NET WORTH: Unknown
SOURCE OF WEALTH: Baupost Group
FUNDING AREAS: (Catholic) Education, Health & Human Services, Youth
OVERVIEW: James Mooney and his wife, Lisa, move their philanthropy through the Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation, which gave away close to $4 million in a recent year. The family's philanthropy mainly focuses on the Boston area, where the Mooneys have a special interest in supporting Catholic and Jesuit education. Mooney has strongly supported his alma mater College of the Holy Cross.
BACKGROUND: James F. Mooney graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a degree in political science, and received his MBA from Georgetown University. He's currently the head of Baupost's public investments group.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION: Several years ago, the Mooneys gave a $1 million gift to Mooney's alma mater, College of Holy Cross, to endow the Jim '90 and Lisa Mooney Scholarships targeting middle-class students from Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Boston. Not only did Mooney attend the school but so did his father. Of the gift, Mooney said that "On a pragmatic level, Catholic education gets results...On a higher level, I believe the value system of Catholic schools, which strives to instill in students a strong moral character and an ingrained sense of obligation to make a positive impact on the world around them, is unique and incredibly important." Supporting Catholic education is a top priority of this couple.
Apart from College of the Holy Cross, where Mooney also established the The Joan Marie Mooney Scholarship Fund in honor of his mother, the couple has supported places like Catholic Schools Foundation, Campaign for Catholic Schools, Nativity Preparatory School, and St. Sebastian's School. Other grantees have included New England Conservatory of Music, and Newton Country Day School.
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: The Mooneys, via their foundation, have given especially strong support to Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The family's interest in Catholic outfits extends beyond education. Mooney and Lisa have also supported places like Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, Mt. Auburn Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The Mooneys have supported a Uganda hospital's pediatric malnutrition clinic and an emergency medical fund. MGH has built strong ties with this hospital and the Mooney's teenaged son has also traveled to the region with MGH.
YOUTH: Grantees have included Year Up and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston.
OTHER: The couple has also supported places like Archdiosese of Boston and Emerald Necklace Conservatory. Another important grantee is JESUITS USA Northeast Provence. Away from their Boston base, the couple has given support to American Enterprise Institute, the think tank.
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the family's Boston focus to hold, though their international work with MGH and other outfits should be watched.
CONTACT:
The Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple, but below is an address:
171 Edmunds Rd.