About the Foundation
Built on principle. Driven by purpose.
A New York foundation, created in 2018 to carry forward the character of one man.
Rouben Malian kept his word, refused to give up, and backed ideas before others could see them. The Rouben Malian Memorial Foundation puts those qualities to work: in the families we feed, the students we equip and guide, and the scholars we help bring their education home.
We are a New York nonprofit corporation, recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
In memoriam
Rouben Malian
Our namesake
The man behind the name.
To understand the Foundation, begin with the man who inspired it.
Rouben Malian was a person of formidable character, admired for his judgment in business and for a moral compass that held true whatever the circumstances. Those who knew him describe three qualities above all: he kept his word, he did not give up, and he was willing to bet on people and ideas when the odds were long but the cause was right.
He passed away in Sydney, Australia, in 2018. His family, friends and colleagues resolved that his legacy would not stand still. They created a foundation in his name, and made those three qualities its operating principles.
Why a foundation
His memory is kept not in stone, but in action.
After Rouben’s passing, those closest to him decided that a plaque or a statue would not do for a man who was always in motion. A memorial, for him, had to be something that kept moving: work that reaches a new family, a new student and a new scholar every year.
Our values
Three qualities. One standard.
They were his. Now they are the test every decision at the Foundation has to pass.
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I.
Integrity
Rouben believed that a person’s word was their bond, and that success achieved without honor was no success at all. We hold every part of our work to that standard, whether we are speaking with a major donor or with a family at a village school.
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II.
Tenacity
He treated obstacles as puzzles rather than stop signs, and knew that resilience is the most valuable currency a person can hold. We take on problems others consider too slow, too difficult or too costly, and we stay until we find a way through.
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III.
Big bets
He took calculated risks where the reward justified them. We back bold ideas, and methods not yet proven, when the upside for the people we serve is large. We carry the risks that they cannot afford to carry themselves.
Our history
From memorial to working foundation.
Born of a profound loss, and built on the conviction that his values travel.
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2018
New York
A foundation in his name
Following Rouben’s death in Sydney, his family, friends and colleagues create the Rouben Malian Memorial Foundation in New York, the city that remains its home.
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First
The Armenian community
Where the work began
The first projects are charitable work in the Armenian community, a cause close to Rouben’s heart, and one the Foundation continues to hold close.
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Then
Tavush and Manhattan
A wider circle
Because the values he lived by are universal, the work widens. In Armenia’s Tavush region, Classroom Without Walls brings fiber, laptops and mentors to village schools. In Manhattan, Roubies puts a week of groceries on the table for families in a bad month.
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Today
Fewer bets, fully backed
Initiatives we build and fund in full
The Foundation now concentrates its resources on initiatives it underwrites completely. Admit Path brings evidence-based educational guidance to every stage of life. The R.G. Menzies Scholarship to Harvard Alumni Group sustains a lifelong community of Australian scholars committed to public life. Together they carry Rouben’s belief in people from a child’s first school choice to the highest levels of leadership.
How we work
The principles we hold ourselves to.
Five commitments that shape how we choose, fund and run everything we do.
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01We fund fully
We would rather fund a few initiatives completely than many in part. Because our initiatives are underwritten by the Foundation, they are free to put their mission ahead of revenue.
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02We measure honestly
We track what we deliver, what changes as a result and what lasts, and we report what did not work alongside what did. How we measure
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03We stay close
Our programs are run by people who know the people they serve. Remaining small and personal is a choice, not a phase.
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04We protect independence
Where we support communities we do not govern, such as the Menzies Alumni Group, we strengthen what they build without touching the rigor or independence of their decisions.
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05We respect privacy
We never sell personal data, never use the details of the people we help for fundraising, and keep only what we need in order to help them.
Looking ahead
Depth before scale.
The digital divide widens as technology advances, and the needs of families under pressure keep changing. Our next chapter will be defined by depth as much as by growth.
- Publishing Admit Path’s first annual impact report: the people it supports, the free and discounted services it delivers, and the accuracy of its models.
- Deepening the Menzies Alumni Group’s mentoring, so that more applicants can speak with a scholar who has made the journey.
- Launching new remote-learning initiatives, and extending our vocational partnerships into emerging green-energy sectors.
- Strengthening our advocacy in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals for permanent funding for at-risk schools.
Whether you knew Rouben or are meeting him here for the first time, you are welcome to be part of what comes next.
Carry it forward
Be part of what comes next.
Back an initiative, sponsor guidance for the students you serve, or fund a family’s week of groceries. We will tell you exactly where your support goes, and what it achieved.