Atlantic's Commitment to Social Justice
Watch a short video message from Gara LaMarche about Atlantic's commitment to social justice, expanded on more fully in an issue of Atlantic Currents.

At The Atlantic Philanthropies we believe that all people should be treated with dignity, respect and fairness. This belief is at the heart of our vision for social justice in the world and especially in the countries in which we are active. We pay particular attention to people and groups who are systematically disadvantaged by social and economic barriers that result in injustice and inequity. We believe that these barriers can be removed by empowering people to engage in advocacy to create a more equitable and just world.

No significant social change has ever taken place without the energy and perseverance of movements and advocates. That is why we support efforts that are led by the people who need change the most. The organisations we support do this hard work day in and day out, and we are privileged to join forces with them in advancing change and promoting social justice.

In keeping with the “Giving While Living” philosophy of our founder, Charles “Chuck” Feeney, we are fully committed to spending our entire endowment and closing the doors of our foundation by 2020. He believes that major problems can be solved sooner and more easily and be prevented from worsening if invested in now. Like our founder, we believe that we must address the urgent social inequities and injustices of our time without delay.

We focus our grantmaking in the areas of ageing, children and youth, population health, and reconciliation and human rights. We work on one or more of those issues in Australia, Bermuda, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Viet Nam.

More specifically, we support efforts to make systemic and lasting change through new laws, policies, and programmes. We believe in the power of advocacy by the people who will benefit by it. Atlantic seeks to strengthen leaders and institutions, because doing so is the best insurance of a vibrant movement for social equality and justice that will endure long after we have made our last grant.

We do our best to learn what works and what does not and to share this knowledge with colleagues and partners. As we have learned from the able advocates we support, we hold our values constant while remaining nimble in pursuing strategies that will best advance them.

Our openness to learning and adjustment extends to you, the reader. I invite you to let us know what we could be doing better to bring us closer to a world in which health, human rights and economic equity make it possible for every person to achieve full potential.

Gara LaMarche
President and CEO
The Atlantic Philanthropies

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