The Rex Foundation was created by "members of the

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...

and Friends" in 1983 as a

charitable Charity is the voluntary provision of assistance to those in need. It serves as a humanitarian act, and is unmotivated by self-interest. Various philosophies about charity exist, with frequent associations with religion. Etymology The word ...

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

to "proactively provide extensive community support to creative endeavors in the arts, sciences, and education." The organization is named after Rex Jackson, a Grateful Dead roadie and later road manager until his death in 1976.

History

In the fall of 1983, the Rex Foundation was established as a non-profit charitable organization by members of the Grateful Dead and friends. The Rex Foundation enabled the Grateful Dead to go beyond responding to multiple requests for contributions, and proactively provide extensive community support to creative endeavors in the arts, sciences, and education. The first benefit concerts for the Rex Foundation were held in the spring of 1984 at the Marin Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium. Since 1984 the Rex Foundation has granted $8.2 million to some 1,000 recipients. Virtually all grant recipients are selected through the personal knowledge of decision makers – as a result, grant requests are not solicited. Grants are made once or twice a year.

Mission

The Rex Foundation's stated mission is "to help secure a healthy environment, promote individuality in the arts, provide support to critical and necessary social services, assist others less fortunate than ourselves, protect the rights of

indigenous people There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

and ensure their cultural survival, build a stronger community, and educate children and adults everywhere."

Artists participating (incomplete)

Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with the Other Ones, later known as the Dead ...

Mickey Hart Mickey Hart (born Michael Steven Hartman, September 11, 1943) is an American percussionist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 until February 19 ...

Phil Lesh Philip Chapman Lesh (March 15, 1940 – October 25, 2024) was an American musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he developed a unique style of improvised six-string bass guitar. He was their bassist throughout their 30 ...

Donna Jean Godchaux Donna Jean Thatcher Godchaux-MacKay (born August 22, 1947) is an American singer best known as a member of the rock band the Grateful Dead from 1972 to 1979. In addition to the Dead, she performed with the Jerry Garcia Band and the short-lived ...

Bill Kreutzmann William Kreutzmann Jr. ( ; born May 7, 1946) is an American drummer and founding member of the rock band Grateful Dead. He played with the band for its entire thirty-year career, usually alongside fellow drummer Mickey Hart, and has continued to ...

* The New Riders of the Purple Sage *

Keller Williams Keller Williams is an American singer, songwriter and musician who combines elements of bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, electronica/dance, jazz, funk, along with other assorted genres. He is often described as a 'one-man jam-band' ...

* Grateful Grass (collaboration of Keller Williams, Keith Moseley, and Jeff Austin) *

Dark Star Orchestra Dark Star Orchestra is a Grateful Dead cover band formed in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. They serve now as an tribute band, international touring tribute band to the rock group the Grateful Dead. Since 1997, the band has been "celebrating the Gra ...

* Zen Tricksters *

Donna Jean and the Tricksters Donna may refer to the short form of the honorific ''nobildonna'', the female form of Don (honorific) in Italian. People *Donna (given name); includes name origin and list of people and characters with the name Places *Donna, Texas, USA * Dønna ...

* moe. *

Tea Leaf Green Tea Leaf Green is an American four-piece jam band from the San Francisco Bay Area, composed of Josh Clark (guitar and vocals), Trevor Garrod ( keyboards, vocals, guitar, and harmonica), Scott Rager (drums), and Eric DiBerardino (bass). Histo ...

* Assembly of Dust * Ryan Montbleau Band

Beneficiaries

The Rex Foundation has contributed to: * The Achievement Academy at Simon's Recreation Center *The

American Indian College Fund The American Indian College Fund is a nonprofit organization that helps Native American students, providing them with support through scholarships and funding toward higher education. The fund provides an average of 6,000 annual scholarships ...

* American Music Theater Festival * Bethesda Project (My Brother's House) * Camp Winnarainbow *The Committee for a Better North Philadelphia * Families Against Mandatory Minimums Foundation *The Family Assistance Program *The Farm School * Fishery Foundation of California * Food and Friends * Greater Philadelphia Food Bank * Hanford Education Action League * Huichol Sierra Fund for Community Development * Lithuanian Basketball Team * Mainstream Foundation * Musicians United for Superior Education * National Handicapped Sports * Native American Women's Health Education Center *

O'Neill Sea Odyssey O'Neill Sea Odyssey is an American non-profit organization located in Santa Cruz, California, Santa Cruz, California (California Non-Profit Corporation ID#77-0464784). It was founded in 1996 by wetsuit innovator Jack O'Neill (businessman), Jack ...

* Peer AIDS Education Coalition *The Poetry Project at St. Marks * Project AVARY * San Quentin Mass Choir * Sunburst Projects (Music from people with HIV/AIDS) *

Wave Hill Wave Hill is a estate in the Hudson Hill, Bronx, Hudson Hill section of Riverdale, Bronx, Riverdale in the Bronx, New York City. Wave Hill currently consists of public horticultural gardens and a cultural center, all situated on the slopes ov ...

- Putting Children in Touch with Nature *

Whitechapel Art Gallery The Whitechapel Gallery is a public art gallery in Whitechapel on the north side of Whitechapel High Street, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The original building, designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, opened in 1901 as one of the fir ...

, London - John Virtue Exhibition * United Indians of All Tribes Foundation * Zen Hospice Project and many others.

Board Members

, Tim Walther, Cameron Sears, Sage Scully, John Scher, Cliff Palefsky, Roger McNamee, Nick Morgan, John Leopold, Michael Klein, Rosalie Howarth,

, Freddy Hahne, Carolyn Garcia, Andy Gadiel, Kristin Dolan, Stefanie Coyote, Barry Caplan, Diane Blagman, Steve Bernstein, Tim Duncan, Dawn Holiday, Jay Caauwe Bill Graham (1984 – d.1991),

Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 196 ...

(1984 – d.1995) ;Executive Director Cameron Sears ;Advisory Board

Bill Walton William Theodore Walton III (November 5, 1952 – May 27, 2024) was an American basketball player and television Sports commentator, sportscaster. He played college basketball, collegiately for the UCLA Bruins men's basketball, UCLA Bruins an ...

, Jon McIntire,

Larry Brilliant Lawrence Brilliant (born May 5, 1944) is an American epidemiologist, technologist, philanthropist, and author, who worked with the World Health Organization from 1973–1976 helping to successfully eradicate smallpox. Brilliant, a technology pate ...

John Perry Barlow John Perry Barlow (October 3, 1947February 7, 2018) was an American poet, essayist, cattle rancher, and cyberlibertarian political activist who had been associated with both the Democratic and Republican parties. He was also a lyricist for th ...

(d. 2018), Bernie Bildman, EMERITUS: Hal Kant

References

Rex Foundation History and Mission

Additional sources

* {{cite web , url=http://www.glidemagazine.com/articles/47726/the-rex-foundation-life-after-dead.html , title=The Rex Foundation: Life After Dead , publisher=Glide Magazine , date=January 25, 2005 , access-date=January 1, 2013 , author=Sabatini, Joshua

External links

Rex Foundation
Foundations based in the United States Non-profit organizations based in San Francisco Arts foundations based in the United States