I read with interest the interview with Carl Schramm in the November/ December issue of Philanthropy, as well as Schramm’s earlier article in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. I am unconvinced by him on key issues. I would not contend, for example, that grantmaking foundations “need to be continuously self-renewing and innovative—not only in what they do, but also in how they do it.” Moreover, such innovation would seem to me to be in considerable tension with donor intent, though he suggests otherwise. But I agree with Schramm on the value in trying to offer a general theory of what foundations do and why their activity matters. This is a difficult task, to put it mildly, and any attempt will naturally be controversial. Even as I disagree with aspects of Schramm’s theory, I salute him for the effort and encourage others to follow his example.
—Montgomery B. Brown
Director of Program
Earhart Foundation
Ann Arbor, Michigan
