The American Foundations Oral History Project consists of a series of interviews with prominent American philanthropists, each of whom relates their background, the development of their values, and their philosophies of philanthropy. The purpose and state of American philanthropy, including those family foundations and corporate foundations, form a central topic, as do the recent trend of increasing diversity and opinions on grant evaluation and philanthropic assessment. In addition, many interviewees comment on the role of government in philanthropy and the system of ethics at play in American philanthropy.
Richard Lyman, president of Stanford University and president of the Rockefeller Foundation, discusses his background, education, and career, and his views on philanthropy. Specifically, he speaks extensively about the Rockefeller Foundation, the ideal characteristics of foundation leaders, diversity, philanthropic ethics, and both the positive and negative aspects of grant evaluation. Lyman also speaks of foundations in general and the health of American foundations.
This project centers around interviews with professional and/or personal acquaintances of Elinor and Vincent Ostrom. Every interview explores a unique relationship with the Ostroms and the continuing impact of the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University. Elinor (Lin) and Vincent Ostrom founded the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis in 1973.The Ostrom Workshop has been the catalyst for worldwide collaboration in the field of public policy and environmental issues. "Coming Together" is an interdisciplinary exploration of the legacy and impact of Elinor (Lin) and Vincent Ostrom. Major topics include; academia, "the commons", cross-disciplinary collaboration, Elinor Ostrom's Nobel Prize, the Ostrom Workshop, political science, political theory, and the Workshop on the Ostrom Workshop (WOW) conference. The project was created to assist in the dissertation research of Sara Catherine Clark, who was a doctoral candidate within the School of Education, pursing a Ph.D. in History, Philosophy, and Policy in Education, at Indiana University Bloomington. Sara Catherine Clark's dissertation was completed in 2019 and is cited as follows: Clark, S. C. (2019). Elinor ostrom: A biography of interdisciplinary life.
Catherine Tucker has a joint appointment with the Department of Anthropology and the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida. Tucker begins her interview by recounting how she met Elinor Ostrom and her experiences with her at the Center for the Study of Institutions, Population, and Environmental Change (CIPEC). She goes on to discuss Ostrom as a mentor and her own teaching. Tucker then talks about her work at the Ostrom Workshop which includes her teaching with the International Forestry Research and Institutions Research Program (IFRI). The interview concludes with Tucker reflecting on Elinor Ostrom and Vincent Ostrom and how they, especially Elinor Ostrom, would want to be remembered.