William J. Clinton Foundation

The William J. Clinton Foundation (Clinton Incorporated) Is a foundation established by former President of the United States Bill Clinton with the stated mission to "strengthen the capacity of people throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence." The Foundation focuses on four critical areas: health security; economic empowerment; leadership development and citizen service; and racial,ethnic and religious reconciliation. The Foundation works principally through partnerships with like-minded individuals, organizations, corporations, and governments, often serving as an incubator for new policies and programs. They have offices located in Harlem; New York City; Boston, Massachusetts; and Little Rock, Arkansas.

Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI)

The Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) strives to make treatment for HIV/AIDS more affordable and to implement large-scale integrated care, treatment, and prevention programs. Since its inception, CHAI has helped bring AIDS care and treatment to over 750,000 people living with HIV/AIDS around the world. Its activities have included AIDS care and treatment in Africa, including the brokering of drug distribution agreements. During President Clinton's 2006 trip to Africa, CHAI signed agreements with several new countries. Over the course of the past year, CHAI increased the number of partner countries and members of the Procurement Consortium, which can purchase AIDS medicines and diagnostic equipment at CHAI's reduced prices, to 66. [cite web | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F07E5DC1531F937A15753C1A9659C8B63| title=Clinton Group Gets Discount For AIDS Drugs- NY Times
accessdate=2007-10-02] CHAI launched the Pediatric and Rural Initiatives in 2005 to focus on bringing AIDS care and treatment to those most often marginalized— children and those living in rural areas. CHAI also negotiated agreements that reduce the prices of second-line drugs and rapid diagnostic tests. In May, 2007, CHAI and UNITAID announced agreements that help middle-income and low-income countries save money on second-line drugs. The partnership also reduced the price of a once-daily first-line treatment to less than $1 per day. [cite web | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE3DC1031F93AA2575AC0A9609C8B63| title=Five Nations To Tax Airfare To Raise Funds For AIDS Drugs - NY Times
accessdate=2007-10-02]

In the Summer of 2008, CHAI announced the closing of cost-reduction agreements with several suppliers of malaria medication, which will be extended to CHAI partners as part of its care and treatment program.

Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)

The Clinton Global Initiative was inaugurated September 15-17, 2005 in New York City to coincide with the 2005 World Summit, under the leadership of former President Bill Clinton.

CGI is stated as being a non-partisan catalyst for action, bringing together global leaders including heads of state, non-profit organizations, charities, and business leaders to discuss challenges facing the world today and devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The initiative culminates in an annual conference, at which each invited guest must make a specific commitment to address one of the focus areas discussed. CGI staff then monitors the progress and success of these commitments throughout the year.

Clinton himself has stated that the 2005 conference saw US$2.3 billion in commitments to donations, and that by the conclusion of the 2006 event, over US$7.3 billion was committed, [From an interview with Bill Clinton broadcast on "Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace" on September 24, 2006.] including British entrepreneur Richard Branson's pledge to donate the profits of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains, two of his Virgin Group's companies, over the next ten years to research environmentally friendly fuels. The donation is estimated to be worth US$3 billion. [cite web | url=http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=770 | title=Come fly with me, come give it away | accessdate=2007-10-02] In the conference's first announcement, First Lady Laura Bush announced a public-private partnership with the Case Foundation and others to install 4,000 Roundabout PlayPumps to bring water to up to 10 million people in Africa.

The Annual Meeting is held annually in New York City and is attended by nearly 50 heads of state.

Goals

The Clinton Global Initiative began with a focused effort to identify a small number of the most serious issues affecting the world today. Advisory boards and working group chairs are assigned to oversee each focus area.

MyCommitment.org

Recognizing the power of private citizens to make a positive impact on the lives of others, President Clinton launched MyCommitment.org, an online portal that gives citizens around the world the opportunity to make their own Commitment to Action.

CGI University

In 2007, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) focused on expanding its successful model to engage new audiences in tackling global problems with practical, innovative solutions.

At its inaugural meeting, CGI University was held in March 2008 at Tulane University in New Orleans. More than 600 students and universities presidents from almost every state and 14 countries came together to inspire action on college campuses. Students and universities have made more than 800 Commitments to Action, in the areas of energy and climate change, global health, human rights and peace, and poverty alleviation.

CGI International

Responding to increasing interest among business and governments around the world, President Clinton launched CGI International to supplement the Annual Meeting in New York with additional meetings in various regions of the globe.

In December 2008, President Clinton will convene the first CGI International meeting in Hong Kong to address local, regional and global challenges. This CGI meeting in Asia will focus on three main areas: education, energy and climate change, and public health.

Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI)

Building on his long term commitment to preserving the environment, President Clinton launched the Clinton Foundation’s Climate Initiative (CCI) in August 2006, with the mission of applying the Foundation’s business-oriented approach to fight against climate change in practical, measurable, and significant ways.

Recognizing the opportunity to fight climate change in the world’s cities, CCI is working with 40 of the world’s largest cities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of large-scale programs, a purchasing alliance, and measurement tools to track progress and share best practices.

On August 1st, 2006, the Foundation entered into a partnership with the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, agreeing to provide resources to allow the participating cities to enter into an energy-saving product purchasing consortium and to provide technical and communications support. [cite web | url=http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=8786| title=Former President Clinton launches climate change initiative| accessdate=2007-10-02]

In May, 2007, CCI announced its first project which will help some large cities cut greenhouse gas emissions by facilitating retrofitting of existing buildings. Five large banks committed $1 billion each to help cities and building owners make energy-saving improvements aimed at lowering energy use and energy costs. [cite web | url=http://www.clintonfoundation.org/051607-nr-cf-pr-cci-president-clinton-announces-landmark-program-to-reduce-energy-use-in-buildings-worldwide.htm | title=President Clinton Announces Landmark Program to Reduce Energy Use in Buildings Worldwide
accessdate=2007-10-02]

At the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative, President Clinton announced the 1Sky campaign to accelerate bold federal policy on global warming. [ [http://www.rbf.org/resources/resources_show.htm?doc_id=540866 Rockefeller Brothers Fund: News & Resources: Multimedia: President Clinton Recognizes 1Sky Campaign on Global Warming ] ] The 1Sky campaign supports at least an 80% reduction in climate pollution levels by 2050.

Clinton Hunter Development Initiative (CHDI)

The Clinton Hunter Development Initiative was formed in 2006 as a partnership between Scottish philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter’s Hunter Foundation and former President Bill Clinton’s Clinton Foundation to target the root causes of poverty in Africa and promote sustainable economic growth. [cite web | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/10/international/europe/10hunter.html | title=A Scotsman Wields a Not-So-Invisible Hand in Africa - NY Times
accessdate=2007-10-02]

The initiative will invest $100 million over the next 10 years in projects that will improve food security, clean water and sanitation, and quality health care. Right now, these programs are focused in Rwanda and Malawi, but can potentially be expanded to other countries in the future.

Together with the governments of these two countries, CHDI has had such successes as helping farmers access fertilizer, disease-resistant seeds, irrigation systems, advanced planting techniques and micro-credit. This assistance as lead to a record harvest in eastern Rwanda. CHDI has also helped Partners In Health build new health care facilities in Neno, Malawi.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Following his quadruple bypass surgery in 2004, President Clinton became even more outspoken importance of a healthy lifestyle and to the prevalence of childhood obesity in America. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a partnership between the Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association that is working to end the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States by 2010. Co-led by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Alliance includes four: the Healthy Schools Program Go Healthy Challenge, a food and beverage industry program, and a healthcare initiative. [cite web | url=http://www.clintonfoundation.org/050306-nr-cf-hs-hk-usa-pr-healthy-school-beverage-guidelines-set-for-united-states-schools.htm| title=Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association – and Industry Leaders Set Healthy School Beverage Guidelines for U.S. Schools | accessdate=2007-10-02]

The Healthy Schools Program supports schools’ efforts to create healthier environments for students and staff. The Program provides hands-on and online support to schools, helping them to offer healthier food, more opportunities for exercise, and education on how to lead a healthier lifestyle. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which provided an initial $8 million to start the Healthy Schools Program, recently awarded a $20 million grant to expand the program to over 8,000 schools in states with the highest obesity rates. [cite web | url=http://www.rwjf.org/newsroom/activitydetail.jsp?productid=18234&typeid=109| title=Healthy Schools Program | accessdate=2007-10-02]

The Go Healthy Challenge, an online, on-air and community-based campaign, encourages kids to take the Go Healthy Pledge to lead healthier lifestyles. This campaign is fueled by a partnership with Nickelodeon, which airs the Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge and sponsors the Worldwide Day of Play. The Alliance for a Healthy Generation has also partnered with the NBA, Rachael Ray and Channel One to engage a variety of audiences in the fight against childhood obesity. [cite web | url=http://www.nick.com/myworld/letsjustplay/| title=Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge| accessdate=2007-10-02]

At the industry level, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation struck agreements with major food and beverage manufacturers to provide kids with nutritional options, and established nutrition guidelines for school vending machines, stores and cafeterias to promote healthy eating. Some of the companies involved in these efforts are Coca-Cola, Cadbury Schweppes, Campbell Soup Company, Dannon, Kraft Foods, Mars and PepsiCo. [cite web | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/07/education/07snack.html?_r=1&n=Top%2fNews%2fBusiness%2fCompanies%2fPepsiCo%20Inc%2e&oref=slogin| title=Producers Agree to Send Healthier Foods to Schools - NY Times| accessdate=2007-10-02] [cite web | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1191823,00.html| title=How Bill Put the Fizz in the Fight Against Fat - TIME Magazine| accessdate=2007-10-02]

The fourth initiative involves working with insurance companies and healthcare providers to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of childhood obesity.

Clinton Economic Opportunity Initiative

President Clinton established the Clinton Economic Opportunity Initiative to help individuals and families succeed and business grow. The Foundation’s domestic efforts began in 2002 with the Harlem Small Business Initiative, which provided local business with pro bono consulting services. In 2007, CEO broadened its focus in two ways: supporting efforts to help people access mainstream financial services, and encouraging business-to-business public service through entrepreneur mentoring.

Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative

Launched in 2007, CGSGI is working with local communities, the private sector, governments and other non-governmental organizations to develop new, practical models for businesses to spur sustainable social and economic development as an integral part of their operations in the developing world. CGSGI is focusing on market-driven development that creates jobs and increases incomes, and on enabling factors such as health and education.

CGSGI will focus on Latin America in its early phases, and anticipates expanding its work to additional countries to Latin America, Africa and beyond.

Disaster relief

The Foundation has funded extensive disaster relief programs following the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit, President George W. Bush asked former Presidents
George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton to raise funds to help rebuild the Gulf Coast region. The two Presidents, having worked together to assist victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami, established the [http://www.bushclintonkatrinafund.org Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund] to identify and meet the unmet needs in the region, foster economic opportunity, and to improve the quality of life of those affected. [cite web | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/national/nationalspecial/05clinton.html| title=Clinton Lends His Expertise and an Ear in Louisiana - NY Times | accessdate=2007-10-02] In the first month after the hurricane, the Fund collected over 42,000 online donations alone; approximately $128.4 million has been received to date from all 50 states and $30.9 million from foreign countries.

Criticism

The Clinton Foundation has been criticized for a lack of transparency. Although U.S. law does not currently require nonprofit charities --including presidential foundations-- to disclose the identities of their contributors, critics have said that the names of donors should be disclosed because Bill Clinton's wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, was running to be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. Commentator Matthew Yglesias wrote in an op-ed (Los Angeles Times, October 4, 2007) that the Clintons should make public the names of foundation donors to avoid any appearanceof impropriety. [cite web | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-yglesias4oct04,0,6253673.story?coll=la-opinion-center| title=Who's Giving Money to Bill Clinton? - LA Times | accessdate=2008-02-24] Bill Clinton's presidential library sold names of several donors to infoUSA, a directmarketing data firm founded by longtime Clinton donor Vin Gupta.

References

External links

* [http://www.clintonfoundation.org William J. Clinton Foundation official website]
* [http://www.clintonfoundation.org/pdf/annual-report-2005.pdf 2005 Annual Report] of the Foundation
* [http://www.clintonfoundation.org/annual-report-2006-movie.htm 2006 Annual Report of the Foundation]
* [http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org Clinton Global Initiative official website]
* [http://www.clintonfoundation.org/library Clinton Presidential Center official website]
* [http://www.capitalresearch.org/pubs/pdf/v1201803466.pdf "The Clinton Foundation: Substance or Style?" by Deborah Corey Barnes and Matthew Vadum, Foundation Watch, February 2008]