Participants

Walter Sweet

Director, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Mr. Sweet is an advisor for two New York-based family foundations that support nonprofits in the areas of health, mental health, community development, education, and entrepreneurship. He also leads the team that administers Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ charitable gift fund.

He served as the senior program officer for the American Red Cross Recovery Grants Program and was a program officer at The New York Community Trust, the nation’s largest community foundation. As budget and special projects officer for The Trust, Mr. Sweet developed a $30 million annual discretionary grants budget; conducted special project grantmaking in the areas of substance abuse, mental health, human justice, and civic affairs; recommended fund sources for grants; and monitored and evaluated programmatic activities. He also served as the emergency grants program officer for the September 11th Fund, a joint fund of The New York Community Trust and the United Way of New York City.

Prior to joining Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Mr. Sweet was vice president of the family-owned Sweet Analysis Services, where he managed contractual agreements for international joint ventures and new business development, including with the U.S. government and military operations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in American history from Columbia University and is a board member of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, the Business Outreach Center Network, and Columbia University’s Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing.