Genesis / History
The Ackerman Foundation, Inc., came into being in late 2021 as local businessman David M. Ackerman made plans to retire from the accounting firm he joined and later led for more than 50 years. Urged on by an unfavorable cancer prognosis, he wanted to create a means to carry on the private, quiet philanthropic work that had grown alongside his continuing business success over the intervening years.
Never one to seek the spotlight or make grandiose pronouncements, David stated simply that the mission of the new Foundation would be to support the people and organizations working to improve the lives of people and animals in their communities.
Under the leadership of his daughter, Claire, and his widow, Terry (respectively President and Vice-President of the Foundation), that impetus is now powering a family-based philanthropy aimed at fulfilling this mission in a way that respects the character and characteristics of a man who was a beloved friend, confidante, colleague, advocate, and mentor to countless people over the years.
The values that shaped David’s career and life were rooted in his own life and experiences. He lived on a farm as a youngster and always respected the dignity of farm work and of the animals that were part of it. He loved watching sports, and understood the way competition sharpened skills. David also loved matching wits with others, and laughter and innovative ideas were frequent by-products. He was an enthusiastic technophile, always curious about new technology and ready to test its ability to deliver better things. David was courageous and optimistic despite a string of medical issues, and always quick to recognize that others had it worse, saying he was still the “luckiest guy.”
But maybe the most notable thing about David’s character was his rock-solid egalitarianism. Every day, he dealt with people who had money, power, prestige, and privilege, but it never deflected him from connecting with the server at lunch, the groundskeeper at the golf course, the receptionist or secretary, the technician or driver, or the countless others he encountered, whatever their social standing.
No surprise that as an accountant, David loved nothing more than standing up for people before the IRS, always ready to champion the underdog. But here’s the surprise: he also had many friends among the tax examiners he tussled with. Humanity and character were his measures, not wealth, importance, or attention to protocol.
By the same token, most of his philanthropy was under the radar, not at all calibrated to public recognition or acknowledgement.
Of course, that reticence changes in important ways for a public non-profit committed to transparency and to achieving measurable results. As other areas of this website demonstrate, The Ackerman Foundation is committed to dispensing financial awards in an open process that acknowledges which organizations and individuals receive awards, what the awards are for, why the organizations qualify for support, and the evaluation standards they are expected to meet.
Nonetheless, we are negotiating the transition from personal philanthropy to organizational grantmaking in a way that continues to honor the values exemplified by David.
We honor “the sparks of change” brought about when volunteers come together to address community problems or initiate positive change.
We honor the importance of grassroots activity, and so look to support promising initiatives ahead of other funders, even if our grants are small.
We honor the importance of example, and welcome projects whose successes can become models for others to follow.
We also require all successful grantees within a year to complete an evaluation of their projects, identifying specific accomplishments achieved and strategies for how they can be maintained.
Through the work of The Ackerman Foundation, David’s passion for helping others continues in lasting and meaningful ways to support the community that he loved.
