The Rockefeller Brothers Fund was founded in 1940 as a vehicle through which the five sons and daughter of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., could share a source of advice and research on charitable activities and combine some of their philanthropies to better effect. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. made a substantial gift to the fund in 1951, and in 1960 the fund received a major bequest from his estate. Together, these constitute the original endowment of the fund.