FGN - March 2004 - New Research and Trends.htm


FAMILY GIVING NEWS, March 2004 Investing In Your Mission Volume 4, Issue 3

CONTENTS: UP FRONT: INVESTING IN YOUR MISSION ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: INVESTING IN YOUR MISSION NEW RESEARCH AND TRENDS IN FAMILY PHILANTHROPY ALSO IN THE NEWS.... WHAT'S NEW AT NCFP CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE PDF VERSION (29 PAGES; 1.12 MB)		NEW RESEARCH AND TRENDS IN FAMILY PHILANTHROPY Trustee Compensation: What is Appropriate What California Donors Want: In Their Own Voices Key Facts on Family Foundations Studies on California Philanthropy Foundation Governance: The CEO Viewpoint Raising Children With Philanthropic Values Hewlett Foundation Grantee Perception Report REQUESTS FOR FEEDBACK Calling All Giving Circles International Grantmaking Perspectives Survey




THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR FGN SPONSORS! MicroEdge: Technology Solutions for Family Foundations Stay up to date on foundation news with FN&C Now Online news covering the nonprofit world		TRUSTEE COMPENSATION: WHAT IS APPROPRIATE? [PDF FILE] January 2004, National Center for Family Philanthropy Key subject areas: trustee compensation This January 2004 briefing paper by National Center for Family Philanthropy Board Member Alice Buhl addresses two key questions related to compensation: if a foundation chooses to compensate board members, how does it decide on an appropriate level of compensation? And what does a foundation need to consider to assure that its compensation is both reasonable and consistent with the overall mission of the foundation? This paper is a must-read for any family considering the practice of compensating trustees. For additional information on this topic, please see the National Center's Passages issue paper: *Board Compensation: Reasonable and Necessary?*


FEATURED RESOURCE : What California Donors Want: In Their Own Voices Download your free copy here		WHAT CALIFORNIA DONORS WANT: IN THEIR OWN VOICES January 2004, National Center for Family Philanthropy Key subject areas: donor motivations, donor profiles This new study explores the attitudes, experiences, and challenges of leading new philanthropists in our country’s most affluent and diverse state. Funded by the James Irvine Foundation, the report provides practical suggestions and considerations for what these community leaders see as the most needed tools, information, and guidance they require as philanthropists. The study is written using the voices of the donors themselves, on topics ranging from their motivations for giving to how best to involve and prepare their children to take part in their philanthropy. Just a few of the more than 200 quotes featured in the study include: “We were surprised by the scope and depth of the needs in this community. We had no idea that there were so many agencies and how much work it takes to know which ones are most effective.” “What motivates me to give is peer pressure: pressure from my wife, my colleagues, the school my kids attend, my business partner, from people and organizations I don’t even know. It’s pressure from things I’m involved with in business and in my personal life. I cannot NOT give.” “Having the foundation is important to our family. We made a conscious decision to live lower on the food chain so that we could continue funding it. We moved to a smaller house and reduced our scale of living. It took a while for our kids to become actively engaged in the foundation, but it finally happened. Our greatest reward is doing this with our children.” “If I had understood how vibrant the field of philanthropy was and how intellectually stimulating the challenges were, I would have gotten engaged earlier.” This special section of the National Center’s website includes a variety of additional information related to the study, including the complete questionnaire used for the interviews with donors, and information on additional studies and data related to private philanthropy in California.

		KEY FACTS ON FAMILY FOUNDATIONS [PDF FILE] February 2004, The Foundation Center Key subject areas: *research and trends* This fact sheet, a follow-up to the 1998 study, Family Foundations: A Profile of Funders and Trends, is based on a sample of more than 29,400 foundations identified by the Foundation Center as having “measurable donor or donor-family involvement.” The fact sheet includes updated information on the size and giving levels of family foundations included in the sample, and the average size of family foundation boards by decade established.



		STUDIES ON CALIFORNIA PHILANTHROPY January 2004, National Center for Family Philanthropy Key subject areas: *research and trends* This is a collection of new studies and periodicals exploring the state of philanthropy in California, prepared in conjunction with the National Center’s new report, What California Donors Want: In Their Own Voices. Featured studies include The Philanthropic Initiative’s Doing Well by Doing Good In California—Improving Client Service, Increasing Philanthropic Capital: The Legal and Financial Advisor's Role; and, Philanthropy's Forgotten Resource? Engaging the Individual Donor from New Visions Philanthropic Research and Development.

SUGGEST A TOPIC, RESOURCE, OR EVENT FOR FUTURE ISSUES		FOUNDATION GOVERNANCE: THE CEO VIEWPOINT [PDF FILE] January 2004, The Center for Effective Philanthropy Key subject areas: foundation effectiveness; board-staff relations The report is based on a survey of CEOs of the largest 250 foundations in the country. It reveals that nearly three quarters of boards at the 129 responding foundations have discussed governance responsibilities in light of corporate governance reforms and scrutiny of foundation practices. The study also includes a section on CEO’s perceptions of effectiveness when members of the donor’s family serve on the board, and reports that, “The presence of family members on the board tends to lower CEO perceptions of a board’s effectiveness, although it does not alter perceptions of satisfaction with the relationship between the CEO and the board.”



SHARE THIS PAGE WITH A FRIEND OR COLLEAGUE		RAISING CHILDREN WITH PHILANTHROPIC VALUES [PDF FILE] January 2004, The Philanthropic Initiative Key subject areas: *raising philanthropic children; generational succession* For many parents with strong moral, religious or civic beliefs, it is particularly important that their children grow up to become caring, generous adults with deeply-held philanthropic values. This new monograph from The Philanthropic Initiative’s “Venturesome Donor Series” provides practical guidance for parents seeking to raise their children to be philanthropic and to extend a tradition of stewardship into the next generation.

		HEWLETT FOUNDATION GRANTEE PERCEPTION REPORT February 2004, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Key subject areas: *grantee relationship; effective communications* This report, conducted by the Center for Effective Philanthropy and commissioned by the Hewlett Foundation, provides an intriguing example of one leading foundation’s efforts to be transparent and accountable to its grantees and the general public. The report allowed grantees to give confidential feedback about their experiences working with the Hewlett Foundation and its staff. The Hewlett Foundation received high marks on the impact it has on its chosen fields, as well as for the expertise of its program staff. Grantees were less positive about the Foundation’s grant selection process, which was perceived to be much more rigorous but less helpful than that required by other foundations, and they felt that the Foundation could do a better job of communicating its goals and strategies.

		CALLING ALL GIVING CIRCLES February 2004, New Ventures in Philanthropy Key subject areas: *giving circles* New Ventures in Philanthropy, a project of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, is conducting a national scan to identify and document the nature and extent of giving circles as a new vehicle for giving. This research seeks to explore how many giving circles exist nationally, to describe their structure and operations, and to illuminate how choices around form and function impact a circle’s operations. New Ventures will use this research to highlight promising practices and exemplary tools, as well to identify missing resources and research. Forward the name and contact information - especially email, if available - of a circle representative, and if possible a brief description of the group, to Tracey Rutnik via email at trutnik@abagmd.org. Please include the words “Giving Circle Study” in the subject line of the email. Or contact Tracey via telephone at (410) 727-1205 ex 211.

		INTERNATIONAL GRANTMAKING PERSPECTIVES SURVEY February 2004, Grantmakers Without Borders Key subject areas: *international philanthropy* Our colleagues at Grantmakers Without Borders are currently conducting a broad-based survey looks regarding the perceptions of international grantmaking on the part of US foundations and individuals not currently engaged in international grantmaking. Please consider taking a few minutes to inform their work by filling out the important survey at the link above.










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