SOURCE OF WEALTH: UBS Global Asset Management
FUNDING AREAS: Global development, health, NYC community
OVERVIEW: Margo Alexander and her family conduct their philanthropy through the Alexander Family Foundation. The foundation’s grantmaking is modest. According to available tax filings, it awarded just two grants in 2017, worth a total of $2,500.
Margo Alexander is also heavily involved with Acumen Fund and New York Stem Cell Foundation and directs a big chunk of her giving to these two organizations. Other philanthropy has been assorted and particularly focuses on organizations in the New York City area.
BACKGROUND: Margo Alexander graduated from UC Berkeley and the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. She spent thirty years at UBS/PaineWebber, beginning as a research analyst and later directing major businesses in equity research, sales and trading. She is the retired chair and CEO of UBS Global Asset Management (previously, Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management).
ISSUES:
GLOBAL: Margo Alexander is the former board chair of Acumen Fund, an international organization that invests in businesses serving the poor. She served for nine of Acumen’s first ten years and continues to work with the organization as chair of the Social Impact Investing Committee. Over the years, the Alexander Foundation has awarded Acumen over $1.4 million in grants to date.
The Alexander family has also supported One To World, which works towards “intercultural understanding by creating face-to-face experiences among local communities, international students and Fulbright scholars.” Alexander is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
HEALTH: Alexander is on the board of New York Stem Cell Foundation, which has been awarded nearly $700,000 over four grants. It is worth noting that Margo’s late husband Robert passed away from pancreatic cancer.
NYC COMMUNITY: Alexander modestly supports other organizations in New York City. Grantees have included Brooklyn Friends School, WNYC New York Public Radio, The Nature Conservancy on Long Island, East Hampton Library, and The Hetrick-Martin Institute, a “New York City-based non-profit organization devoted to serving the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth.”
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the family to continue support for its established global and health interests for now. Down the line, Alexander’s kids James and Nichol should be watched carefully as their giving interests develop. It is worth noting that Nichol is a software engineer based in Brooklyn and also has an arts background.
CONTACT:
The Alexander Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:
The Alexander Family Foundation
c/o Margo Alexander
15 East 26th Street, Apt 10A
New York, Ny 10010
