THE GOLDMAN RULE.

When Asher Goldman was growing up, his grandfather, Richard Goldman, often recited the Golden Rule. To the ears of a young boy the Golden Rule sounded like the ‘Goldman Rule.'

"I grew up with the assumption that this philosophy had been conceived by my grandfather and was really only applicable to me and my extended family," Asher Goldman said when he accepted the Heinz Awards 2005 Chairman's Medal for Philanthropy on behalf of his grandfather. "And why not? Richard Goldman has lived every moment of his life by the Golden Rule. Not only has he done unto others what he would have done unto himself, but he has gone above and beyond the call of duty. For him, it's not just about giving back to the community, it's about giving to communities he has taken nothing from. It's about recognizing the deep seeded need for social and political change and doing something about it regardless of how vast or limited your resources might be. It's about the enormous potential each individual possesses, the ability to make a difference."

Last November, on National Philanthropy Day, Goldman was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Philanthropy.

"The breadth of Richard Goldman's philanthropic giving is so unique and beyond impressive. It is insightful and daring." said Sean Sullivan, co-chair of the Association of Fundraising Professionals in San Francisco, the organization that bestowed the award. Richard and his late wife, Rhoda Goldman, descendant of the family that started the Levi Strauss clothing firm, have been inspirational, far-sighted and daring in their approach to philanthropy since they founded their family foundation in 1951. Since then, The Goldman Fund has given away more than a half-billion dollars in support of hundreds of charitable causes locally, nationally, and internationally. Goldman made front-page news when he announced a $10 million challenge grant to the San Francisco Symphony aimed at increasing the company's current $180 million endowment. Symphony Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas said "Richard Goldman's visionary generosity has made possible one of my dreams for this orchestra, which is to ensure that future generations of San Franciscans will continue to experience orchestral music brought to life by the finest musicians. Mr. Goldman understands the value that arts have in our society and in our lives.''

In 1990, Goldman and his wife established the largest award for grassroots environmentalism in the world. The Goldman Prize of the environment, which has often been called the Nobel Prize for the environment, recognizes individuals working against overwhelming odds to preserve the natural environment. Every year, six winners receive $125,000 in prize money.

I visited Goldman at his office in the Presidio, in the city he was born and raised. "I went to Galileo High School, and then I went to Berkeley," he says. After a busy morning discussing grant awards with his staff and visiting with past prize winner, Bob Brown who is now Senator from Tasmania in Australia's parliament, Goldman settled into his office with sweeping views of San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands. In person, he is modest and almost matter-of-fact about his enormous contributions.

Adams: You've been in the philanthropy business 55 years. At one point you told me that giving away money is hard work. Has it been?

Goldman: Well, it's more demanding than most people think and it requires a level of diligent research. But it's lovely work, and I think there's a new consciousness that philanthropy is something worthwhile for us to do. People like Gates and Buffett have encouraged this. In fact, what the Gates family has done is quite remarkable. They're taking on problems of the world that nobody else is. But that said, tell you the truth, there's a lot of room for improvement.

Adams: Like what?

Goldman: For one, how much money foundations are willing to give out. Under current law, foundations are required to spend only 5 percent of their assets each year, and that amount can include money for offices, salaries, and other overhead costs. We endorse legislation that would exclude those expenses from the 5 percent minimum spending level. I have spoken out on this issue. [Goldman has written extensively about the topic for publications such as The Chronicle of Philanthropy.]

If the more than 50,000 charitable foundations that make grants were to increase their giving to 10 percent, nonprofit groups could reap $15 billion more annually. That would give organizations the boost they need, which would translate into better public education, more after-school programs, more job training, and more families with food on the table.

Adams: How much are you giving away at your foundation?

Goldman: Five years ago we just made up our minds we were going to give away more. Now we give away 10 percent, and our expenses are pretty modest compared to others. And in time, the word's gotten out, and I think many others have followed our lead.

Adams: But the more foundations give, the greater the chance that they will eventually run out of money.

Goldman: Well, if they do, it's okay. Ten years after I pass away the Goldman Fund will terminate. The funds will be distributed to my children's foundations and to certain projects such as ending hunger, fighting AIDS and improving education. Those are broad fields but we are trying to find a way to do some of these. We don't believe in perpetuity, except for the Goldman Prize.

Benefit: So from your point of view how should someone go about giving away their wealth?

Goldman: I tell my friends who make a lot of money, "You know, making money up to a point is fine. But if you really want to get some value out of your life, start thinking how you can give it away." Jerry Yang, the cofounder of Yahoo and I were at a meeting in Berkeley at the International House five years ago. We were introducing ourselves, and Jerry said, "You're my hero." And I said, "I haven't done anything." He said, "You've done what I want to do." And since then he started to do it. If people are willing to spend a few dollars and build up a foundation, they'll realize how much more they can do. I tell everybody, "If you can organize even a modest-size foundation like we have, you get a lot more mileage out of it rather than making personal donations." And I also tell them, "The sooner you can get someone to manage a foundation for you, the better off you will be."

Adams: What about donors asking that buildings be named after them? How do you advise your friends on this?

Goldman: I'm basically against it. We made a few concessions after Rhoda died, but, for example, we gave the lead gifts for the Conservatory of Flowers and the Jewish Community Center, and we made it very clear that we wanted them both to be known by their original names. I thought by taking a stand against naming, other people might get the message. But it hasn't worked.

THE GOLDMAN PRIZE

Adams: One of your greatest legacies has been the Goldman Prize. To date, 113 environmentalists have received $10 million in grants. Of the more than 100 prize winners, is there anyone who stands out from the crowd?

Goldman: Wangari Maathai, who got the Noble Peace Prize 13 years after we gave her the prize. [Maathai launched Kenya's Green Belt Movement, a grassroots tree-planting organization composed primarily of women aimed at curtailing the devastating social and environmental effects of deforestation. She received the Nobel Prize in 2004 for "her diligent work and dedication to the environment of Kenya and its people.] And Ken Saro-Wiwa who And Ken Saro-Wiwa, a Nigerian environmental activist who took on polluting oil companies and his government. He was jailed for a crime he did not commit and was eventually executed for standing up to corrupt forces in his country. His son came to receive it for him.

Adams: What is Wangari Maathai doing now?

Goldman: She is Deputy Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya and she is also a Member of Parliament.

Adams: Where did your commitment to the environment come from and how did the prize get started?

Goldman: Growing up I was a member of a Boy Scout troop, which was very active and had a lot of outdoor activities. And Rhoda was a Girl Scout. We're both interested in the outdoors. I remember a particular fellow who was a river guide in Oregon, and who was a real protector of the environment. And we'd go fishing with him, and we would talk about the things he was doing and what he thought could be done, and it was people like this that just rubbed off on us.

Then about 18 years ago I was reading in the papers about the Nobel Prize. I was curious and wondered why there wasn't a comparable prize for environmental work. So I told my staff to do some research and see what's out there. To our total amazement, there was nothing. So after some more inquiries, my wife and I took a look at one another and we said, "Let's go for it."

Adams: What was the first prize ceremony like?

Goldman: There was a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. We didn't know if it would work or not, we didn't know if anyone would come, or if we would have to bring in busloads of people. We tested something that was never done before...and it worked.

Adams: Do you track how the winners spend their money?

Goldman: First of all, we don't limit how they can spend the Prize money. But interestingly enough, I'd say that a good 90 percent goes back into their organizations.

GRANTS IN GENERAL

Adams: Are there any awards or grants that you made that you regret?

Goldman: I've often pondered that. I'd say basically, no. We've never given a grant where the people did not act honestly. On occasion they were overly enthusiastic and they ran out of money. But at least the purpose was a legitimate one, even though they didn't manage it well.

By the way, we never micro-manage. We never go to somebody who has received one of our grants and said, "You've got to do this." We just give it to them and let them run with it. If they come back for more money and they have done well, then we will support them again. If we don't think they have done well, we wish them good luck and look for the next opportunity.

Adams: Speaking of "micro," what are some of the smaller gifts that you've given? Do you give to people asking for a handout on the street?

Goldman: Well, we don't carry bills around to pass out. (Laughs.) We've tried to keep our giving consistent with the number of gifts we make annually which usually totals around $40 million. Today I would say for the most part the smallest gift we would give is $1,000. In a couple of cases, our individual gifts have totaled as much as $10 million.

Adams: What are some of the gifts you are most proud of?

Goldman: What I'm most proud of is serving as a catalyst, helping others realize their dreams. For example, from 1997 to 2000 we worked with several environment organizations that wanted to protect land in Alaska. We gave a $5 million leadership initiative, and now I think they have raised more than $30 million. Our work has helped to save a lot of land that otherwise would likely have gone to development.

BACKGROUND

Adams: Where did your philanthropic drive come from. Was it something that was encouraged as you were growing up?

Goldman: As far as growing up, no, but once I married Rhoda, we had very similar beliefs about giving. And then, in 1951, a friend of mine who was a lawyer said, "You know, you can establish a foundation. It's very simple to do, then you can put money into it and then you can parcel it out as you wish." So in the mid-70s we decided, why not? Then in the late 1980s we decided to have someone manage the fund and all the requests that were coming in.

Adams: Has there been anyone that has inspired your giving over the years?

Goldman: Quite a few people. There's a fellow just turning 100, Louis Heilbron, a local attorney. I'm always watching how he is doing things. He's a terrific citizen who gives his time to many causes.. And my father-in-law, Walter A. Haas. Then more recently, a guy like Right Reverend William Swing, because he's trying to get the religions of the world to understand and work together. So, different people at different times have come into my life.

But most of what we've done we just did it because we believe. The thing is, this all just sort of grew. It had its own momentum. When we look back, we scratch our heads, and say, "How did we ever get all this done?"

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On a lighter note, Richard Goldman's piercing blue eyes have attracted the attention of more than a few admirers, even drawing comparisons to actor Paul Newman. What does Goldman think about being a philanthropic sex symbol? "I have only one answer: I wore glasses from age 10 to 80. And then I got my eyes fixed and I don't wear glasses anymore. Now I don't go anywhere without someone saying, "Oh my goodness, your eyes are so blue." I say, "Well, I don't paint them." Being compared to Paul Newman, that's quite an honor, but I don't think it's true."

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About the Goldman Prize

The Goldman Prize curriculum about the environment and the Prize itself is called "Examining Your Connection to the Environment and Your Community." It was written by the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. It's a comprehensive standards-based course for high school students that teaches ethical decision making through an examination of one's relationship to the natural world. This fills a critical need by providing teachers with curricula, materials, and support to educate the next generation of environmental leaders. It consists of a 60-minute video series, in VHS or DVD, which features the stories of 17 Goldman Prize recipients in five areas: Air, Water, Forests, Wildlife and Minerals. It also includes a student workbook, a teacher guide and an interactive online teacher's community with resource information. The curriculum has also been endorsed by 30 science and environmental foundations. Curriculums can be purchased for $29.95 on the site www.envethics.org. The Goldman Fund has donated 1,500 copies to high schools throughout the US in all 50 states.

For more information go to www.goldmanprize.org and www.goldmanfund.org