholds two grants committees (Sustainable Planet and Justice & Democracy). These were narrowed down by our committees and the Tides Foundation staff to 24 essential and exciting grants. As we looked at our own sustainability, however, we realized something had to change. We have moved to an invitation-only process for the 20102011 grantmaking cycle. The hope is to help both the grantees and the committees reduce the arduousness of the process while still retaining the quality of our grants. We will reevaluate this process in future years to see what we liked and what we didnt, and to make adjustments. Another highlight of the year were multi-year grants. We know they are beneficial for the grantseeking community. The trick has always been how to have financial integrity around not promising something you dont yet have in the bank. In this case, the Justice and Democracy committee decided it was more important to commit to multi-year funding than granting all of their money in the same year. We will look forward to receiving feedback from the grantees and committees at the end of the 2011 cycle on how the process worked for both. Grantees: Then there were the grantees themselves. I wont be able to highlight them all, but these were highlighted by the committees when they were asked to identify some that could use additional funding at year end: Justice and Democracy: Air Traffic Control and Education Fund www.atctower.net Community Conferencing Center www.communityconferencing.org Families and Friends of Louisianas Incarcerated Children www.fflic.org Sustainable Planet: Earthworks Oil and Gas Accountability Project www.earthworksaction.org/aboutogap.cfm Public Employees for Environmental Responsibilities www.peer.org Save Americas Forests www.saveamericasforests.org

These are just a few of the grantees that we have funded this year. All are part of the progressive movements cutting edge that Threshold looks for and has historically supported. Countless hours go into these evaluations and they are an incredible perk that members of the community can benefit from in implementing their own giving plans. Please take a minute to explore some of these links to familiarize yourself with the work our committees do in our name. And the next time youre at a meeting and sharing a meal with someone on a committee please ask them what they are excited about right now. I promise you, you wont be disappointed. Funding Circles: Threshold also continued with its Funding Circle projects in 2010. These have evolved into areas of partnership with other foundations and groups in the outside world. They have deepened our flexibility to respond to timely issues and have increased the depth and complexity with which we give. The two Funding Circles are Liberty Hill Foundations Queer Youth Fund and the Election Integrity Funding Circle. The Queer Youth Fund FC is a partnership we have with the Liberty Hill Foundation www.libertyhill.org. The Queer Youth Fund awards $100,000 multi-year grants to innovative and effective leadership development or organizing projects that empower GLBTQQ youth to improve societal conditions affecting them and that make a long-term difference to their movement. The Funding Circle is innovative in that activists have full voice and vote in making the grants decisions along with the donors. The Election Integrity FC is one of the only groups in the nation funding projects that address whistle blower protection, citizen exit polls to engage civic participation, and meaningful prosecution of election fraud crimes. Its wonderful to have these two groups as part of our mix of progressive funding endowment Investing: The other meaningful area to speak of is our ongoing commitment to walk our talk in how we invest our endowment. Our program-related investments further our social change mission by making funds available to community organizations that help low-income individuals in the US and around the world. In addition, our equity securities use a socially responsible screen. Threshold has and will continue to stay deeply connected to our mission of a just and sustainable world through how we manage our endowment. Nearly all of Thresholds grants come from current donations of our members who actively engage with each other in authentic community. We are grateful to all of our members who invest large amounts of their personal time and energy into our community and these wonderful grants committees that work for social change through our grantees who serve on the front lines of creating such change.

With love, respect and gratitude, Michele

letter from the president 5

Threshold Foundation 2010 grants list

Following a two-year process of change and development, Threshold launched a newly re-designed Grants Program in 2007. We established two Core Committees: Justice & Democracy and Sustainable Planet, and introduced a new philanthropic form for Threshold: Funding Circles. The Justice & Democracy and Sustainable Planet Committees are the more permanent, institutional fixtures in Thresholds philanthropic constellation. Funding Circles are authorized in a yearly charter process and remain in the foundations orbit for a more limited scope of work or length of time. For more information about current Core Committee and Funding Circle guidelines and funding criteria, please visit the Threshold Foundation website at www.thresholdfoundation.org.

grants program 6

Threshold Foundation envisions an authentic participatory democracy through which social justice can be achieved, and believes that when engaged in the political decisions that affect their lives, ordinary people are central to making possible that change. The Justice & Democracy Committee seeks to ensure human rights for youth impacted by the criminal justice and drug policy systems, and political rights for those in historically disenfranchised communities.

justice and democracy $331,527

Air TrAffic conTrol EDucATion funD SaN FraNcISco, ca www.atctower.net

communiTy confErEncing cEnTEr BaLTIMorE, MD www.communityconferencing.org

The air Traffic control Education Fund (aTc) helps musicians activate their enormous fan bases on issues vital to progressive social change. It serves an artists air traffic control that instills capacity, efficiency, and coordination in artist-cause collaborations. $30,777 collaborating with Musicians Project
BlockS TogEThEr chIcaGo, IL www.blockstogether.org

The community conferencing center (ccc) is a conflict transformation and community justice organization that provides ways for people to safely, collectively and effectively prevent and resolve conflicts and crime. Through partnerships with people, neighborhoods, governments and institutions, ccc helps Maryland communities resolve conflicts and crimes within their own communities. $30,000 General Support
EquAliTy fEDErATion SaN FraNcISco, ca www.equalityfederation.org

Blocks Together targets the root causes of poverty and inequality, creates neighborhood stability by ensuring that needed resources are invested in the community, and unites residents on the basis of equality to engage in building a social and economic justice movement. $16,375 Graduate Dont Incarcerate campaign
colorofchAngE.org BErkELEy, ca www.colorofchange.org

Equality Federation is a national alliance of state-based lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organizations. It works to achieve equality for LGBT people in every state and territory by building strong and sustainable statewide organizations in a state-based movement. $30,000 Building Stronger and More Effective Statewide LGBT organizations Project
ExAlT youTh BrookLyN, Ny www.exaltyouth.org

colorofchange.org exists to strengthen Black americas political voice. Its goal is to empower membersBlack americans and alliesto make government more responsive to the concerns of Black americans and to bring about positive political and social change for everyone. Its members are united behind a simple, powerful pledge: we will do all we can to make sure all americans are represented, served, and protectedregardless of race or class. $60,000 2-year grant for Deepening Engagement Project

Exalt youths mission is to transform the lives of youth along the spectrum of criminal justice involvement by equipping them with the skills and experience necessary to become self-sufficient, self-fulfilled, productive members of society. $30,000 General Support

justice and democracy 8

fAmiliES AnD friEnDS of louiSiAnAS incArcErATED chilDrEn NEW orLEaNS, La www.fflic.org

lATinA iniTiATivE DENvEr, co www.latinainitiative.org

Families and Friends of Louisianas Incarcerated children (FFLIc) is a statewide membership-based organization that fights for a better life for all of Louisianas youth, especially those involved in or targeted by the juvenile justice system. as mothers and fathers, grandparents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles and allies, FFLIc believes in and implements a model of organizing that is people and community centered, and is explicitly antiracist. $25,000 General Support
inSighT PriSon ProJEcT SaN raFaEL, ca www.insightprisonproject.org

Latina Initiative (LI) is a non-partisan voter outreach and civic engagement organization whose mission is to cultivate, support and maintain the civic involvement of Latinas in colorado. LI is the premier nonprofit increasing civic engagement of the Latina community. $16,375 General Support
mEDiATion WorkS MEDForD, or www.mediation-works.org

Mediation Works (MW) empowers individuals and organizations to resolve their differences peacefully. MW teaches conflict resolution skills and provide mediation services, thereby building understanding and respect in our diverse community. $38,000 2-year grant for restorative Justice Programs
uPfronT ProgrAmS / hArm rEDucTion ThErAPy cEnTEr BENIcIa, ca www.upfrontprograms.org

Insight Prison Project (IPP) is a community organization that believes community members need to play an active role in the prisons surrounding a community. IPP is dedicated to creating and conducting effective programs for inmate rehabilitation and to support the reinstatement of rehabilitation as a core operating principle within the penal system. $30,000 Insight out Program

UpFront Programs works to reform the national adolescent drug prevention, education, and treatment world through effective direct services, trainings, and technical assistance based on its experience of successful programming in urban, rural, and reservation-based programs. $25,000 General Support and capacity Building

justice and democracy 9

sustainable planet $389,740

How do we meet the needs of people now without compromising the needs of future generations? How do we bring all human activities into harmony with nature for the benefit of all beings? To face these questions, we must transform both human culture and technology to live within the physical limits of the local and global ecosystems. Most urgently, this implies protecting threatened ecosystems to preserve biodiversity and prevent extinction. This in turn will require addressing global ecological issues such as climate change, empowering local and indigenous communities and deploying new clean technologies.

1Sky AcTion funD TakoMa Park, MD www.1sky.org

The mission of 1Sky action Fund is to support the work of its sister organization 1Sky Education Fund to build a diverse nationwide movement and convince the federal government to take bold action to tackle the climate crisis and harness the enormous economic opportunity of energy efficiency and the renewable energy economy as soon as possible. $18,480 Field organizing and hill advocacy for a clean Energy Future Project
AlliAncE for SuSTAinABlE colorADo DENvEr, co www.sustainablecolorado.org

APPAlAchiAn cEnTEr for ThE Economy AnD ThE EnvironmEnT LEWISBUrG, Wv www.appalachian-center.org

appalachian center for the Economy and the Environment (acEE) is a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the communities and natural resources of appalachia and to developing a sustainable economy for the region. The center provides legal representation and policy assistance to citizens and grassroots organizations. $35,480 General Support
BioSPhErE founDATion BIG PINE, ca www.biospherefoundation.org

The mission of alliance for Sustainable colorado is to achieve environmental, economic and social sustainability in colorado through building broad support among individuals, nonprofit organizations, businesses and government. It provides the nucleus for a statewide sustainability movement for colorado and a model for sustainability movements in other states. $30,480 General Support

Biosphere Foundation supports research and education about our Earths biosphere. Its Planetary coral reef Foundation (PcrF) conducts research to address the coral reef crisis. PcrF has pursued an unprecedented global mission to preserve coral reefs through innovative programs in science, technology and education. $30,480 Planetary coral reef Foundations Indonesian conservation Project
cAliforniA climATE AnD AgriculTurE nETWork / occiDEnTAl ArTS AnD Ecology cEnTEr SEBaSToPoL, ca www.calclimateag.org

california climate and agriculture Network (calcaN) is a coalition that advances policy solutions at the nexus of climate change and sustainable agriculture. $25,480 calcaNs aB32 Lobbying Efforts
sustainable planet 11

ciTy SlickEr fArmS oakLaND, ca www.cityslickerfarms.org

EArTh EconomicS TacoMa, Wa www.eartheconomics.org

city Slicker Farms mission is to empower West oakland community members to meet the immediate and basic need for food security for healthy, organic food for themselves and their families by creating highyield urban farms and backyard gardens. Its programs provide healthy, affordable food, improve the environment, and give West oakland residents tools for self-reliance. $18,480 General Support
communiTy EnvironmEnTAl lEgAl DEfEnSE funD chaMBErSBUrG, Pa www.celdf.org

Earth Economics is devoted to advancing and applying the science of ecological economics to promote healthy ecosystems, communities, and economies, while also working to halt the globalization of unsustainable economic policies. Focusing on the areas of toxics, forests, fisheries, and global trade policies, they achieve their goals through organization, education, and advocacy. $27,980 valuing Ecuadors Intag region Project
EArThWorkS WaShINGToN, Dc www.earthworksaction.org

The community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (cELDF) provides free and affordable legal and organizing assistance to grassroots, communitybased organizations working to protect their quality of life through protecting the natural environment, building sustainable communities, and asserting local control over corporations. $38,480 community Water Project
corPWATch / TiDES cEnTEr SaN FraNcISco, ca www.corpwatch.org

Earthworks is dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the destructive impacts of mineral development, in the U.S. and worldwide. It fulfills its mission by working with communities and grassroots groups to reform government policies, improve corporate practices, influence investment decisions and encourage responsible materials sourcing and consumption. $37,480 oil and Gas accountability Project

corpWatch counters corporate-led globalization through education and activism. It works to foster democratic control over corporations by building a diverse movement for human rights, labor rights, and environmental justice. $38,480 corpWatch and Borealis centre for Environment and Trade researchs joint project to track the corporate flow of canadian tar sands oil
sustainable planet 12

friEnDS of ThE EArTh AcTion WaShINGToN, Dc www.foeaction.org

SAvE AmEricAS forESTS funD WaShINGToN, Dc www.saveamericasforests.org

Friends of the Earth action (FoE action) provides extra political muscle on legislative battles to its sister organization, Friends of the Earth, which is part of a network of affiliates in over 70 nations. FoE action not only fights for laws and lawmakers that will do the right thing on environmental issues, it also helps the public join in the political battle. $32,480 Lobbying for Strong Federal climate Policy
PuBlic EmPloyEES for EnvironmEnTAl rESPonSiBiliTy WaShINGToN, Dc www.peer.org

Save americas Forests Fund was established in 1992 to address the growing educational needs of the grassroots forest protection movement. Its mission is to protect and restore americas last wild and natural forests. The Fund has worked to build bridges with labor organizations and to inspire previously uninvolved americans to participate in the creation of U.S. forest protection policy. $30,480 General Support

Public Employees for Environmental responsibility (PEEr) is a national alliance of local state and federal resource professionals. PEErs environmental work is solely directed by the needs of its members. PEEr works nation-wide with government scientists, land managers, environmental law enforcement agents, field specialists and other resource professionals committed to responsible management of americas public resources. $25,480 coals achilles heel: combustion Waste Project

sustainable planet 13

election integrity $183,500

The Election Integrity Funding Circle seeks to ensure that every American can vote, that votes will be counted as cast, and works to eliminate voter suppression and barriers to voting. The Funding Circle targets specific efforts to protect the democratic process from threats of election manipulation and fraud through: whistle blower protection; citizen exit polls to engage civic participation; and meaningful prosecution of election fraud crimes.

BlAck Box voTing rENToN, Wa www.blackboxvoting.org

ThE SunriSE cEnTEr corTE MaDEra, ca www.democracyandelectionintegrity.org

Black Box voting is a grassroots civic participation organization founded to encourage independent action around voter fraud, although it does not control or directly organize. Instead, it works in solidarity with relentless, clever, loosely allied people, taking actions they have figured out for themselves, using common sense and whatever resources they can bring to bear. $26,080 Tipping Point Project
columBuS inSTiTuTE for conTEmPorAry JournAliSm coLUMBUS, oh www.freepress.org

The Sunrise centers Grace Institute for Democracy and Election Integrity will be responsible for issuing awards to election supervisors and possibly Secretaries of State for Innovative Work in the Field of Election Integrity. $17,100 The Grace Institutes Election Transparency award
vElvET rEvoluTion WaShINGToN, Dc www.velvetrevolution.us

columbus Institute for contemporary Journalism is dedicated to promoting media independence through alternative and diverse voices. Its outlets are the internet, a bimonthly journal, book publishing, radio programs and video production. $35,080 Election Protection Project
ElEcTion TrAnSPArEncy coAliTion / inTErnATionAl humAniTiES cEnTEr STaaTSBUrG, Ny www.etcnys.org

velvet revolution (vr) is a 501(c)4 organization founded for the purpose of providing a means for citizens and organizations to mobilize to create a clean, transparent and accountable government. Its major focus is exposing and correcting problems with electronic voting machines and their tabulators. $43,080 Protect our Elections campaign
vErifiED voTing founDATion carLSBaD, ca www.verifiedvotingfoundation.org

verified voting Foundation (vvF) is a non-partisan nonprofit organization championing transparent, reliable and publicly verifiable elections. Its goal is to enable voters to have unqualified and justified confidence in election results. $39,080 Joint Project with common cause Education Fund and voter action to challenge Internet voting

Election Transparency coalition is dedicated to educating and organizing the citizens of New york State and beyond, to maintain, and when necessary, restore citizen oversight and public control of our elections. $23,080 ETcs Lawsuit to halt Software-based voting

election integrity 15

queer youth fund $126,013

Through this funding collaborative, a diverse donor and activist committee makes multi-year, $100,000 grants to grassroots, local, state or national nonprofit organizations located anywhere in the United States working to improve the quality of life among gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (GLBTQQ) youth.
liBErTy hill founDATion SaNTa MoNIca, ca www.libertyhill.org

Liberty hill Foundations Queer youth Fund awards grants to innovative and effective leadership development programs or organizing projects that empower GLBTQQ youth to improve societal conditions that affect them and that make a long-term difference to their movement. $126,013 Queer youth Fund

informal funding
unsolicited letters of inquiry.

occurs at Threshold meetings and raises funds for organizations

presented by members to members. These are closed funding cycles and as such do not accept

2010 grants$236,615

AirlinE AmBASSADorS inTErnATionAl MoSS BEach, ca www.airlineamb.org

$11,300 cambodia World Family krong kep School

BluE PlAnET run founDATion rEDWooD cITy, ca www.blueplanetrun.org

grEEn SciEncE Policy inSTiTuTE / SociAl AnD EnvironmEnTAl EnTrEPrEnEurS BErkELEy, ca www.greensciencepolicy.org

$10,350 Green Science Policy Institutes Safe kids campaign

klAmATh rivErkEEPEr aShLaND, or www.klamathriver.org

$12,050 General Support

clEAn PoWEr noW hyaNNIS, Ma www.cleanpowernow.org

$7,250 General Support

kurE AToll conSErvAncy hoNoLULU, hI www.kureatollconservancy.org

$9,000 General Support

conTAinErS To clinicS DovEr, Ma www.containers2clinics.org

$10,350 Winter field camp

lovE SErvE rEmEmBEr founDATion MaLIBU, ca www.ramdass.org

$7,690 c2c site in Port-au-Prince

floriDA voTErS coAliTion / vErifiEDvoTing.org SoUTh MIaMI, FL www.floridavoters.org

$13,200 ram Dass Sustainable Teaching Project

oAklAnD fooD connEcTion oakLaND, ca www.foodcommunityculture.org

$11,650 Florida voters coalitions project, Securing Floridas Elections

gloBAl fAmily villAgE EL cErrITo, ca www.globalfamilyvillage.org

$13,050 General Support

ozArk BoTAnicAl gArDEn, inc. BrIxEy, Mo www.one-garden.org

$9,575 Infant/Toddler, Eldercare, and caregiver Training program in Bungamati, Nepal

$12,650 Seed Solution to hunger Program

informal funding 18

rAvEn vIcTorIa, Bc caNaDa www.raventrust.com

viSionAry ArTS AnD mEDiA aPToS, ca www.youthempoweringyouth.us

$8,900 Beaver Lake cree Nations legal action against tar sands oil production
SATyAnA inSTiTuTE FrEELaND, Wa www.satyana.org

$8,500 youth Empowering youth Program

WElcomE homE ProJEcT / mArion inSTiTuTE aShLaND, or www.thewelcomehomeproject.org

$12,400 voices of vets film project

WomEnS mEDiA cEnTEr NEW york, Ny www.womensmediacenter.com

$8,400 Gender reconciliation Initiative

STonEWAll communiTy founDATion NEW york, Ny www.stonewallfoundation.org

$10,450 Progressive Womens voices Program

ymcA of mArin SaN raFaEL, ca www.ymcasf.org/marin

$6,600 Queer Wellness Fund

TiDES founDATion SaN FraNcISco, ca www.tidesfoundation.org

$11,150 Marin county youth court

youTh for EnvironmEnTAl SAniTy SaNTa crUz, ca www.yesworld.org

$13,250 Tides relief and reconstruction Fund for relief Efforts in haiti
TrAnSPArTiSAn cEnTEr / nATionAl inSTiTuTE for SciEncE, lAW AnD PuBlic Policy WaShINGToN, Dc www.transpartisancenter.org

$8,600 World youth Leadership Jam, in collaboration with conscious collaborations

$6,800 Transpartisan centers Salon Series

uPAyA zEn cEnTEr SaNTa FE, NM www.upaya.org

$13,450 Nomad clinics in humla, Nepal

informal funding 19

grants program includes two Core Committees the Justice & Democracy Committee and the Sustainable Planet Committee and a number of Funding Circles, which change on an annual basis. For current information about Core Committee and Funding Circle guidelines and funding criteria, please visit the Threshold Foundation website at www.thresholdfoundation.org.
GrantS proCeSS The annual grant cycle begins in September with the submission of Letters of Inquiry (LoI) by organizations interested in seeking grants from Threshold Foundation. Threshold members may sponsor organizations with a letter of recommendation or organizations may submit an unsolicited LoI. Threshold Foundation does not match organizations with Threshold members for sponsorship in the grantmaking process, but all LoIs are given an initial review. From the LoIs the grant committees invite a limited number of organizations to submit a proposal. after reviewing the proposals, the grant committees select a subset of organizations for a site-visit and evaluation. once the site-visit and evaluations are complete evaluations are reviewed and grant committees finalize their grant recommendations to the circle (Board of Directors) in June. Grant agreement and funds are disbursed at the end of July. Grant typeS and SIzeS Threshold Foundation provides grants for general operating expenses as well as special projects. We do not give emergency or discretionary grants outside of the annual grant cycle. Grant amounts typically range from $5,000 to $25,000. organizations seeking grants must have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or 501(c)(4) lobbying status from the IrS or must be exclusively organized for charitable or educational purposes, inside or outside the United States. applyInG For a Grant The first step in applying to the annual grant cycle is to submit an online Letter of Inquiry through our website at www.thresholdfoundation.org. Note that guidelines for applying to the annual grant cycle often change, as we are continually trying to improve our process based on feedback from grantees and committee members. Therefore, we recommend that grantseekers visit the Threshold Foundations website in august for the most up-to-date information regarding the deadline and application process for the following years cycle.
grants list/information 20

information for grantseekers

Threshold Foundations annual

endowment investment report

program related investment
accion international Boston, Ma www.accion.org cooperative fund of new england amherst, Ma www.cooperativefund.org e&co Bloomfield, NJ www.eandco.net enterprise corporation of the delta Jackson, MS www.ecd.org

The endowment investment principles of Threshold Foundation complement its philanthropic goals. The entire portfolio has a social investment focus with positive and negative screens: seventy percent is in socially screened stock, bonds, and cash with Boston common asset Management, calvert, Miller/howard Investments, and Trillium asset Management; twenty percent is in Program related Investments, primarily community Development Loan Funds that are listed here; the remaining ten percent has been designated for high growth, venture-type investments. loan amount
$55,000 $20,000 $50,000 $25,000

endowment gifts you can make an endowment gift to Threshold Foundation through a charitable trust, real estate gift, or by means of a bequest in your will. Because grantee organizations, grantee needs and other conditions change over the years, it will often avoid legal complications if simple unrestricted language like the following is used in wills: I hereby give and bequest ___________ to Threshold Foundation, a not-for-profit taxexempt public charity founded under the laws of the State of New york, having as its principal address Po Box 29903, San Francisco, california 94129-0903, for the general purposes of Threshold Foundation. If you want to discuss the language of your bequest, or if you want more information on planned giving possibilities (including real estate gifts), the staff or circle (Board of Directors) would be happy to meet with you. To schedule a meeting contact the Foundation Manager at 415-561-6400.

program related investment

new hampshire community development concord, Nh www.nhclf.org

loan amount
$25,000

opportunity finance network $100,000 Philadelphia, Pa www.opportunityfinance.net root capital cambridge, Ma www.rootcapital.org self-help credit union Durham, Nc www.self-help.org self-help enterprises visalia, ca www.selfhelpenterprises.com shared interest New york, Ny www.sharedinterest.org shorebank pacific Ilwaco, Wa www.eco-bank.com $20,000 $25,000 $45,000 $25,000 $25,000

human/economic appalachian development, inc. community loan fund (head corp.) $20,000 Berea, ky www.headcorp.org institute for community economics Springfield, Ma www.iceclt.org the loan fund albuquerque, NM www.loanfund.org national federation of community development cu New york, Ny www.natfed.org $25,000 $20,000

$50,000
financials 21

independent auditors report

Board of Directors Threshold Foundation We have audited the accompanying statements of financial position of Threshold Foundation (the Foundation) as of December 31, 2009, and the related statements of activities and cash flows for the year then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Foundations management. our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. The prior year summarized comparative information has been derived from the Foundations 2008 financial statements and, in our report dated September 11, 2009, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those statements. We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of america. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. an audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. an audit includes consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Foundations internal control over financial reporting. an audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Threshold Foundation as of December 31, 2009, and the changes in net assets and its cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of america.

Signed Fontanello, Duffield & otake, LLP certified Public accountants 44 Montgomery Street, Suite 2019 San Francisco, ca 94104
financials 22

balance sheet

Statements of Financial Position

YEArS EnDED DECEMBEr 31, 2009 AnD 2008

2009

2008

assets
Cash and cash equivalents Pledges receivable Deposits Other assets Investments Program related investments total assets $ 258,560 5,950 10,650 9,159 2,211,618 490,000 2,985,937 $ 288,818 18,525 25,280 11,543 2,250,824 535,000 3,129,990

Liabilities
Grants payable Accounts payable refundable deposits total liabilities 11,866 63,700 75,566 350,000 10,942 9,500 370,442

Net assets
unrestricted net assets General operations Designated for grantmaking pool Designated for endowment purposes total unrestricted net assets temporarily restricted net assets total net assets total liabilities and net assets 471,871 138,256 2,251,094 2,861,221 49,150 2,910,371 $ 2,985,937 385,458 164,399 2,170,166 2,720,023 39,525 2,759,548 $ 3,129,990
financials 23

income & expense

2009 revenue
Conference revenues 8.4% Grants and contributions 75.8%

Statements of Activities
YEArS EnDED DECEMBEr 31, 2009 AnD 2008

unrestricted

temporarily restricted

2009 total

2008 total

Support and revenue

Grants and contributions Conference revenues Investment income/(loss) Interest and dividends Investment fees net realized gain/(loss) net unrealized gain/(loss) net assets released from restriction total support and revenue 63,591 (16,390) (108,069) 372,538 1,975,406 39,525 2,014,931 49,150 (39,525) 9,625 63,591 (16,390) (108,069) 372,538 2,024,556 2,024,556 117,156 (20,962) (142,409) (427,619) 1,582,383 1,582,383 $ 1,496,672 167,064 $ 49,150 $ 1,545,822 167,064 $ 1,911,572 144,645

Investment income/(loss) 15.8%

2009 expense
Conference expenses 11.8% network communications 5.3% Grantmaking support 5.3% Board/corporate support 5%

Expenses
program services Grants Conference expenses Grants 72.6% network communications total program services supporting services Grantmaking support Board/corporate support total supporting services total expenses 99,019 93,512 192,531 1,873,733 141,198 2,720,023 $ 2,861,221 9,625 39,525 $ 49,150 99,019 93,512 192,531 1,873,733 150,823 2,759,548 $ 2,910,371 99,324 126,549 225,873 3,040,230 (1,457,847) 4,217,395 $ 2,759,548
financials 24

1,360,128 221,512 99,562 1,681,202

1,360,128 221,512 99,562 1,681,202

2,609,084 24,660 180,613 2,814,357

change in Net assets

net assets at beginning of year net assets at end of year

cash flows

Statements of Cash Flows

YEArS EnDED DECEMBEr 31, 2009 AnD 2008

2009

2008

cash flows from operating activities

Change in net assets Adjustments to reconcile change in net assets to cash used in operating activities: net investment income/(loss) Contibuted stock Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Pledges receivable Deposits Other assets Grants payable Accounts payable refundable deposits net cash used in operating activities 12,575 14,630 2,384 (350,000) 924 54,200 (497,190) (3,200) 8,457 4,707 350,000 466 (12,660) (830,539) (311,670) (71,056) 473,834 (194,296) $ 150,823 $ (1,457,847)

cash flows from investing activities

Purchase of investments Proceeds from sale of investments Increase in program related investments redemption of program related investments net cash provided by investing activities (750,145) 1,172,077 (25,000) 70,000 466,932 (30,258) 288,818 $ 258,560 (745,606) 1,382,444 636,838 (193,701) 482,519 $ 288,818

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

financials 25

2010 Board of Directors

michele grennon, President gita drury, vice President and Secretary david hills, Treasurer liane collins, Director craig harwood, Director david hills, Director drummond pike, Director mary calder rower, Director sam utne, Director laura Wasserman, Director

2010 Staff
liza siegler, Foundation Manager david falzone, Member Programs Manager doug seckinger, associate Foundation Manager joyce tang, Foundation accountant stephanie alston, Event coordinator And other staff of Tides
photography Tim Jones (p.17), Weston Milliken (cover, 7, 10), Marian Moore (p.45, 14, 16, 28, 29), ashraf Sarawi (p.26) graphic design Ison Design board/staff 26

in memoriam
Ellen Camin
Ellen camin died peacefully at home on the beautiful, fullmoon lit night of august 24, 2010, after 3 1/2 years of ovarian cancer, just shy of 75. She was a beautiful spirit; she touched many people with her generosity, kindness, curiosity, strength and determination. Ultimately, the testament to her life, in addition to her extensive accomplishments, is in who she was and the lives of so many who she touched so very deeply. She was born September 24, 1935 in Sacramento, ca. as a young girl, Ellen loved the outdoors; her childhood was filled with horseback riding, hiking, and visiting Lake Tahoe. at age 16 she had polio, and this experience only intensified her independence and strength of will. She lived a full and active life; playing tennis, hiking in the cascades, traveling to Europe, asia, africa, australia, and alaska. her love of nature and her stewardship of the earth were integral to her character. Ellen graduated from Stanford University in 1957. She met George Ghilarducci there and they married in 1959, moving to Tacoma to raise a family. In 1973 she and George trekked across central asia and the Middle East, and this sparked an interest in spiritual development, and philanthropy that lasted throughout her life. In 1975 she obtained a Masters in Social Work from the University of Washington and became an administrator at a mental health agency. She later founded the Tacoma area Living Lightly association, co-founded the cascadia revolving Loan Fund, served on the board of In context magazine, became involved with the chinook Learning center (now Whidbey Institute), briefly serving as its director, and joined the Donuts at its second meeting, also serving on its Board, although the Grants committes remained her favorite. after the death of George in 1989, Ellen moved to Whidbey Island, Wa. In 1995 she married Bernie camin, and began a new phase of her life on the island. She was a founding member of the circle of caring, a support group dealing with issues of aging, and formed rich friendships through her Full Moon Group and The Lorian association. and there were always her contributions. as she was in hospice in our home we were overwhelmed by those who wanted a few moments with her. She was deeply spiritual and toward the end she experienced a life lesson shift. She leaves her husband, Bernie camin, three children, seven grandchildren and many other friends and family. Ellen was a closet painter and she left a stunning body of work. The painting attached is titled Whats Next? and it was done just before the final bout began around March of last year. her portrait was from a high School reunion about 15 years ago. With deepest love, Bernie Camin

in memoriam
Henry Dakin
We will all miss henry Dakin who died august 25, of pancreatic cancer. he was a great man and a true leader, in his own humble way. henry was a real citizen diplomat. he organized some of the first Space Bridges with the Soviet Union during the cold war. he housed many cutting edge non-profits in the 1980s and 90s in his building on Sacramento Street in San Francisco, putting on events, filming them and supporting them financially. he provided office space for Soviet psychic healers like Larissa vilenskaya and published her writings on parapsychology, telepathy, healing and non ordinary ways of knowing. he was a great friend and supporter of so many people and organizations. I (harriett) always stayed with henry and vergilia when I was in San Francisco. he always seemed to be happy, bouncy, jubilant as he puttered around his home, doing things on his computers, having fun. We always seemed to be giggling at breakfast in the morning. I cant remember exactly how it would start. hed tease me or vergilia and wed start laughing. or hed ask me if I remembered when the president of Monsanto, Bob Shapiro got a pie put in his face at the State of the World Forum. Wed talk over exactly what happened, all the messy details and soon we were giggling. all the rest of the morning, these irrepressible giggles would keep coming up like bubbles coming up in a deep lake. he always wanted to know what was happening with Donuts, or at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, or on my latest trip to russia, or in the clinton White house. he was so curious, interested, wanting to know everything, especially anything that would get us to laughing. hed tell me all the latest on the Esalen Soviet american Exchange Program and who was doing what. Wed gossip about the wild characters we worked with, like Joseph Goldin from Moscow who lived in henrys office for awhile, making endless calls back to Moscow, eliciting even more chuckles. henry had a great life. he had a very nice and playful relationship with his wife, vergilia, whom he adored. he raised three wonderful daughters, Julia, rose and adriana who worked in our kazakhstan office of ISar. henry supported many very special people and got involved in all kinds of great causes. Many of us adored him and we will miss him deeply. Harriett Crosby

in memoriam
David Pillsbury Becker
David Pillsbury Becker died on November 26, 2010 at the Gosnell Memorial hospice in Scarborough, ME. he was born in albany, Ny on october 15, 1947 and educated at The albany academy, the Taft School, and Bowdoin college from which he graduated in 1970 with a degree in history. While there, he discovered the Bowdoin Museum of art and began developing an interest in art and especially printmaking. In 1983 he received a Master of arts degree from New york University. In addition to receiving a chester Dale Fellowship at the Metropolitan Museum of art in New york, David did coursework at the University of virginias rare Book School in 1999 and 2009. David was most recently employed at the Boston Museum of Fine arts where he was the Pamela and Peter voss curator of Prints and Drawings. David demonstrated exceptional organizational and political abilities in his professional career as a collector and curator of prints, drawings, and rare books. his publications include The Imprint of Place: Maine Printmaking 18002005, Old Master Drawings at Bowdoin College, and numerous scholarly articles. David was a trustee of Bowdoin college, haymarket Peoples Fund, and the Maine chapter of the Nature conservancydonating an island off the Maine coast to their care. he financially and politically supported many other progressive social change organizations including the astraea Foundation and the Proud rainbow youth of Southern Maine (PrySM). an early supporter of the Gay & Lesbian Liberation Movement, as it was then known, David served on the Working Group on Funding Lesbian and Gay Issues of the National Network of Grantmakers, and the Board of the Lesbian and Gay community center of Boston. Later, while on the board of the Maine community Foundation, David was instrumental in establishing the Maine Equity Fund whose mission is to provide funding for further development of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organizations in Maine. David also founded oUTa Fund for Gay and Lesbian Liberation, with a $500,000 grant in 1990. No fan of entitled donors making grant decisions, David required that the Funds advisors be activists representing grassroots organizations. Davids activist philanthropy in the greater community was recognized by The Maine Lesbian/Gay Political alliances (now Equality Maine) Great Pioneer award in 1994 and by Maine Initiatives Golden Grower Philanthropist award in 2001. David is survived by his brother, John J. Becker of Pittsboro, Nc and his sister, katherine B. Finney of Philadelphia, Pa and ten nieces and nephews. David leaves many friends and professional colleagues around New England, the US and beyond. Weston Milliken