Pew Charitable Trust Organisation

The Pew Charitable Trust: An Independent Non-Profit Organisation

There are trusts that serve public interest and get involved in charitable endeavours by providing information, advancing policy solutions, and supporting civic life. The trusts are based in Philadelphia with an office in Washington D.C. During the year 2007, the trust will be investing no less than $248 million. The fund will be utilised in providing the organisations and citizens' facts and research works based practical solutions to most of the challenging issues in the society. The Pew Charitable Trust serves exactly this purpose. Pew Charitable Trust is an independent nonprofit organisation and is the sole beneficiary of seven individual charitable funds established during 1948-79 by the children of the Sun Oil Company founder, Joseph N.Pew and his wife Mary Anderson Pew. J.N.Pew, J. Howard Pew, Mary Ethel Pew, and Mabel Pew Myrin were the four founders of the Pew Charitable Trust. Over the years the foundation trust has grown into nationally focused organisation despite their primary strong commitment for Philadelphia area organisations. The charitable trusts have a few specific areas of operation.

These are:

Informing the public on key issues and trends. The information provided is independent, unbiased and non-partisan. Pew Charitable Trust is considered to be one of the most reliable sources for such information provided to the public.

The trusts also advance policy solutions relating to important issues, which are faced by the people of the United States. Often such solutions are based on systematic research and survey, and help immensely in resolving burning issues in the country.

One of the most important objectives of the trust is to support the arts and culture, heritage, health and well being of the civic life with particular emphasis on Philadelphia. Though the trust is based in Philadelphia, it has an office in Washington D.C. The investment is on the growth constantly. The investment was $177 million in 2005 and has jumped on to $248 in the year 2007. Information to public is organised through the subsidiary unit of Pew Research Center. The Center has the task of informing the public, media, and policy formulators, about the important issues and trends in the country. The best part of it is that, the information is completely neutral and without bias. The Research Center or the Trust never advocates anything. The following projects are included in the Pew Research Center -

1. The Pew Internet & American Life Project that was created in 1999, studies the social and civic aspects and impact of the Internet. The study centers on the popular opinion and use of the Internet as well.

2. The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. This is another initiative of the Pew Charitable Trust that came up in 1995, which was previously known as the Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press. They assess the attitudes and values of the US citizens, and evaluate the trend in the political behaviour. The Center comes up with well documented written reports accessible by all.

3. The Project for Excellence in Journalism came up in 2006, and joined the Pew Research Center. It is a move by the US journalists to raise the standard of journalism in the country.

4. The Pew Global Attitudes Project compiles a series of worldwide public opinion surveys. As on date surveys have been taken up in 94 countries covering 113,000 people. The objective is to find out how the world sees America and vice versa.

5. Other subsidiary centers include the Pew Hispanic Center, a non-partisan research organisation, the Pew Forum on Religion, Public Life, providing an understanding in religious issues, and the Stateline.org featuring original reporting by staff journalists on political trends.

The Pew Charitable Trust has specific social commitments. The three main aspects on which it deals are, the advancing policy solutions, informing the public and supporting civil life. Since its formation, the Pew Charitable Trust has been providing accurate research based information and solution to the people of America and is looked upon as one of the best sources for supporting the civil life in United States.