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Facing History & Ourselves
Founded in 1976, Facing History & Ourselves was built by educators who believed that confronting the moral failures of history — particularly the Holocaust —...
Facing History & Ourselves
Founded in 1976, Facing History & Ourselves was built by educators who believed that confronting the moral failures of history — particularly the Holocaust — could equip students to combat racism, antisemitism, and bigotry in their own communities. President and CEO Desmond K. Blackburn, appointed in April 2023, now leads the organization from its Brookline, Massachusetts headquarters, working alongside a board that includes venture capitalist Jeffrey J. Bussgang of Flybridge Capital and Social Finance CEO Tracy Palandjian. The endowment, estimated at $55 million (Altss estimate), supports a non-profit model that operates no direct investment funds or for-profit ventures. Instead, capital funds professional development workshops, classroom resources, and partnerships with school districts. Facing History collaborates with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Common Core implementation and with the Bezos Family Foundation on public engagement, while the Anti-Defamation League serves as a frequent partner in anti-hate education. Program delivery spans the United States—with offices in New York, Chicago, and Cleveland—and extends to London. The organization maintains endowment assets in Boston and holds several commercial real estate properties, including its Brookline headquarters and a New York office at 152 West 57th Street. Board Co-Chair Seth Klarman, whose Baupost Group manages approximately $27 billion, exerts significant influence through both governance and philanthropy, channeling support via the Klarman Family Foundation. April 2023: Appointed Desmond K. Blackburn as President and CEO, signaling a leadership transition focused on scaling the organization's educational reach (per Altss research). What distinguishes Facing History's architecture is its board-level fusion of hedge-fund capital stewardship and non-profit program delivery. Unlike foundations that operate grant-making arms separate from their endowments, Facing History's trustees — including a sitting hedge-fund CEO as co-chair — oversee both investment strategy and educational mission within a single governance framework.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1976
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Brookline
Corporate office
16 Hurd Road, Brookline, MA 02146, United States
Additional offices
New York, NY, United States · Chicago, IL, United States · Cleveland, OH, United States · London, United Kingdom
Principals
Desmond K. Blackburn
President and CEO
Seth A. Klarman
Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees
Jill Garling
Chair of the Board of Directors
Jeffrey J. Bussgang
Vice Chair of the Board of Directors
Tracy Palandjian
Director
Ryan Prince
Chairman of the UK Advisory Board
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Facing History & Ourselves?
The board of trustees oversees the endowment, with Co-Chair Seth Klarman — CEO of The Baupost Group — serving as the most prominent investment voice. Day-to-day investment management is handled by the organization's Boston-based endowment team, though specific CIO staffing is not publicly disclosed. The board includes other financial professionals such as Jeffrey J. Bussgang of Flybridge Capital, ensuring investment decisions are informed by institutional asset-management experience.
How is Facing History & Ourselves related to Seth Klarman and The Baupost Group?
Seth Klarman serves as Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees and is a major donor, both personally and through the Klarman Family Foundation. The Baupost Group, where Klarman is CEO, has no formal investment-management relationship with the endowment — Klarman's role is strictly governance and philanthropic. This structure keeps hedge-fund operations separate from the foundation's programmatic mission.
Does Facing History & Ourselves make venture investments or fund commitments?
No. Despite several board members with venture-capital backgrounds, the organization does not operate as a venture investor or make fund commitments to external GPs. The endowment's capital is deployed to support grants, educator training, and curriculum development — not for-profit investment activity.
What is the relationship between Facing History and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation?
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a significant donor to Facing History & Ourselves, specifically funding work related to Common Core educational standards and curriculum implementation. The relationship is purely philanthropic and programmatic, with no shared investment vehicles or co-investment structures.
How does Facing History & Ourselves source its educational partnerships?
Partnerships are sourced through professional networks and coalitions such as AISNE, the CivXNow Coalition, and the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education, where Facing History serves as a lead partner and advisory board member. Direct relationships with school districts and peer organizations like the Anti-Defamation League generate additional programmatic collaboration.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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