Ronald A. Howard Endowment
for Decision Education
HELP SUSTAIN DEF FOR YEARS TO COME
Stanford University Professor Ronald A. Howard was a seminal figure in the field of Decision Analysis. A DEF Founder, Ron believes everyone should be empowered with effective Decision Skills that support ethical action.
Join Ron in ensuring DEF's long-term success by participating in our endowment.
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Ron participated in establishing the endowment in his name in 2021.
Ron was DEF's President, a founding Board member, and a Decision Education champion.
We mourn his passing in October 2024.
Giving Levels
"If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." -- Isaac Newton
Bayes' Benefactors
$10K - $30K
David Heckerman
Bernoulli Principals
$30K - $100K
Tom Keelin
Miriam Rivera & Clint Korver
LaPlace Transformers
$100K and Above
Warner North
Paul Skov
Carl Spetzler
Sharon Swann
A Message from Ron
As you know, I’ve devoted much of my career to advancing the causes of decision quality, ethical choice, and a voluntary society. I believe it is in all our best interests and those of future generations to continue to advance these causes.
There are many ways to do so. For example, you may choose to role model them in your life, teach foundational principles to others, and/or contribute to organizations that are aligned in purpose and action with advancing them on our behalf.
Many such causes are well-funded by others in a way that our individual contributions, while well-intentioned, have limited impact. However, the cause of decision quality, especially for youth, is an exception. Unless those of us who value it support it, it may not endure.
Encouraged by DEF’s progress, the Board of Directors has established an endowment fund to ensure DEF is able to persist indefinitely in our mission to empower youth with effective decision skills.
Our immediate goal is to raise $10 million. In less than a month, this fund has received more than $1 million in contributions. All our board members have contributed. An additional $1 million dollars has been committed so far as a match to double the impact of your contributions.
I hope you will join me in helping us reach this goal. I know of no better way to ensure an ongoing presence of decision education in our schools and, ultimately, in our society.
We invite you to become a charter contributor and/or a legacy contributor by including this endowment in your will. Contributions are tax-deductible.
Please share this opportunity with others who may be interested in supporting our work. Use the forms below to formalize your contribution.
Best regards,
Ron
wHY WE NEED AN ENDOWMENT - What We've Learned
During DEF's first 20 years, we learned many things, including:
- Decision Skills are a superpower of value to students and valued by educators.
- Decision Skills are non-intuitive but they are teachable and accessible to young people.
- DEF's integrated curriculum is unique, scalable, and effective.
Most importantly, we've identified significant challenges:
- People are not aware of the huge personal benefits of Decision Quality.
- Most decision-making education is simplistic and doesn’t address uncertainty.
- Long-term, persistent effort will be needed to transform traditional education.
Your contribution to DEF’s endowment is important!
We depend on contributions like yours to sustain and extend our capacity, pursue our mission, and maintain our focus on deep Decision Skills, including Uncertainty.
rON'S RETIREMENT ADDRESS
At his retirement party, Ron emphasized the importance of Decision Education by sharing a lecture on conditional probability. DEF responded by producing a video, following through on Ron's vision in a way high school students can understand and demonstrating our commitment to teach deep Decision Skills, including uncertainty.
Ensure Ron's Message Lives On
THE SANSCRIT ROOT BUDHI MEANS TO AWAKE, TO KNOW.
"No one will understand your deep truths," tempted the demon, Mara. "Some will understand," responded the Buddha, touching the earth, then returned to teach.
DEF holds to deep truths grounded in the work of Ronald A. Howard, Professor Emeritus of Stanford University.
Decisions are a source of peace and of power, of joy, and a means of overcoming sorrow. When we achieve clarity and take ethical action, we marshal the truth and freedom of our convictions in the moment, living intentionally without regret.
Not all will understand the value of building a life founded on first principles in decision analysis.
However, with your investment, more will come to understand.
Thank you for giving generously to the Ronald A. Howard Endowment for Decision Education.