River Cohen Giving
River Cohen is the CEO of River Cohen Giving, an organization committed to supporting the most critical issues facing society through innovative philanthropic efforts. As CEO, Mr. Cohen has relied on his entrepreneurial acumen and his passion for philanthropy to support any endeavor designed to encourage a greater level of social consciousness while pursuing ends that benefit the whole of society. We have conducted an interview with him.
What does the River Cohen scholarship opportunity include?
We firmly believe in the value of continued academic pursuits, which is why our scholarship is available to students presently enrolled in or accepted to a college, university, trade school, or design school. In addition to the $1,000 award, applicants for our college scholarship also have the opportunity to submit a brief essay sharing their unique insights on what can be achieved through philanthropic efforts.
What is your philosophy?
As a philanthropist, it is my personal philosophy that supporting a wide range of socially conscientious endeavors can reap tremendous rewards benefiting society at large. We offer support in a number of different ways through River Cohen Giving, but it is often the case that our philanthropic efforts revolve around the kind of early stage involvement that makes it possible to plant philanthropic seeds of loving kindness that eventually blossom and spread throughout our society.
What kind of entrepreneurial achievements have you made as a philanthropist?
I’ve had a great deal of success applying entrepreneurial strategies in support of philanthropic causes, especially through investing or by providing business leadership and strategic support while working to build enduring relationships with socially conscientious leaders who share a similar worldview. Spiritual Gangster is one of the more recent projects in which I served as a founding investor, and I am always interested in new opportunities that aim to improve the quality of life for people all over the world.
When did you realise your fondness for describing the process of supporting and sourcing causes? What did you do about it when you discover it?
It was over 20 years ago that I recognized just how rewarding it was to be involved in philanthropic endeavors through the support and sourcing of causes, and it made a great deal of sense to pursue any opportunity possible to continue to provide support and sourcing through River Cohen Giving. At the time of its founding, we felt that a focus on seed grants represented the most effective strategy for our philanthropic endeavor, and that specific focus led to the adoption of one of my favorite phrases: “planting seeds of loving kindness…”
Amongst the wide range of critical issues, which is an issue that you would like to address most?
There are so many critical issues that society must quickly address, and I’m not sure it would be appropriate to single out a preferred cause or issue most in need of philanthropic support. We are committed to pursuing philanthropic goals that address a full range of issues with the simple goal of improving the lives of people all over the globe. Whether it is education or the environment, health or human rights, civil rights or social services, we will always continue to provide as much support as we are able while drawing greater attention to the many issues currently facing society.
