SPECIAL EDITION
News from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving S U M M E R
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Donors Make All the Difference In the 2014 Annual Report celebrating the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving’s 90th anniversary, we shared a sampling of donor stories intended to shine a light on the good work the Foundation has supported over the last 90 years—especially the many donors who have made it all possible. Now, we are pleased to dedicate this edition of Conversations to all of our donors who created charitable funds last year. We feature the full list of new funds and planned gifts that were established in 2014 by people like you who want to build community by embracing philanthropy. You will read about these generous individuals who are making a difference in our region by promoting arts and culture, safeguarding health and human services, empowering youth, supporting education, helping seniors and building our community’s endowment. We thank all of our donors for selecting the Hartford Foundation to be the steward of their charitable wishes. I hope you will enjoy reading their stories and the inspiration behind their generosity.
PHOTO: JAKE KOTEEN
Message from Linda J. Kelly, President
New Funds and Planned Gifts Anonymous Charitable Gift Annuities
F E A T U R E
An anonymous couple established five individual charitable gift annuities, which will provide a fixed source of income during their lives. Thereafter, 85 percent will be added to a fund to provide support for the visually impaired, and 15 percent will be added to the Hartford Foundation’s unrestricted endowment for general support of the community.
Anonymous Charitable Gift Annuity
An anonymous donor now residing in Florida established a gift annuity that will provide a guaranteed income and create a legacy for the community. At the end of the annuity, 85 percent will be used to establish a fund to benefit the Bolton Land Trust and 15 percent will be added to the Hartford Foundation’s unrestricted endowment.
Bartlett Family Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund
The motto of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters is “changing the world one child at a time.” To this end, the Bartlett Family Scholarship Fund has been established at the Hartford Foundation to help graduating seniors who are current or former participants in a Big Brothers Big Sisters program and in need of financial aid to pursue post-secondary educational opportunities.
Jackson-Batchelder Family Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund
Sara Batchelder began her relationship with the Hartford Foundation when she established a donor2
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Sara Batchelder
advised fund in 2012. Her interest in education led to establishing a second fund in 2014, the JacksonBatchelder Family Scholarship Fund. Awards will assist high school seniors from Hartford, in need of financial aid, to achieve their dream of going to a four-year college. Sara’s work with residents of Hartford made her aware of the obstacles many face in obtaining higher education and fueled her desire to help them.
Mathew Caruso Memorial Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund
Mathew Caruso was only 19 years old when he was killed in Korea on Dec. 6, 1950, as he bravely pushed a chaplain down in an ambulance to shield him from machine gun fire. Mathew had attended Bulkeley High School in Hartford, and was determined to graduate and continue his education when he returned from Korea. Since he never got that chance, his brother, retired Superior Court Judge and fellow Marine John Caruso, established this scholarship to honor Mathew’s
distinguished memory. The fund will support students from the Greater Hartford region who have academic ability, financial need and a commitment to their communities. Mathew was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, a Purple Heart, the United Nations Service Medal, and, in 2014, his Bulkeley High School diploma.
Blair Childs Charitable Gift Annuity
Mr. Blair Childs established a charitable gift annuity that provides a source of guaranteed income and creates a legacy for the community. At the end of the annuity, 85 percent will be added to the Carol Childs Memorial Fund, an unrestricted fund that provides broad support to the Greater Hartford community with a preference for educational needs in the Hartford school system and charitable projects in the town of Suffield. The remaining 15 percent will be used to establish the Carol Alcorn Fund, which will provide broad support to the Greater Hartford community.
John David Creedon Fund Field of Interest Fund
John David Creedon was born in Hartford. A graduate of Yale University and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, he had a long and successful career, retiring from his position as president of Simplex Security Systems, Inc. John enjoyed golf and boating, and being of service to his community. A member of the Church of Saint Timothy in West Hartford, he also was a trustee of Kingswood Oxford School and Easter Seals. John and his wife Mary raised a son and daughter, and enjoyed their four grandchildren. With thoughtful foresight, John and Mary established a testamentary trust that created this fund to support homeless shelters and programs that provide for the hungry.
Mary Gay Creedon Fund
“The Hartford
Unrestricted Fund
West Hartford resident Mary Gay Creedon passed away in March of 2013. Her husband John had predeceased her. Many years earlier, the Creedons generously chose to include the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving in their estate plans, resulting in the creation of two charitable funds in 2014. Mary Gay will be remembered in perpetuity through this unrestricted fund, which will support changing needs in the Greater Hartford community.
Foundation guided me through the process of establishing a fund and thinking through the most effective way to structure it.� ~ 2013 donor Michael Decicco
Mathew Caruso (left) with Chaplain Cornelius J. Griffin Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
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Beverly Beach Eaton and Edward C. Eaton, III Fund Unrestricted Fund
F E A T U R E
The late Bev and Ed Eaton of West Hartford were married for 60 years and raised two daughters. Bev volunteered with the Junior League, the Church Home of Hartford Auxiliary, and the Town and County Club. She was active at Saint John's Episcopal Church, where she was a member of the Women of Saint John's and served on the Altar Guild. She loved playing the piano and the organ and shared her skills, playing for church services at Seabury Retirement Community. Ed worked in the insurance industry, and enjoyed playing golf and fundraising for his alma mater, Williams College. He was also active with the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce. Bev and Ed made a lasting gift to support the Hartford community by establishing a charitable remainder trust that terminated at Bev’s death in 2014. The proceeds were used to establish an unrestricted fund at the Hartford Foundation.
Fechtor Family Foundation Fund Donor-Advised Fund
Robert Fechtor of West Hartford is a successful businessman who has always believed in giving back to his home community. In 1989, he and his wife Louise established the Fechtor Family Foundation, through which they Robert Fechtor supported a range of local and national causes and programs. In 2014, Mr. Fechtor decided to close the private foundation and transfer it to the Hartford Foundation, where it now operates as a donor-advised fund. He and his three sons, Stephen, David and 4
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Richard, continue to recommend grants from the fund, while the Hartford Foundation handles the investments, reporting requirements, payments, etc. The generosity of the Fechtor family will continue in perpetuity through this fund.
Stanley D. and Hinda N. Fisher Fund Donor-Advised Fund
Stanley D. Fisher Scholarship Fund Stanley D. and Hinda N. Fisher Scholarship Fund Scholarship Funds
The Hartford Foundation was the grateful recipient of the proceeds of the Fisher Foundation in 2014. Established in 1957, the Fisher Foundation had a dynamic program of grantmaking to many nonprofits in the Greater Hartford area over many years, including support of summer programs. The Fisher Foundation was a broad-based funder, granting in the arts, health, education, and family and social services. In addition, it awarded scholarships to deserving seniors throughout the Hartford area, including seniors at Hall High School, Stanley Fisher’s alma mater. At the request of Hinda Fisher, the Fisher Foundation was terminated in December 2014 and the assets transferred to the Hartford Foundation to create three new funds: • The Stanley D. and Hinda N. Fisher Fund, a donor-advised fund, • The Stanley D. Fisher Scholarship Fund to support college costs for a graduating senior from Hall High School, West Hartford, and • The Stanley D. and Hinda N. Fisher Scholarship Fund as part of the Hartford Foundation’s scholarship pool. Stanley Fisher was a visionary developer of industrial parks in the 1950s and 1960s, creating an environment in which people were proud of their work and the places where they worked. He was active in his community, supporting Jewish causes and many
other worthy projects. Hinda Fisher carried on her husband’s philanthropy through the Fisher Foundation and will continue with her daughter Lois, and Beverly Boyle as co-advisors to recommend grants to community causes through the Stanley D. and Hinda N. Fisher Fund.
Janice and Kerry Foster, Sr. Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund
While sitting in the audience of the 2014 Scholarship Recipient Reception, Janice turned to her husband Kerry and asked him to establish a scholarship in her name when she passes away. Kerry lovingly replied that they should establish one now; there was no need to wait and possibly never meet their scholars in person. The Fosters had established a scholarship fund some years earlier to honor their young son KJ, who passed away in 2006. Now, the Janice and Kerry Foster, Sr. Scholarship Fund will help deserving scholars from the region, with a preference for students graduating from high schools in the city of Hartford. The Foster family has left a lasting legacy that will help deserving students for many, many years to come.
Fannie Estelle Hairston Fund Field of Interest Fund
Ms. Thomasina Clemons, a resident of Vernon, Connecticut, established the Fannie Estelle Hairston Fund in honor of her mother. The fund will support programs and projects in the Greater Hartford region that support the advancement of women and the prevention of domestic violence —
(Left to right) Kerry Foster, Jordan Blackwell, Janice Foster and Altressa Cox-Blackwell
issues that are important to Ms. Clemons. Ms. Clemons’ generosity will continue to support these critical matters today and for future generations.
Mary A. Huber Fund
“Creating a fund
Unrestricted Fund
Mary Huber was a lifelong resident of Connecticut, who was born in Waterbury and lived in Farmington. Mrs. Huber was employed by the town of Farmington in the Office of the Superintendent of Schools for many years before her retirement. A gift from Mrs. Huber’s estate was used to establish the Mary A. Huber Fund, an unrestricted fund at the Hartford Foundation that will support changing needs in the region for years to come.
at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is a meaningful way to remember a loved one.” ~ Attorney Mark Korber
Anthony S. and Evelyn L. Hulme Charitable Fund Donor-Advised Fund
Fannie Estelle Hairston
In 1990, Joan Mathews established a charitable trust that created a donor-advised fund at the Hartford Foundation after her passing. Her son and daughterin-law, Anthony (Tony) and Evelyn Hulme of West Simsbury, serve as fund advisors. Joan was a sports Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
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enthusiast—notably golf, tennis and fishing. Dogs were an important part of her life and she provided a loving home to many pets. The Hulmes hope to carry on Joan’s interests in the community through support of organizations in the Greater Hartford area.
F E A T U R E
“Receiving this scholarship [will]
Walter “Doc” Hurley Scholarship Fund for Greater Hartford
enable me to
Scholarship Fund
further my
Walter “Doc” Hurley was raised in Hartford and graduated from Weaver High School, where he was a standout four-sport athlete. He became a legendary educator and coach, retiring in 1984 from his position as assistant principal of Weaver High School. For decades, he raised funds to give needy students help paying for college, and gave them encouragement and emotional support. Upon his death, several community leaders and Hartford residents established this fund in his honor to continue his kindness in perpetuity. Scholars who receive this award participate in a wide variety of scholastic and extracurricular activities. The fund is administered as part of the Foundation’s General Scholarship Endowment Program.
education and position me to give back to my community and the community at large.” ~ Greer Davis, 2015 Walter “Doc” Hurley Scholarship recipient
The Walter S. Kapala Scholarship Trust Scholarship Fund
Mr. Walter Kapala was a West Hartford resident for more than 50 years and employed as manager of the shoe department at the former G. Fox & Co. in Hartford. For many years after his death, the trustees of Mr. Kapala’s estate offered a scholarship, which they publicized in the Hartford Foundation’s annual Scholarship Directory. The scholarship was transferred to the Hartford Foundation in 2014. Scholars who receive this award should have high academic standing, have graduated from a public high school located in the towns of Hartford or West Hartford, and require financial assistance to further their education at a college, university or graduate school.
Tom and Margah Lips Fund Donor-Advised Fund
Tom and Margah Lips are officially residents of South Glastonbury, but they also enjoy time in Mexico and Rhode Island. Tom is a managing director of investments with Lips Rousseau Partners, a division of the Swiss bank UBS. He is a graduate of Dartmouth
Peter Jung Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund
Peter Jung is a 20-year-old sophomore at Trinity College, where he is studying biology and computer science. He is an avid cyclist and a native of Bellevue, Washington. Mr. Jung has embraced Hartford as his home for the next few years and he wanted to establish a connection to the local community. Because he is grateful for many of the educational experiences he has had, he wanted to do his part to help other young men and women pursue their educational opportunities. By establishing a scholarship fund at the Hartford Foundation, Mr. Jung will help local students realize their goals. Margah and Tom Lips
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College and Harvard Law School. Margah is a graduate of Boston University and an active member of the Garden Club of Hartford. Tom and Margah are both accomplished artists. They have been active volunteers with Hartford Stage, Kingswood Oxford School, the World Affairs Council, and the Mark Twain Memorial, among other organizations. They have been involved with the Hartford Foundation for many years, both professionally and personally, as charter members of the Catalyst Endowment Fund, and as members of the 1925 Society. Margah and Tom give charitably to causes in Mexico as well. In 2014, they decided to take their support of the Hartford region a step further by establishing a donor-advised fund. They hope to learn more about the community’s pressing needs and compelling programs.
Frederick L. Mitchell Fund Unrestricted Fund
Frederick Lee Mitchell was passionate about music and, in particular, pipe organ music. From his first exposure to the pipe organ as a little boy, Mr. Mitchell was able to turn his interest into both a personal and professional calling. He studied organ playing, building and design, toured around the world playing the pipe organ in various cathedrals, and then dedicated his career to designing them. He spent 49 years working for Austin Organs of Hartford. Mr. Mitchell’s other passions included sailing, world travel, photography, carpentry, hiking, reading and attending live music events. Upon his death, the Frederick L. Mitchell Fund was established as an unrestricted fund at the Hartford Foundation that will carry out his legacy.
Reba and Arthur Nassau Fund Unrestricted Fund
Reba and Arthur Nassau, residents of Avon, established an unrestricted fund in 2014. Arthur is a retired attorney. He graduated from Yale University and Yale Law School, and served on the board of the Yale Club
of Hartford. He also has served on the Legal and Tax Panel of the Jewish Community Foundation. Reba is an active community volunteer. This fund will support public charitable purposes in perpetuity, continuing support for a wide range of needs in the Greater Hartford area.
Joyce S. Picard Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund
Mr. Henri “Hank” Picard established a scholarship fund to honor the memory of his beloved wife, Joyce S. Picard, after her courageous battle with cancer. A loving wife and mother, Joyce was an active community volunteer and resident of South Windsor, where she and Hank raised three children. The scholarship was established for graduating seniors from South Windsor High School or East Catholic High School (in Manchester) who plan to pursue a career in science, medicine, or other health-related field. Mr. Picard hopes the scholarship will assist a deserving student whose career will be devoted to fighting and curing the terrible diseases in our world.
Joyce S. Picard
June Miller Rosenblatt Community College Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund
June Miller Rosenblatt Scholarship Fund Scholarship Fund
June Miller Rosenblatt believes in the power of a good education and in ensuring that high school students have financial access to attend college. Mrs. Rosenblatt, a resident of West Hartford, made a commitment to ensure that those beliefs would turn into reality for deserving students in our region. Last year, Mrs. Rosenblatt created the June Miller Rosenblatt Community College Scholarship Fund and the June Miller Rosenblatt Scholarship Fund. Many deserving students will be able to follow their dreams, thanks to her thoughtful generosity.
June Miller Rosenblatt
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
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F E A T U R E
in September 2014 at the age of 109. She and her late husband Alfred are survived by their daughter Nancy, as well as seven grandchildren, nine greatgrandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. Many years ago, her employer established a pooled income fund to provide her with quarterly distributions during her life and create a lasting legacy in her name after her passing. As a result of this generous gesture, the Henrietta T. Shaw Fund was established to support changing needs in the Greater Hartford community for years into the future.
South Asian Bar Association Endowed Fund Scholarship Fund Henrietta Shaw (seated center) with members of her family
Henrietta T. Shaw Fund Unrestricted Fund
Henrietta T. Shaw, known as “Tommy,” was born in Lakeville, Connecticut and spent most of her life in West Hartford. She worked for many years for the Penrose Insurance Company. Mrs. Shaw passed away
Members of the South Asian Bar Association (left to right): Sudha Setty, Asker Saeed, Asha Rangappa, Namita Shah, Andy Corea and Cecil J. Thomas
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The South Asian Bar Association of Connecticut serves as a resource to South Asian lawyers and law students for mentoring, networking and community outreach. The nine-member board of directors and association members established this fund in honor of the organization’s tenth anniversary. This scholarship supports summer public interest fellowships and currently enrolled law school students (in their
second, third or fourth year) who are in good standing at their law school, and are of South Asian descent or committed to serving the South Asian community.
South Windsor Historical Society Endowment Fund Designated Fund
Inspired by a generous offer from longtime supporter Mary Beach Shepard, the board of the South Windsor Historical Society decided to begin building an endowment fund at the Hartford Foundation, ensuring long-term stability for the Historical Society. Mrs. Shepard made the establishing gift in December 2014, and other community members have added to the endowment. The Society works to preserve the history of South Windsor, which was settled in 1634. It provides historical educational programs including the popular Heritage Day, maintains and manages the Pleasant Valley District 5 Schoolhouse Museum, and is restoring the Union District School building.
Richard E. and Jane B. Thompson
Westley V. Thompson and Rosemarie E. Thompson Fund Donor-Advised Fund
The Westley V. Thompson and Rosemarie E. Thompson Fund is a donor-advised fund that will build up over a number of years from contributions from a Charitable Lead Annuity Trust established by the Thompsons in 2014. Wes served as President of Sun Life Financial U.S., where he was responsible for all aspects of the company’s U.S. insurance businesses. Wes retired from Sun Life in April 2014 to pursue a variety of entrepreneurial and personal interests. Wes has over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry, having held executive leadership roles at Lincoln Financial Group, CIGNA and Aetna. He is an active board member of Hartford Hospital, the Bottom Line, Rosemarie and Westley Thompson and Phoenix Wealth Management. Rosemarie is principal of Roselake Property and Design, a real estate development and interior design firm located in West Hartford. The Thompsons are Unrestricted funds recommending grants in the areas of education, address a broad youth development and the arts.
Charitable Gift Annuity
Richard “Dick” and Jane Thompson established a charitable gift annuity which provides a source of guaranteed income and creates a legacy for the community. At the end of the annuity, 85 percent will be used to establish the Richard E. and Jane B. Thompson Fund, a designated fund to provide support to the Manchester Area Conference of Churches, and 15 percent will be added to the Hartford Foundation’s unrestricted endowment.
range of local Clinton B. Yeomans Fund needs—including
Unrestricted Fund
As a resident of Dublin, New Hampshire and West Hartford, Connecticut, Mr. Yeomans was actively involved in volunteer activities in both communities. Mr. Yeomans was a World War II veteran and had a distinguished career as a trust officer. Upon his death, the Clinton B. Yeomans Fund was established as an unrestricted fund at the Hartford Foundation to support a range of needs in the Greater Hartford community in perpetuity.
future needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time one’s gift is made.
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
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The 1925 Society Making a lasting difference in Greater Hartford F E A T U R E
The 1925 Society recognizes members of our community who have made plans to leave a legacy that benefits our community for years to come. When you make a provision for a gift to the Hartford Foundation as part of your will, trust or estate plan, you join a special group of individuals who, like yourself, care about providing for the future and strengthening our community. 1925 Society members are recognized in our Annual Report and on our website (unless anonymity is preferred), and invited to our biannual reception and other special events.
A timeless gift. The pioneers who established the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving in 1925 were deeply committed to Greater Hartford as a vibrant place to live, work and raise their families. For 90 years, the Hartford Foundation has worked to preserve their legacies and the hopes and dreams of our many donors who have given generously over the years.
Ways to give. Working with you and your professional advisor, the Hartford Foundation can help craft a legacy gift that suits your individual financial situation and fulfills your deepest intentions for charitable giving. Legacy options include bequests, charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities, gifts of retirement assets, and gifts of life insurance.
What will your legacy be? Your legacy can support specific causes and organizations, or provide for the community at large. It can include what you wish to accomplish for yourself, your family and your charitable interests within the context of your overall estate plan.
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We all want to be remembered for something special—how we made a difference in the lives of others or how we made the future a little brighter for those who come after us. The gift planning professionals at the Hartford Foundation will be happy to review your legacy options and work with you to create a plan that meets your personal and financial needs. For more information, visit hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.
Types of Funds The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving offers a wide range of options for those who want to create or contribute to a fund. Donors can choose the type of fund that best suits their particular circumstances, goals for giving and desire for involvement.
Individual Funds Unrestricted Funds address a broad range of local needs. Donors authorize the Foundation to use the fund’s income for grants that respond to the community's changing needs. A $10,000 minimum contribution is required to establish an unrestricted fund. Preference Funds are created by donors who request that the Foundation consider certain organizations, causes, communities and/or populations when making grants from the fund, taking into account changing times and conditions. A $10,000 minimum contribution is needed to establish a preference fund. Field of Interest Funds are designed by the donor to accomplish a broad charitable goal or purpose such as improving health care, elementary education, or the region’s cultural life. Donors direct the Foundation to target funds to this topic or cause, focusing dollars on the most promising organizations working in the field at any given time. A $10,000 minimum contribution is required to establish a field of interest fund. Donor-Advised Funds are created by donors who wish to remain actively involved with grantmaking. Donors may recommend specific grants; they may also consult with the Foundation’s program staff for guidance on effective grants in their area(s) of interest. A donoradvised fund may be established at $25,000. Designated Funds are created by donors who wish to specify one or more organizations to receive all or a percentage of the income from the fund annually. The Foundation carries out the donor’s directions, ensuring that the named agency continues to use the income to achieve current charitable purposes. A $10,000 minimum contribution is needed to establish a designated fund. Individual Scholarship Funds are created and supported by donors to help area students afford a college education. Donors can create a
named fund with specific selection criteria and may participate in the selection process. A $50,000 minimum contribution is needed to establish an individual scholarship fund. The General Scholarship Endowment Fund combines contributions, of any amount, and invests them in order to generate income that funds the Hartford Foundation’s four-year scholarship program for high school students in the region. Cumulative donations of $10,000 or more may be built up to establish a named award. The Community College Scholarship Fund combines contributions of any amount and invests them in order to generate income that funds the Hartford Foundation’s community college scholarship program for high school students in the region. Cumulative donations of $10,000 or more may be built up to establish a named award.
Collective Funds A Black Philanthropy Giving Circle Fund was established at the Hartford Foundation on June 1, 2015 to create sustainable change in the Black community by leveraging philanthropic efforts of donors and celebrating Black philanthropy. More details to come. The Catalyst Endowment Fund is an endowed fund created by donors who pool their contributions of $500 or more per year, explore an issue critical to the region, and join together to recommend grants from the fund to nonprofit organizations tackling that issue. The Latino Endowment Fund was created by individuals who are committed to investing in a better life for the region’s Latino residents. Annual gifts of $250 or more are pooled in an endowed fund; members collectively learn about issues and challenges facing Latinos in Greater Hartford, and recommend grants to organizations working for the benefit of the Latino community. Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
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is published by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving—the community foundation for Greater Hartford. Putting philanthropy into action, the Foundation provides grants and other support to a broad range of nonprofit organizations, helps donors make effective charitable giving decisions, and brings people together to create lasting solutions that result in vibrant communities. Yvette Meléndez Board Chair Linda J. Kelly President Managing Editor Nancy Benben Vice President for Communications and Marketing nbenben@hfpg.org
Editor Michelle C. Mays Communications and Marketing Manager mmays@hfpg.org