ISF's history is of course intertwined with the sustainability movement's ongoing history, illustrated by the time line below. 

ISF was first conceived at a 1991 retreat in North Carolina organized by the SURFREE Foundation. Bringing together a range of activists, funders, researchers and others to explore the possibilities of an organization specifically committed to fostering sustainability, justice and improved quality of life, SURFREE asked Alisa Gravitz, Executive Director of then Co-op American, now Green America, to help build and nuture this new effort as a program, the Grantmakers, Researchers and Doers Center (GRD). Some years later, GRD changed its name to better reflect the what and how of its work, rather than the who: the Integrative Strategies Forum. In 1999, with encouragement from SURFREE, ISF became independent and with its own 501(c)(3) status. 

 

 

SURFREE Foundation: Survival in Freedom

John and Libby Morse founded the Survival in Freedom Foundation (SURFREE) in 1970 in response to the threats of nuclear proliferation and to foster the various forms of freedom in the world. During the course of its operations, SURFREE abetted more than one hundred organizations for broadened approaches in dealing with the various matters of population, economic and social justice development, and peace. 

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A Timeline of our History

Time pieces / ISF historyISF was first conceived at a 1991 retreat in North Carolina organized by the SURFREE Foundation. Bringing together a range of activists, funders, researchers and others to explore the possibilities of an organization specifically committed to fostering sustainability, justice and improved quality of life, SURFREE asked Alisa Gravitz, Executive Director of then Co-op American, now Green America, to help build and nuture this new effort as a program, the Grantmakers, Researchers and Doers Center (GRD). Some years later, GRD changed its name to better reflect the what and how of its work, rather than the who: the Integrative Strategies Forum. In 1999, with encouragement from SURFREE, ISF became independent and with its own 501(c)(3) status.

ISF's history is of course intertwined with the sustainability movement's ongoing history, illustrated by the time line below.