The Boston Herald, Thursday, June 29, 2006, Finance, Page 35

DEVELOPER GIVES $12M TO HARVARD

By Donna Goodison

Philanthropist Jerome Rappaport yesterday announced a $12.3 million donation to permanently endow Harvard University's Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston.

The Rappaport family and the Jerome Lyle Rappaport Foundation founded the institute in 2000 to improve Greater Boston's governance by strengthening connections between area scholars, students and civic leaders. They since have funded $2.75 million in grants for the institute.

"For a long time, there was a need for a stronger connection between Harvard's wonderful resources and challenges faced by the people, the city of Boston, the region and state government,'' Rappaport said. "The Rappaport Institute has already proven to extend what for me has been a lifelong interest in the interrelationship between the academic and political worlds, and I'm pleased to know this relationship will continue for generations to come.''

The endowment will fund core institute operations: public-sector fellowships for grad students, research grants for scholars to study local issues, scholarships and training for local officials, and events that bring together scholars and others to discuss key issues. The funds also will be used to leverage more spending on regional policy research.

Made available with permission of the publisher.