President’s Message January 2008
The Voices of Family Philanthropy
by Virginia Esposito
It’s
January and the New Year is still young enough to leave most of us feeling
invigorated by its possibilities. I think of possibilities when I think of New
Year’s resolutions, but I’m not sure that is the prevailing attitude. Somehow,
resolutions have come to stand for all the things we didn’t do last year (or the
year before, or the year before that...). Consequently, resolutions tend to be
reflections of regrets and guilt -- no wonder they are forgotten (except as a
new source of guilt) by mid-January.
At the National Center, we have a lot of goals for the New Year and are pleased
that the Board of Directors approved a comprehensive 2008 Program Plan at their
meeting last November. My resolution is part of that Plan and, specifically,
came from the work we did as part of our anniversary initiative. We are working
to determine and articulate the value of family in philanthropy and the value of
family philanthropy in our democracy. We have held regional discussions and
individual interviews – and both are ongoing.
My anniversary interviews on the initiative theme have been enlightening and
inspiring. In one of them, a thoughtful leader in our field was more than ready
with an answer when I asked him what his hopes were for the future of family
philanthropy. “That donor families will realize the full power and potential of
their own voice.”
The ensuing conversation considered all the way donor families, family
foundations, and funds have a voice. Certainly, the grants you make are the
biggest statement of your voice – what you believe in and want to support. But,
in his essay “Small
Can be Effective,” the late Paul Ylvisaker detailed 20 possible functions
available to foundations – only one of which was grantmaking. Paul acknowledged
that he was appealing for more creativity in the stewardship of philanthropic
assets, but in keeping with my anniversary conversation, I began to see the
possibilities of using your philanthropic voice in each of the 20 functions. I
also began to see how some funders are already doing so.
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In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the McKnight Foundation funds special reports on
current and future policy issues. In 2007, such reports highlighted water
quality, biofuels, and government responsibilities.
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In Seattle, Washington, Mary Pembroke Perlin, a founder of Social Venture
Partners and a fund advisor at The Seattle Foundation, has been a resource and
mentor to countless new and potential donors, ensuring they both get started and
thrive in a supportive, learning community.
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In Dallas, Texas, the Meadows Foundation and, specifically, its president,
family member Linda Evans, recognized the need for better legislative
understanding of the work of family foundations. Linda met with dozens of
legislators and regulators at the state and federal levels to help them
appreciate the contributions and the challenges of philanthropic families;
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In New York, the F. B. Heron Foundation decided they could use a greater portion
of their financial assets – beyond the grantmaking payout – to further their
mission to increase wealth-creation opportunities for low-income people and
communities in the United States. They established a mission-related investment
program to remarkable results. By participating in conferences, including one of
our own teleconferences, they have ensured other grantmakers can benefit from
the lessons learned.
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In Los Angeles, California, the Durfee Foundation has found a way to draw
attention to the needs of area nonprofits and, particularly, nonprofit leaders.
Recognizing the stress these leaders are under, the Durfee sabbatical program
seeks to support leadership preservation by offering time off and promoting
staff development while they are away.
Many donor families are modest about their work and the extent of their
contributions. They don’t see this as their profession or area of expertise. Yet
many bring a wealth of experience – as grantmakers, as nonprofit board members,
and as social entrepreneurs – to the field, to potential donors, and to our
stakeholders (including the government, media, and the public). Most involved in
family philanthropy are civic, business, and social leaders who have colleagues
and influence in many arenas. And I suspect all are mentors or respected voices
with the power to encourage and lead.
I resolve to use the inspiration and amazing examples of “The Voices of Family
Philanthropy” to encourage donor families to explore the opportunities and range
of their own voices. I look forward to sharing more of my findings, lessons, and
case examples as the research progresses. Our full report will be out around
year end.
Happy New Year! Raise your voices!
Ginny
Virginia M. Esposito
President, National Center for Family Philanthropy
Family Giving News is published monthly by the
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