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"The PBS Foundation: More for Everyone"

Cheri Carter
Development Conference
Manchester Grand Hyatt
October 7, 2005

Thank you, Beth for that lovely introduction. It has been such a pleasure working with you and my wonderful new colleagues at PBS.

I am excited to be here this morning with you and I am tremendously enthusiastic about the PBS Foundation. This Foundation promises to bring so much to PBS – and to you.

Today I will describe the Foundation's mission, purpose, achievements, governance structure, and preliminary funding initiatives. And I will answer the question: – What is in it for you?

As many of you know:

The PBS Foundation was incorporated in spring of 2004 as a 501(c)(3) supporting organization to provide the mechanism for seeking cultivating, and receiving extraordinary gifts and grants at the national level. The Foundation works in league with PBS member stations to maximize donor potential, expand the philanthropic donor base, leverage existing funding streams, and establish new funding options.

And I want to emphasize the words, "works in league with PBS member stations". This is essential as, together, we achieve financial stability and growth for PBS.

I submit that this new Foundation heralds a sea change – and a transformation in how PBS will be perceived. This means that PBS will:

• Take its place with the "richest and best endowed" cultural, civic and educational organizations
• Solidify its place as a philanthropic organization of choice
• Accelerate efforts to seek and secure extraordinary gifts and grants
• Leverage current and future gifts

AND

• Gain high visibility for its successes and the impact it is having

And I submit that there will be a new age of partnerships between PBS and member stations-because we will combine the best of both entities: Over the years, member stations:

• Have done a remarkable job of raising membership and philanthropic dollars and I am in awe of your work.
• You have your pulse on the communities you serve and you know your donors and prospects
• All of you are ambassadors in the field and interpreters of the goals, purposes and success of the public broadcasting system

The PBS Foundation promises to:

• Utilize its outstanding reputation, position, power and clout to attract exceptional national gifts and grants
• Work collegially and cooperatively with all of you
• Share the wealth

We are already seeing evidence of this and there is much cause for celebration. For instance, the Foundation Board and Station Council are demonstrating and paving the way for this new partnership. I want to personally thank the outstanding people who lead and govern the Foundation, including our PBS CEO and the PBS Board, and specifically, the Foundation Board and Station Council. Our Foundation Board members are well known to all of you:

• Peter Hero, our Chair, President, Community Foundation of Silicon Valley
• Paula Kerger, Executive VP & COO, Thirteen/WNET
• Maynard Orme, President & CEO, Oregon Public Broadcasting

Our Foundation Station Council members are people you know as well:

• John Morris, our Chair, from Peoria
• Polly Anderson, from Waco. Texas
• Stephanie Bergsma, from our host city, San Diego
• Malcolm Brett, in Madison, Wisconsin
• Paige Meriwether from Salt Lake City
• Susan Moritz, in Iowa
• Rus Peotter, from Springfield, Massachusetts

I have had the enormous pleasure of working with each of these individuals over the last 5 months and I very much appreciate their inspired leadership, advice and counsel, and dedication to this new venture.

Another cause for celebration is that we have accomplished so much since the inception of the Foundation. We have:

• Established Foundation and Station protocols
• Met with station executives and local and national prospects across the country. In fact, I see so many familiar faces in the audience. Many of you I have met during my nearly 20 station visits over the last 5 months.
• We have created materials, including a web site and soon to be published brochure
• And most recently we have had the ability to quickly and nimbly respond to the needs of our colleagues devastated by Hurricane Katrina. I am pleased to report that the Foundation has organized and directed The Disaster Relief Fund which will provide direct assistance to over 90 families, and the Fund is well on its way to reaching its goal.

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