The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. We are an independent nonprofit organization "“ the sole beneficiary of seven individual trusts established between 1948 and 1979 by two sons and two daughters of Sun Oil Company founder Joseph N. Pew and his wife, Mary Anderson Pew.
From its first day in 1948, Pew's founders steeped the new institution with the entrepreneurial and optimistic spirit that characterized their lives. As the country and the world have evolved, we have remained dedicated to our founders' emphasis on innovation. Today, Pew is a global research and public policy organization, still operated as a non-partisan, non-governmental organization dedicated to serving the public.
Informed by the founders' interest in research, practical knowledge and a robust democracy, our portfolio has grown over time to include public opinion research; arts and culture; and environmental, health, state and consumer policy initiatives. Our mission is to:
Improve public policy by conducting rigorous analysis, linking diverse interests to pursue common cause and insisting on tangible results;
Inform the public by providing useful data that illuminate the issues and trends shaping our world;
Invigorate civic life by encouraging democratic participation and strong communities.
In our hometown of Philadelphia, we support arts and culture organizations as well as institutions that enhance the well-being of the region's neediest citizens.