Most longtime Washingtonians know the German Marshall Fund’s iconic building at the corner of R St and New Hampshire Avenue. But do they know what happens inside?
The German Marshall Fund is an American nonprofit, founded 50 years ago this week with a gift from Germany to express gratitude for Marshall Plan assistance after World War II, which helped rebuild Europe after the devastation of World War II and welcomed Germany back into the community of nations.
To be eligible for Marshall Plan funds 75 years ago, recipient nations mapped out how they would use the funds to rebuild their economies and further European integration. This laid the groundwork for institutions such as NATO and the European Union, as well as the modern transatlantic relationship. In the 50 years since its founding, GMF has worked to continue and complete the mission of the Marshall Plan, creating a strong transatlantic alliance.
In its earliest days, GMF was a grantmaking foundation, work which continues today through its civil society trusts focused on the Balkans, Belarus, and the Black Sea region. In Washington, Brussels, and capitals across Europe, GMF is now known as a think tank, shaping transatlantic policy conversation through its research, analysis, and convening. GMF also fosters the next generation of leadership through programs like the Marshall Memorial Fellowship, which includes alumni such French President Emmanuel Macron and Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
No issue is higher on GMF’s agenda at present than Ukraine. Since Russia’s illegal and inhumane invasion of Ukraine, GMF has been working tirelessly to ensure the safety of its grantee and alumni networks in the country and enable them to continue their work or pivot to addressing the unfolding humanitarian crisis. In Washington and across its European office, GMF is working to connect policymakers with Ukrainian perspectives and to inform the Western response to Russia’s war with the spirit of the Marshall Plan. GMF is distributing $3.1 million in grants to support Ukrainian civil society, including more than $50,000 from its first-ever public appeal, the GMF Hope Fund.
This is the tip of the iceberg—from Asia policy to cities to technology and democracy, GMF’s Dupont Circle headquarters is a hotbed of thinking and action, ensuring that the key issues facing America and Europe are addressed with the same values that made the Marshall Plan an iconic example of visionary problem-solving. As Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg recently noted at an event in Berlin celebrating the anniversaries of GMF and the Marshall Plan “We who are living at this hinge point between history and memory have a special responsibility to mark and to reaffirm the lessons of that period.” GMF not only marks the lessons of the Marshall Plan—it makes sure those lessons are applied today to the big challenges facing Europe and America.
