About The American-Scandinavian Foundation
The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) promotes international understanding through educational and cultural exchange between the United States and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Founded in 1911 by Danish-American industrialist Niels Poulson and a group of other forward-thinking leaders from business and education, the ASF is headquartered in New York City and has alumni, donors and associate members worldwide. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees of individuals from the United States and Scandinavia, representing diverse interests yet linked by personal or professional ties to the Scandinavian countries. The five Nordic Heads of State serve as the organization's Patrons.
Mission Statement
The American-Scandinavian Foundation is a publicly-supported not-for-profit organization committed to promoting educational, cultural and professional exchange between the United States and the Nordic countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. ASF offers fellowships, cultural grants, internships/training, publications, exhibitions and other public programs reinforcing the strong relationships between the two regions, honoring their shared values, and appreciating their differences.
Exchange Activities
Over the years, nearly 30,000 young Americans and Scandinavians have participated in ASF's exchange programs of study, research or practical training. Many of its alumni have gone on to leading positions in business, government and the arts. Through these programs, the ASF cultivates enduring academic, professional, and personal ties between the U.S. and the Nordic countries.
Fellowships
Each year the ASF awards nearly $800,000 in fellowships and grants to individual students, scholars, professionals and artists for projects abroad.
Internships & Training
The ASF's Internship and Training Program enables young Americans and Scandinavians to receive practical working experience while living abroad. Scandinavians participate in the program in the U.S., in fields such as engineering, shipping, law, business administration, agriculture and cabinetmaking. A smaller number of Americans also find assignments in Scandinavia, mostly in technological fields.
Cultural Programs
The ASF presents a wide range of cultural programs at Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America. Most programs are open to the public, while others are presented as a special benefit for the ASF's membership.
Public Project Grants
The ASF helps bring American and Scandinavian life, art and thought to public audiences by giving financial support of nearly $200,000 each year to other institutions through its Public Project Grants program. A special effort is made to reach audiences outside the ASF's home base in New York City.
Publishing
The ASF provides information on Scandinavian topics to a broad audience through the publication of its journal, Scandinavian Review. The preeminent English language publication devoted to contemporary Scandinavian affairs and culture, Scandinavian Review has been published continuously since 1913. Issued three times a year, it is distributed to individual subscribers and libraries, in the U.S. and abroad. The ASF also publishes a quarterly newsletter, SCAN, which features news from Scandinavia, provides information on Scandinavian events throughout the U.S., and reports on the ASF's activities. Other ASF publications include a Bi-Annual Report, the annual online guide Study in Scandinavia; and The Longboat (an annual e-newsletter for ASF Fellows).
Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America
Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America, the leading center for Nordic culture in the United States, offers a wide range of programs that illuminate the culture and vitality of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Located in New York City, Scandinavia House offerings include diverse exhibitions and film series, as well as concerts and other performances, readings, lectures, symposia, language courses, and children’s activities. Designed by the internationally renowned Polshek Partnership Architects (now Ennead Architects) and inaugurated in October 2000, Scandinavia House is the headquarters of The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) and the site of ASF’s cultural and educational programming.
Prizes
As part of its cultural program, ASF recognizes talent and accomplishment through several awards such as the Translation Prize, Gold Medal and Cultural Awards. The Gold Medal, ASF's highest honor, has been presented to The Nobel Foundation on the occasion of the Nobel Prize Centennial and to H.E. Vigdís Finnbogadottír, President of Iceland from 1980-1996, and H.E. Martti Ahtisaari, President of Finland from 1994-2000, among others. Recipients of the ASF Cultural Award include Ingmar Bergman, Swedish film and theater director; Liv Ullmann, Norwegian actor and director; Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish composer and former Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Gunnar Sønsteby, Norwegian World War II Resistance Hero; Louisa Matthiasdóttir, Icelandic artist; and Nikalaj Hübbe, Artistic Director of the Royal Danish Ballet.
ASF Board of Trustees
| OFFICERS | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Bente Frantz |
| Deputy Chairman | Bernt Reitan |
| President | Edward P. Gallagher |
| Vice Chairman for Denmark | Hon. Edward E. Elson |
| Vice Chairman for Finland | Dr. Aili Flint |
| Vice Chairman for Iceland | Kristjan T. Ragnarsson, MD |
| Vice Chairman for Norway | Steven B. Peri |
| Vice Chairman for Sweden | Monika Heimbold |
| Vice Chairman for the U.S. | Linda Nordberg |
| Treasurer | Bård E. Bunaes |
| Executive Vice President and Secretary | Lynn Carter |
| EXECUTIVE TRUSTEES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charles B. Anderson | Kristin H. Holth | Lennard K. Rambusch, Esq. |
| Roger E. Anderson | Anders Iversen | Luann Smith |
| Karl G. Andrén | Trond S. Jensen | Christian R. Sonne |
| Bernt O. Bodal | Niels W. Johnsen | Bo Sonnichsen |
| Victor B. Borge | Eugene V. Kokot, Esq. | Henrik Steffensen |
| Anders C. H. Brag | Kaarina Koskenalusta | Vibeke Steineger |
| W. Grant Callow | Christina Lang Assael | James M. Stewart |
| Alpo Franssila Crane | Stefan Larsson | Lise Stolt-Nielsen |
| David E.R. Dangoor | Hon. John L. Loeb, Jr. | Inger M. Tallaksen |
| Dr. Daphne L. Davidson | Øivind Lorentzen III | Thor Thors, Jr. |
| Hon. Robin Chandler Duke | Asbjørn R. Lunde | John Thuestad |
| Sven Anders Ekernäs | Carol Mack | Jón Tómasson |
| Inger McCabe Elliott | Helen Winter Marx | Agnes Ahlander Turner |
| Michael A. Feirstein | Michael S. Mathews | Liv Ullmann |
| Inger G. Ginsberg | Lisbeth McCoy | Thórunn Wathne |
| Magnús Gustafsson | Ólafur J. Ólafsson | Robert B. Willumstad |
| Paul O. Halme | Richard E. Oldenburg | Arthur Zeckendorf |
| Lisa Resling Halpern | Hon. Lyndon L. Olson, Jr. | |
| Jesper Bo Hansen | Barbro Osher | |
| ADVISORY TRUSTEES (U.S.) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tor B. Arneberg | Craig Dykers | Ruth B. Perkins |
| Hon. Barbara Barrett | Hon. Charles S. Haight, Jr. | Hilppa A. K. Roby |
| Dr. Patricia G. Berman | Dr. Nils Hasselmo | Martin E. Segal |
| Hon. Stuart A. Bernstein | Stig Høst | Sigurjón Sighvatsson |
| Hon. William McC. Blair, Jr. | Dr. Peter F. Krogh | Robert Storr |
| Hon. Charles E. Cobb, Jr. | Bo W. Long | Helgi Tómasson |
| Lars W. Colliander | Øivind Lorentzen, Jr. | Dr. Torsten N. Wiesel |
| Albert R. Dowden | Dr. Rose-Marie Oster | Hon. Michael M. Wood |
| OVERSEAS ADVISORY TRUSTEES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Magnús Bjarnason | Carl-Johan Howitz | Friðrik Sophusson |
| Rune Bjerke | Jonas Kleberg | Nadia Stolt-Nielsen |
| Pontus Bonnier | Helge Lund | Roger Talermo |
| Svein Richard Brandtzæg | Jóhannes Nordal | Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla |
| Klaus Thomas Cawén | Jorma Ollila | Bjorn Wahlroos |
| Carl Gustaf Ehrnrooth | Fritz Schur | Jacob Wallenberg |
| Jane Erkko | Jón Sigurðsson | Baron Henrik Wedell-Wedellsborg |
| Jens P. Heyerdahl d.y. | Peter Sjöstrand | Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen |
Key Staff of The American-Scandinavian Foundation
| Edward P. Gallagher President and Chief Executive Officer |
Tatiana Pashman Director of Internship and Training Programs |
| Lynn Carter Executive Vice President and Corporate Secretary |
Kyle Reinhart Manager of Educational and Cultural Programs |
| -------------- | Lynda Selde Director of Development |
| Jeff Clayborn Director of Security and Fire Safety |
Lauren Stackpoole Internship & Training Programs Administrator |
| Ainslie Durnin Membership Coordinator |
Ari Tiziani Cultural and Educational Programs Coordinator |
| Yvonne Ericson Visitor Services Coordinator |
Matthew Walters Director of Fellowships and Grants |
| Kate Erickson Communications |
Inger Wedin Receptionist |
| Carl Fritscher Fellowships and Grants Officer |
Claire Whitman Assistant to the President |
| Caroline Kim Staff Accountant |
Brittney Wilcox Development Associate |
| Victoria McGann Scandinavia House Manager |
Laura Winterhalter Manager of the Shop @ Scandinavia House |
| Stephen McGrath Controller |
Financials
FY11 Audited Financial Statement (PDF)
FY11 Form 990 (PDF)
Policies
Donor Relations Policy
The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) serves as a vital educational and cultural link between the United States and the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. A publicly supported, nonprofit organization, the Foundation fosters cultural understanding, provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, and sustains an extensive program of fellowships, grants, training/internships, publishing, and cultural events. Incorporated in 1911 and headquartered at Scandinavia House in New York City, the ASF has members throughout the United States, and alumni and donors worldwide.
The ASF raises funds from donors in the United States and abroad. Individual donors are an important source of funds, along with corporations, foundations, and, on occasion, governmental sources. The ASF respects its donors and has put in place a Donor Relations Policy to clarify its policies and procedures regarding recognition of gifts, donor privacy, and honoring donor intent.
Donor Information
The ASF collects and maintains the following types of donor information when it is voluntarily provided to us:
- Contact information such as name, address, telephone number, and email address
- Giving information
- Information on publications received, events attended, and special requests for information
- Information provided by the donor in the form of comments and suggestions
Every reasonable precaution shall be taken to protect and conserve the confidentiality of such personal information. Donors’ personal information is collected to establish and manage the ASF’s relationship with donors, to analyze giving patterns, process gifts, and provide donors with documentation of their charitable contributions. In addition, personal information is used to publicly recognize and thank donors for their generosity.
List Sharing
The ASF does not sell, rent, trade, or share its donor list with any other organization. The ASF does not send out mailings on behalf of other organizations.
Discontinuing Contact upon Request
It is the policy of the ASF to communicate with donors according to their expressed preferences whenever possible. The ASF will discontinue or change the method used to contact any person upon that person’s oral or written request to the organization.
The ASF shall maintain a record of all requests by persons who indicate to the ASF that they do not wish to be contacted by or on behalf of the ASF. Upon receipt of a request that the ASF discontinue further contacts, the person’s name and address will be promptly modified in the ASF donor database to ensure that no further contact is made with the person.
The ASF will maintain an electronic record of all requests for discontinuance of contacts, effective with the adoption of this policy by the ASF’s Board of Trustees. Oral requests will be noted in writing by the staff of the ASF and then permanently recorded in the electronic donor database. The records of persons who have made such a request will be maintained by the ASF to the extent necessary for legal or liability purposes.
Gift Acknowledgment and Recognition
The ASF recognizes donors’ contributions by various means, respecting the desire of those donors who wish to remain anonymous. Listings of donors may be included in printed materials, including Scandinavian Review, annual reports, press releases, newsletters, proposals, and reports, as well as in pieces on the ASF or Scandinavia House websites.
Gifts accepted by the ASF shall be acknowledged in writing to the donor, and in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code and United States Income Tax Regulations.
Leadership gifts towards particular projects or campaigns may receive recognition for a specified term of years or in perpetuity as agreed upon in each case.
Donors who wish to avoid any public recognition of their contributions may inform the ASF when making a pledge or gift. The request for anonymity shall be honored by the ASF until the donor informs the ASF otherwise. In the absence of such a request for anonymity, the ASF may at its discretion recognize and publicize a donor’s contribution.
Record Retention
All records of donations to the ASF are maintained by the organization according to the applicable standards of record retention in effect at the time of the donation. All records will be maintained in a secure location of the organization.