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Jice Me ndum . uNITEI S S GOVERNMENT tO MR. A. H. BELMONT DATE: May 19, 1959 FROM : W. C. Sullivar SUBJECT : SFUNDS AND FOUNDATIONS Nease INFORMATION CONCERNING~ CENTRAL RESEARCH MATTER Holloman. ptonogro ph Reference is made to the Director's expressed interest in th security aspects of funds and foundations. History Set Forth. Attached herewith is a blind memorandum setting forth the results of a pilot research study conducted into those funds and foundations having an actual--or potential--influence upon the internal security of the. United States and the foreign policies of our Government. It includes a brief history of the development of charitable foundations as they exist today, an analysis of their wealth and influence, and the subversive or questionable causes in which a number of them have invested their tax- lexempt funds. Salient Features Following are a few of the more interesting and impressive facts drawn from the attached study: 1. |Foundations have a tremendous influence on Americans today if only from the sheer number of organizations involved and ) Ithe colossal accumulations of wealth at their disposal. The |Department of Commerce estimates, for example, that there is a minimum of 7, 300 charitable bodies operating in the United States at the present time and, of these, the Ford Foundation alone is estimated to be worth approximately '$2, 500, 009, 000. 6R-/05767-X Enclosur (7) Mr.. Beln - 30 ix JUN 15 1959 - Section tickier - Mr. Mohr