Giving back has been embedded in Neiman Marcus Group’s culture since its inception in 1907. By tapping into CFT’s charitable expertise over the past fifteen years, The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation has taken its charitable giving strategies to the next level. CFT’s business-advised funds offer a unique service to companies, supporting the business’s goals with a full spectrum of services, including grantmaking, due diligence, site visits, strategy support, and more.
Neiman Marcus Group has partnered with CFT since 2008, and today, CFT oversees six of Neiman Marcus Group’s charitable funds. CFT provides the organization with grant oversight and philanthropic guidance, allowing the company to focus on the good they want to do in their community.
According to Ali Mize, Senior Director of ESG, Belonging, and Corporate Philanthropy at Neiman Marcus Group, working with CFT “allows them to have an extra set of hands, hearts, and minds to execute the work that we do on a national scale.”
The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation believes that when we empower our next generation, cultivate a culture of belonging, and invest in a sustainable future, the world will be a better place. Their current giving strategy is aligned with the company’s ESG strategy.
They educate youth on retail careers with Boys and Girls Club of America, advance LGBTQ+ equality with the Human Rights Campaign, and support students pursuing careers in sustainable and ethical fashion through the Fashion Scholarship Fund.
Additionally, while based in New York, the company’s newly established Bergdorf Goodness Foundation is managed right here in Texas through CFT. The Bergdorf Goodness Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of underserved communities in New York City through the transformative power of the arts.
With guidance from CFT’s team of experts, the Neiman Marcus Group is championing social responsibility locally and nationally, shining as an example of a company with a heart for good.
“CFT has been a great partner in making our grantmaking more strategic, equitable, and transparent. CFT staff helped us establish grantmaking guidelines and removed the administrative burden of record-keeping and validating 501(c)(3) status. This has allowed our team to focus on driving impact and building partnerships. We wouldn’t be able to do nearly as much if we had to do the administrative work that CFT does for us.” – Ali Mize, Senior Director of ESG, Belonging, and Corporate Philanthropy at Neiman Marcus Group
For more information about charitable funds, contact:
Melissa Hardage
Senior Director of Donor Engagement
donorservices@cftexas.org | 214-750-4226
