American Philanthropic Societies in France

In December 1999, a violent storm hit Europe, causing immense damage in several areas. In the Park of the Château de Versailles, many trees fell, some of them centuries old and part of the French natural and cultural heritage. Faced with this catastrophe, several groups of people got together to rebuild the domain of the Château de Versailles, notably by raising funds. Along with those organized by diverse French actors, another fund-raising operation was led among Americans, in particular the American Friends of Old French Houses (today the French Heritage Society). The operation “Adopt a tree”, launched by that association, helped relay information on the other side of the Atlantic and made it possible to raise close to $200,000 to replant trees in the park of the Château de Versailles. This thesis focuses on the actions of these very special associations, the “American Friends” of French cultural institutions.

The American Friends, original associations

 

Les American Friends sont des associations américaines bénéficiant du statut de 501(c)(3) du code fiscal américain, qui permet à l’association et à ses donateurs de bénéficier d’exemptions et déductions fiscales sur certains impôts, offrant ainsi la possibilité de faire un don défiscalisé à une institution étrangère. Il existe environ 2000 associations d’American Friends, et pour des institutions dans de nombreux pays (tels que la France, Israël, l’Australie, la Guinée, la Thaïlande, etc.) et dans des domaines divers (culturel, médical, éducatif, environnemental etc.). Pour donner quelques exemples : American Friends of the Royal Danish Ballet, American Friends of Guinea, American Friends of the Kigali Public Library etc. En France, aujourd’hui, il existe environ une vingtaine d’associations d’American Friends dans le domaine culturel (telles que American Friends of the Louvre, American Friends of Versailles ou the Pompidou Foundation), mais il en existe également dans d’autres domaines, comme la Pasteur Foundation (médical) ou les American Friends Arts et Métiers Paris Tech (Enseignement supérieur).

The task of these associations is to raise funds for the institution they are attached to, which requires a great deal of work on the part of philanthropic elites. They organize events and activities (dinners, lectures, galas, visits, trips, etc.) for donors, in the United States and in France. The object of this thesis is to focus on the type of mobilization of elites known as transnational fundraising, in a comprehensive perspective and “from below” considering it as a mobilization relationship. It is a question of understanding what the transnational aspect “does” to the mobilization of elites that makes these associations and their actions necessary. Transnational fundraising is in fact a real challenge, due to the difficulty both of the physical and symbolic distance of the institution, and of the lack of legitimacy of that form of philanthropy. These associations implement strategies, based notably on the prestige of French culture, to attract donors. The development of associations of American Friends is also a challenge to the particular configuration of French cultural institutions, moreover the whole French cultural world, by calling into question certain principles proper to the French tradition of  “l’Etat culturel”. 

Cette analyse s’appuie sur une recherche qualitative et repose sur des matériaux divers :

 

  • Observations participantes (plusieurs mois de bénévolat auprès de certaines associations) ;
  • Entretiens (avec les responsables de ces organisations, mais également avec les mécènes, ainsi qu’avec de nombreuses personnes des mondes culturels, philanthropiques et diplomatiques français et américains) ;
  • Dépouillement systématique de la presse écrite et web, et de la documentation produite par ces associations ;
  • Archives de la Fondation Rockefeller concernant le don de John D. Rockefeller et ses fils au Château de Versailles, au Château de Fontainebleau, à la cathédrale de Chartres et à diverses autres institutions culturelles.