New @ the National Center: August 2010
August 2010
Despite one of the hottest summers on record, there’s more going on than ever before at the National Center – here’s a quick overview of our new Passages issue paper, new features for our Family Philanthropy Online subscribers, upcoming monthly Teleconferences and more!
Managing Risk: Board Oversight of Foundation Investments
By Andras Kosaras and Karen Green
In the post-Madoff era, the foundation and nonprofit sector continues to struggle with how to invest philanthropic assets most appropriately, and how to ensure that boards and staff are managing investments prudently. This issue of Passages, authored by two of the nation’s leading experts on the roles and responsibilities of foundation boards, looks at the critical role of governance and how to develop policies which ensure prudent investment practices.
Now available in the Family Philanthropy Online Knowledge Center for subscribers, and available by request for Family Giving News readers.
Family Meetings, International Grantmaking, Mission Investing – You Name It, We’re Covering It!
We’ve got a diverse line-up of Family Philanthropy Teleconferences coming up. Remember, registration is free for our Friends of the Family and for members of our Family Philanthropy Online subscriber networks. Upcoming events include:
- August 12: Creative Agendas for More Effective Family Meetings
- September 15: Using Volunteers to Create Change
- October 14: Family Giving Beyond Borders for Long-Term Results
Please Share Your Experiences to Help Design the first-ever Family Foundation CEO Symposium!
Readers of Family Giving News who are family foundation CEOs—either family or non-family—can help our CEO Initiative by filling out our very short online survey: tell us about a moment when a challenge presented itself in your role as a family foundation CEO, and you wished you’d had someone or something to turn to for help. Remember, invitations to our symposium will go out only to our supporters.
Save the Dates!
Join us in Austin on October 11-13 and in New York on January 23-25
Austin: October 11-13: Association for Small Foundation’s Annual Conference. The National Center is pleased to serve once again as a session designer for the ASF conference. Our session, on October 11 from 3:00 to 4:30, entitled "Family Foundation Succession Planning: Who Will Lead the Way?", will cover how succession is consistently among the top concerns of ASF family foundation members, but many find planning for transitions challenging—especially the first steps. Learn about a successful model for succession planning, tips to plan for the transition, and ways to communicate clearly. Find out how you and your family can clarify expectations for future leadership and direction, and prepare for that future. The conference as a whole promises to offer a full menu of sessions and resources for family foundations – let us know if you can make it, and we hope to see you there!
New York: January 23-25: Bridges: the 2011 Family Philanthropy Conference, sponsored by the Council on Foundations. National Center Vice President Susan Price serves on the planning committee for this conference, which promises to be one of the most vibrant, informative, and inspiring conference experiences in years…
From board decision making and succession planning to defining family and engaging a new generation of family philanthropists, the National Center’s Passages issue papers help discerning donors and families navigate the tough issues in family giving. For the first time, we are pleased to share the complete Passages library through our customized Passages Collections area in the Knowledge Center – just log in to the Knowledge Center, and the link to the Collections will be on the left-hand page menu.
Family Philanthropy Online – New Vulnerable Families Resources Section Now Available!
The National Center is also pleased to announce the release of a special new section of the Family Philanthropy Online Knowledge Center – our Special Issues Collections. Our first special issue topical collection features more than 50 reports and resources on the topic of grantmaking for vulnerable families, with a particular focus on early education and reading readiness. New collections on community foundations, aging, mission investing and more will be available soon. To access the new Special Issues section, log in to Family Philanthropy Online and click on the link on the left-hand menu. Have an idea for a special topic or new focus area for Family Philanthropy Online? Send us your suggestions!