November 2011 FGN: Measuring What Counts: Meaningful Evaluation for Family Foundations

November 2011

In this issue of Family Giving News, we're pleased to share an excerpt from our newly released edition of Passages, "Measuring What Counts: Meaningful Evaluation for Family Foundations." This new paper explores ways that family foundations around the country are measuring the impact they are having with their grantmaking.

FEATURE: Measuring What Counts: Meaningful Evaluation for Family Foundations
To improve communities, foundations must ask themselves what impact they are having. Those featured in the National Center’s new Passages issue paper on this topic have chosen a variety of paths to evaluation. Each foundation made its choice with a disciplined eye toward the value of what would be learned and the integrity of the process of inquiry; in this issue of Family Giving News, we feature two of these foundations’ stories ..… Continue reading →

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: Transitions Bring Both Joy and Sadness
Whether or not your giving program is designed to exist in perpetuity, as grounded as you may be in the spirit of your founders and the family's legacy of giving, all family philanthropy depends on the natural evolution of things and the new energy this evolution inspires.... Continue reading →

GOVERNANCE ESSENTIALS: A Seminar for New and Prospective Family Foundation Trustees
NCFP’s Governance Essentials seminar provides a comprehensive introduction to all of the key legal, investment, grantmaking, and family dynamics issues facing new family foundation board members… Continue reading →

ASK THE CENTER: Family Foundation Board Job Descriptions
Our family foundation is preparing to bring on the third generation of family board members. As we prepare for this important transition we hope to better document the specific roles, responsibilities and attributes of our board members… Continue reading →

SPECIAL THANKS: To Our Friends and Supporters
We offer special thanks to our Friends of the Family and funders who support and sustain the work of the National Center. Our Friends offer continuing support for our work addressing emerging challenges in the field, researching new and evolving philanthropic issues, and … Continue reading →

New @ the National Center
Featured this month are upcoming events in our Family Philanthropy Teleconference series, an invitation to sponsor upcoming issues of our Passages issue paper series, updates on exciting staffing news at the National Center, and information on important new benefits and services for members … Continue reading →