A letter from ULI Foundation Chairman Douglas D. Abbey
Greetings,
In the face of rapid and widespread changes in demographics, populations, economic drivers, technology, and the natural environment, the ULI mission has never been more compelling or relevant. There is no better organization than ULI to bring the thought leadership and best practices needed to solve today’s complex land use issues for the benefit of future generations. The ULI Foundation serves the ULI mission and honors our commitment to the cities of the world and makes this work possible.
As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the Foundation has a purpose and mission to financially support and sustain the Institute’s mission-driven education and research programs.
The ULI Foundation benefits from the private contributions made by our members and supporters who share our vision of thriving communities worldwide. Because of these philanthropic investments, the ULI Foundation is in a position of great strength and is poised for even greater impact.
This fiscal year, the Foundation received $9.6 million to support the ULI mission, including $3.3 million in major gifts, $1.6 million in unrestricted annual giving contributions, and $2.7 million in foundation grants, in addition to funding from planned gifts, the Foundation endowment, and other sources. Together, these gifts supported an expansive range of ULI programs and panels.
Among notable major gifts this year to ULI’s education and mentorship efforts as well as our global centers and initiatives, Randall Lewis’s support for the Building Healthy Places Initiative, Preston Butcher’s support for education and research in market-rate multifamily housing, and Connie Moore’s support to develop education excellence bolstered the Institute’s mission-driven programs.
The Foundation’s support of ULI was also bolstered through collaborative efforts with institutional partners. JPMorgan Chase funded advisory services and technical assistance geared toward developing solutions to help diverse communities across the United States prepare for and address a range of climate risks. The Kresge Foundation continued to support ULI’s efforts to provide site-specific resilient land use and development strategies and promote the increase of energy efficiency in the built environment. And support from the JPB Foundation continued to ensure equitable access to high-quality parks and enhanced resilience to climate-related extreme weather events and long-term climate impacts.
We are at the midpoint of the Institute’s four-year Global Strategic Plan, which affirmed the following vision and overarching goal for a sustainable, financially resilient, far-reaching, and ever-growing ULI Foundation:
The Foundation plays a fundamental role in realizing the strategic vision of the Institute by inspiring members’ philanthropy to support ULI’s measurable and transformative impact offerings worldwide. A strong Foundation enables ULI to pursue its mission and tackle big ideas through economic cycles. The Foundation will inspire a philanthropic culture at ULI with members contributing their time, talent, and treasure to strengthen the Institute and its future throughout their careers, in support of ULI’s measurable and transformative impact offerings.
We would not be where we are today without the investments of those who are committed to enhancing ULI’s transformative work in our communities around the world. Yet there is much more to do. We must confront climate change, faltering infrastructure, attainable housing, historical barriers to diversity and equity, and legacy cities. With increased and expanded investments in the Foundation, ULI is able to grow stronger, to reach farther, and to move faster.
On behalf of the ULI Foundation, I thank you for your continued support of our mission.