The Philanthropic Collaborative
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Alan J. Cohen
William J. Coughlin
Michael McHugh
Sandra Swirski

Alan J. Cohen | acohen@philanthropycollaborative.org
Alan J. Cohen is the Executive Director of The Philanthropic Collaborative. He is the former Mayor of Ithaca, NY (1996-2003), where he served as the administrative manager of the city and worked on a broad-based agenda that included empowerment of the non-profit community and improving its relationship with government and the for-profit sector. He has extensive experience in the non-profit sector, serving on boards for organizations focused on hunger and poverty relief, affordable housing, education, the arts and business development. Alan has also owned several successful businesses. He graduated from Cornell University with a BS in Business Management, and is currently an Executive MBA degree candidate at the HEC School of Management.

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William J. Coughlin | wcoughlin@philanthropycollaborative.org
William J. Coughlin is a Federal Affairs Associate for the Philanthropic Collaborative. William comes to the Philanthropic Collaborative from the office of Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO-5), where he provided administrative assistance and supported the Congressman's work on the House Financial Services Committee. Before his Congressional experience, William worked with the Public Policy department at Media Matters for America, and interned in the Massachusetts State Legislature with Representative Martha Walz (D-Suffolk). William also has experience in the non-profit sector, having participated in development programs through the CORO Foundation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri, his hometown. William received a B.A. in Political Science from Davidson College, where he served as president of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

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Michael McHugh | mmchugh@philanthropycollaborative.org
Michael McHugh is the Director of Federal Affairs for The Philanthropic Collaborative. Michael comes to The Philanthropic Collaborative from the Office of Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), where he served as a Legislative Assistant working on a range of issues including many on the powerful Senate Finance and Energy Committees. Before his public service, Michael consulted on strategic sourcing and corporate social responsibility. He is pursuing a Masters in National Security from the U.S. Naval War College, and holds a degree in Political Science: International Relations from UCLA.

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Sandra Swirski | sswirski@philanthropycollaborative.org
Ms. Swirski is Senior Advisor to The Philanthropic Collaborative and has extensive experience in non-profit policy circles. In addition to advising several non-profits, Ms. Swirski is a frequent speaker at philanthropic and non-profit conferences. A tax lawyer, Ms. Swirski was a senior Congressional aide for two of the most prominent Republicans to serve on the Senate Finance Committee -- Senator Jack Danforth (R-MO) and Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY). Prior to working on Capitol Hill, Ms. Swirski was an associate with Ernst & Young. She holds a JD from the George Washington University and an LLM in taxation from Georgetown University.

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Spotlight

Just Released: Responding in Crisis

The most recent study by TPC focuses on the foundation community’s response to the economic crisis. The study, authored by noted economist Dr. Doug Hotlz-Eakin, found that foundations were swift, flexible and targeted in their response to the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression – using on-the-ground knowhow to make a significant impact. This study is the first of its kind to analyze the private-sector response to the crisis and shows that the federal government’s response was not the only story.


Click here to read the report.
Click here to read the press release.
Click here to read quotes from mayors.

Economic Benefits of Health Field Grants

Building on the success of our first study, TPC commissioned economist Dr. Phillip Swagel, a former Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Department of Treasury, to answer the question “who benefits” from foundation giving. Dr. Swagel analyzed a representative sample of health-related grants to determine who benefited from this grant making. The study finds that 2 of 3 grant dollars in health go toward benefiting underserved populations. This study expands our knowledge of how grants in the health field impact all communities, including low-income and minority populations.

Economic Benefits of Health Field Grants

You can see the study here.
Read our press release.
View the press conference video.

Foundation Dollars: An Economic Multiplier

On December 3, 2008, the Philanthropic Collaborative released a ground-breaking study by Dr. Robert Shapiro measuring the direct and indirect benefits foundation giving has on the America economy. Read more here...



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