Our History

The Educational Foundation of America (EFA) is a family foundation launched in 1959 to continue the lifelong philanthropic commitment of its founders, Richard Prentice Ettinger, JD, and his wife Elsie P. Ettinger.

Mr. Ettinger began his career teaching finance at New York University. Disappointed with the teaching materials available to him, he wrote a textbook on creditors’ rights, and eventually cofounded the textbook publishing company Prentice-Hall. In naming EFA, he further expressed his commitment to education, especially higher education, and his innovative grants set a pattern of effective giving that we continue to emulate. Still, he realized that tomorrow’s problems would not necessarily be the same as those facing his own generation. He insisted that there be flexibility in the Foundation’s grantmaking goals, so that future generations could address the most pressing issues of their times.

As members of the second generation, the late Richard P. Ettinger Jr. and the late Elaine P. Hapgood continued the legacy of their parents’ charitable giving. Richard Jr. was greatly influenced by Dee Brown’s book Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, and became a lifelong champion of Native American causes. In particular, he fought to provide educational opportunities to Native Americans and spurred other foundations to focus their philanthropy on the needs of the Native community.

Elaine Hapgood was similarly inspired after attending an International Planned Parenthood Foundation Conference in then Pakistan (now Bangladesh). She subsequently chose to dedicate her life to ensuring the availability of reproductive health services to all. She also committed herself to promoting environmental conservation.

Today, EFA’s Board of Directors is comprised of members of the third and fourth generations of the family. Our Adjunct Committee serves as an arena for members of the family new to the Foundation to explore and advance our philanthropic practices.