French American Charitable Trust (FACT) records (MS.2012.021)

Historical Note

The French American Charitable Trust (FACT) was established in 1990 by Charles “Chuck" Francis Feeney, the co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers and Founding Chair of the Atlantic Philanthropies, and Danielle J. Feeney, his then wife, with a $40 million endowment to enable their five children to learn about philanthropy. Chuck Feeney is Irish-American with dual citizenship and Danielle J. Feeney is a Fench national. Their children are Juliette M. Feeney-Timsit, Diane V. Feeney, Leslie D. Feeney-Baily, Caroleen A. Feeney, and Patrick A. Feeney. FACT was a small family foundation with all 5 of the Feeney children and their mother participating on the Board of Directors along with 6 other individuals. The goal of the foundation was to spend all the money in the endowment during the lifetime of the Feeney family - a philosophy that Mr. Feeney has called “giving while living.” Diane V. Feeney was the President of the foundation for the majority of its existence.

They began by funding organizations all over the United States. But that strategy changed in 1997 when the foundation's offices moved from Washington D.C. to California. Thereafter their funding was targeted on a few core organizations in California, the Southwest, and the South. They also began a small grant funding program in France.

FACT’s funding strategy was focused on community organizing, an underfunded sector, to empower people directly affected by social, economic and environmental injustice to speak for themselves. They choose a small number of core grantees, gave them general operating support, committed to funding them for the long term, and helped them build their strength through innovative and comprehensive capacity building programs.

FACT closed its doors in 2011 after distributing the last grants which were for 2011 and 2012 combined. More information about the history of the foundation can be found in FACT’s final report: “Giving More. Making Change. A Journey in Progressive Grant Making” (Box 1).

The website for FACT was still active as of September 2012 and can be accessed through this link French American Charitable Trust or by going to www.factservices.org.

For more information about Chuck Feeney and his philanthropic work see the website for The Atlantic Philanthropies.