18 Anti-Harassment Groups Splitting $20M from CBS

CBS said it will give $20 million in grants to 18 organizations to support eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace.

The grants are part an agreement the company made when it dismissed former CEO Leslie Moonves, who has been accused of improper behavior with women at work during his career before and after arriving at CBS.

The groups getting money from CBS are:

- Catalyst

- Collaborative Fund for Women’s Safety and Dignity (Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors)– re-granting

- Free the Bid

- Freedom Forum Institute – Power Shift Project

- Futures Without Violence

- Girls for Gender Equity / ‘me too.’ Movement

- International Women’s Media Foundation

- National Women’s Law Center

- New York Women’s Foundation – re-granting

- Press Forward

- Producers Guild of America Foundation

- RAINN

- STRIVE International

- Sundance Institute’s Momentum program

- TIME’S UP Entertainment

- TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund

- Women in Film Los Angeles

- Women’s Media Center

CBS said it worked with expert advisory firm Rally, an issue-driven communications firm, to determine the criteria for the grants and develop a strategy that will support new and existing work. 

"The funds we receive from CBS will make a significant impact on organizations that do critical work on behalf of survivors of sexual violence, and for women’s safety and equity at work," the groups said in a joint statement. "The contributions are a step to driving real progress toward ending the national epidemic of sexual violence and harassment. Our organizations serve on the front lines of this effort every day, and we continue to see enormous need for our work. We know these funds will help us create and expand a range of important programs that advance our collective mission and help many individuals get justice. We thank CBS for these donations. We also recognize these funds are not a panacea, nor do they erase or absolve decades of bad behavior."

"The road ahead remains long. Progress will only be possible through a sustained commitment to improve internal culture and policies. It is our hope that corporations will seize this powerful moment to create workplaces where everyone can work safely, with every opportunity to reach their full potential," the statement added. "In addition, we look forward to receiving the full results of the investigation into Mr. Moonves and an update on additional concrete commitments that CBS - and all organizations - will make to support lasting change.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.