Sara Gould interviewed by Kelly Anderson, November 16, 2006

File — Box: 22

Staff Only

Link to redacted video interview

Link to redacted transcript

Link to video (Smith College access only)

Link to transcript

Scope and Contents

In this oral history Gould describes her childhood in Michigan, growing up and into a family business, and her mother's struggles with depression and addiction. She describes finding both the women's movement and her passion for economic development work in Cambridge in the 1970s and her journey to the Ms. Foundation for Women, where she has spent more than twenty years of her career. This interview focuses on Gould's tenure at Ms., the shifts in grantmaking strategy over the past twenty years, and the world of women and philanthropy in general. (Transcript 63 pp.)

Dates of Materials

November 16, 2006

Creator

Gould, Sara K. (1905 May 04) (Interviewee, Person)
Anderson, Kelly (Interviewer, Person)

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

This interview is open for research use without restriction.

Conditions Governing Web Access

The interviewer and narrator for this interview have agreed that it may be placed on the web, with the following restriction: at the direction of the narrator, the file vof-gould3.mp4 in this interview may only be placed on the web if access is restricted to the Smith College community. Please consult with special collections staff at specialcollections@smith.edu to inquire about about access to the full interview.

Conditions Governing Use

The interviewer and narrator have transferred copyright of this interview to Smith College.

Biographical / Historical

Sara Gould (b. 1951) was raised in Grand Haven, Michigan. She graduated from Grand Valley State University in 1973 and earned a Master's degree in City and Regional Planning from Harvard University in 1977. Gould's work in economic development ultimately brought her to the Ms. Foundation for Women in 1986, where she spearheaded the Collaborative Fund for Women's Economic Development, a pioneering grantmaking initiative that has provided more than $10 million in support of organizations creating jobs for low-income women. Gould's legacy at Ms. also includes the Institute for Women's Economic Empowerment, which has provided thousands of grassroots leaders with the skills and resources to help women achieve greater economic independence. She is currently the President and CEO of the Foundation. Gould currently serves on the boards of the Center for Community Change; the Proteus Fund; Women's Funding Network; Women & Philanthropy; and The Challenge Machinery Company, a 137 year-old family business. She currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, with husband Rick Surpin and their son Jacob.