The BSUF is a charitable organization in its seventh decade of service.

In the 1950s, a dedicated group began to build the vision for BSUF: an organization that could support the growing need for British Commonwealth educational institutions to encourage participation in their fundraising campaigns by alumni and friends who pay US taxes and to whom tax-efficient giving is important.

Read more about our founders and history.

Board of Directors

Many of our Directors attended school or university at British or British Commonwealth institutions. These are indicated in italics below.

Download an annual report

Our Board Meetings

BSUF's Board of Directors meet quarterly to consider and vote upon institution applications and grant recommendations. Normally the Directors will approve grants equal to the sum of all donations with an expressed preference received since the previous Board Meeting. No one has authority to make advance commitments on the Directors’ behalf with respect to size and timing of grants.

Learn more about how we approve and process grants.

Our History

In the 1950s, a dedicated group led by Thomas E. Ward, Sr. built a vision for the BSUF. The organization was formalized as a Membership Corporation in New York in 1961. The foundation was granted an Internal Revenue Service exemption certificate in 1964 through the persistent efforts of this founding group. 

During its formative years, BSUF benefited greatly from the guidance it received from its early Directors.  Sydney C. Waldecker, General Counsel and Chairman of the Executive Committee, led the Foundation through its earliest years, setting the standards by which BSUF operates today. Bruce F. E. Harvey played a key role as a versatile and tireless executive officer.  John F. Rich, Honorary Secretary, provided many valuable ideas and suggestions. Lionel A. deCastro provided much-needed financial expertise as the first Honorary Treasurer. Both Arthur Grundy and A. Denys Cadman, Vice Presidents, contributed greatly through their executive abilities.

The work of the founders was advanced further by Tom Ward, Jr., who served as President from 1988 through 1991, and then Chairman from 1992 through 1997. With skillful guidance and inspiration from Tom Ward and Alan Root, his successor as President and Chairman, BSUF enjoyed many years of sustained growth and improved efficiency of operations.  Messrs. Ward and Root were succeeded by Scott Bushey and David Lipson, respectively, who emphasized computer-based, “user-friendly” administration and more interaction with other organizations promoting Anglo-American collaboration.  Dr. Roger H. Martin brings his broad experience as a college president, senior administrator and fund-raiser to his current role as Executive Director of the Foundation.

In 1969, the Directors established the Thomas E. Ward Fund in memory of their first Chairman for inspiring and bringing about the formation of BSUF. Arthur Grundy was instrumental in securing the bequest that became the Richard A. and Kathleen B. May Memorial Fund in 1984.  A bequest from former Chairman Emeritus Alan C. Root in 2006 made possible the creation of a third memorial fund to be used for scholarship grants to U.K. scholars whose studies or research can only be pursued here in the U.S.

ALBERT H. GORDON (1901-2009)  

Among the most respected and inspiring of Wall Street’s business leaders for more than half a century, Al Gordon also served as a BSUF Director for 33 years.  After earning his Harvard MBA in 1925, he played a dominant role in restoring the iconic investment banking firm of Kidder, Peabody from bankruptcy to a position of industry leadership. Known for his exemplary lifestyle, integrity and philanthropic activity, Al was an intellectually keen and very generous contributor to the success of this Foundation. He was elected a Life Fellow of the BSUF in 2004. Albert died at the age of 107.

THOMAS E. WARD, Jr. (1925-2013)

Tom worked at the Mene Grande Oil.Co., Standard Oil of California and for most of his career he was president of Oilfield Equipment Co., NYC. He traveled in the U.S. and abroad through work. He was also the U.S. Representative for the Eastern & General Syndicate, London, and assistant to the President of the Gas Co. of Vermont.

Tom had a long affiliation with the British Schools & Universities Foundation, which supports British schools and universities and the academic work of British and U.S. scholars, holding offices over the years as Secretary, President, and Chairman.

DENIS B. WOODFIELD (1933-2013)

After military service, Denis worked at Chase Manhattan Bank, General Electric, and Pan American World Airways as their director of Cash and Banking. Denis then spent twenty years at Johnson & Johnson in various financial functions, including Assistant Treasurer for Cash and Banking.  

Denis kept up his academic interests throughout his life. He published four books and for many years was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the British Schools and Universities Foundation. One of his proudest accomplishments was being elected an Honorary Fellow of Lincoln college, Oxford University, in 2012.

Statement of Purposes and Policies

(1) British Schools and Universities Foundation, Inc. has been approved by the United States Treasury Department as an exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) and is classified as a domestic charity as defined in Sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)vi) of the Code. An important facet of tax deductibility is based upon the following ruling of the US Internal Revenue Service "Contributions to a domestic charity ... which are solicited for a specific project for a foreign charity organization, are deductible under the section 170 of the Code ... where the domestic charity has reviewed and approved the project as being in furtherance of its own exempt purposes and has control and discretion as to the use of the contributions"

(2) The purpose of the Foundation is to make donations, gifts and contributions out of the income and/or assets of the Corporation to, or for the use of schools whether public or private, colleges whether sectarian or not, universities whether State or not, and educational, scientific or literary institutions of every kind or nature;

(3) The Foundation applies three criteria to the selection of educational, scientific or literary institutions to qualify for grants-in-aid:

1. The applicant institution should be active in seeking financial support for specific projects which are clearly defined and documented.  Acceptability of these projects should be demonstrated by the efforts of its graduates, alumni and friends who compromise the institution's constituency in the United States.
2. A non-American institution should have a demonstrable record of cooperation with the United States either by acceptance of American students or by collaboration with comparable institutions in the United States.
3. The Foundation's grants-in-aid are limited to institutions in the United States and countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

 Additional Tax Details

BSUF's Federal Tax Identification Number is 13-6161189. 

Download BSUF's Tax Exemption Certificate.