Jim Bildner is an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and a Senior Research Fellow at the Hauser Institute for Civil Society and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University. At the Kennedy School, his research interests include understanding the role of private capital in solving public problems, extending the capacity of foundations to solve complex societal issues and the sustainability of public and private systems when governments disinvest in these systems. His course load includes co- teaching Public Problem Solving and Philanthropy. In addition, he serves as the Managing Partner at the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation where he focuses on investing in domestic nonprofits and social enterprises that are working to solve complex issues including systemic poverty, food insecurity, access to healthcare, homelessness, community development and second generation strategies to address these issues.
Among his board affiliations, he is a trustee of The Kresge Foundation, The Non Profit Finance Fund, Case Western Reserve University, The Public Citizen Foundation, the Health Foundation for the Americas, the Women’s Funding Network, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The Newport Festivals Foundation, The Lizard Island Research Foundation in Australia, an Overseer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a member of the executive board of WBUR (Boston Public Radio) and an Overseer of WGBH Public TV and Radio. He also serves on the boards of Fox Islands Wind, LLC, the EBSF Loan Fund, the Island Institute and Coastal Innovation Loan Fund, TurboVote/Democracy Works Inc., Blueprint Schools, Education SuperHighway, WorldReader, IDEO.org, Sirum and as a Corporate Trustee of The Trustees of The Reservation and on the board and executive committee of the Chief Executives Organization.
In his board service, Mr. Bildner serves on the Investment Committees of boards with