Surdna Celebrates Jon Goldberg’s 28 Years of Service and Upcoming Retirement

After 28 years with the Surdna Foundation, Jonathan Goldberg is retiring from his role of vice president of Learning & Impact, effective July 1, 2025.

Since joining Surdna in 1997, Jon has worn many hats—from supporting early communications and information systems and guiding Surdna through nearly three decades of technological advancements to leading the foundation’s grantmaking, learning, and impact work.

In 2019, Jon led the creation of Surdna’s Learning & Grant Operations (LGO) department, bridging operations and program work for deeper connections across grantmaking strategies, grantees’ experience in the grantmaking process, and how to use technology and data for learning and efficiency. As a member of the leadership team and part of a larger reorganization in 2023, Jon orchestrated LGO’s evolution to focus on Learning & Impact, working in collaboration to assess Surdna’s work and contribute lessons and knowledge to Surdna and its partners.

A regular contributor to the field, Jon has authored many articles and presented at conferences on grantmaking best practices with PEAK Grantmaking, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Technology Association of Grantmakers, peer funders, and other organizational partners.

“I’m grateful for all Jon Goldberg has contributed to Surdna and the field,” said Don Chen, president of the Surdna Foundation. “When Jon joined the foundation, our grant records were kept in a shoebox! Over three decades, he’s transformed how we operate and helped us become who we are today—a foundation that centers grantees and authentic, trusting relationships, pursues excellence while letting go of burdensome grant practices, and focuses on learning and working together to bring about more just, sustainable communities. I want to thank him for his tremendous service and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.”

Jon’s career in philanthropy began with the New York State Council on the Arts, where he spent 12 years serving as a grantmaker and technologist, primarily in the music department. He produced three state-wide contemporary classical and jazz music tours featuring artists like Phillip Glass, Max Roach, Sun Ra, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago, The Kronos Quartet, and many others. Jon intends to pursue his passion for music in retirement.

“After 40 years of experience working in philanthropy, and 28 years at the Surdna Foundation I leave with a deep sense of pride and gratitude for the work we’ve done together,” said Jon Goldberg. “I have had the privilege of helping steer the field toward a less burdensome, more trusting relationship with our grantees, helped provide capacity-building support to our partners, embraced new technological advances in the field, and worked with my colleagues and grantee partners to learn from our mistakes, stay the course on those values we hold dear, and fight for what matters. My sincere thanks goes to Surdna’s presidents, past and current, all three of whom I had the pleasure of working with; our staff and grantees; colleagues in the field; and our deeply committed board of directors. You have given me a world class education. I leave Surdna at a fraught time. The work ahead will be the most challenging in Surdna’s long history. But I have confidence that Surdna will remain bold and committed. From strength to strength, may we be strengthened.”

Jon will continue to work with Surdna through June 2025, and we will announce detailed transition plans closer to Jon’s departure. In the meantime, you can reach out to Jon, your program officer, and our senior grants manager for support and questions.