National Symposium

In September 2008, more than 100 donors, trustees, staff, advisors, and thought-leaders in the field of family philanthropy gathered at the first National Symposium on the Value of Family Philanthropy.

The symposium is the heart of a research and education initiative that seeks to better understand and articulate the value of family philanthropy. Until now, no one has examined and made a clear, compelling case for the value of family participation in philanthropy. This initiative aims to address that important objective.

Watch highlights from the Symposium

A key reason for pursuing this research is that the rapid growth of family philanthropy in the past decade has led to increased scrutiny and raised many questions about the field, both internally and externally. In our decade of service to family philanthropists and those who serve them, the National Center has heard all the questions, and we believe it is time to take a critical look at the field to better understand why family philanthropy is important and why we believe it must be sustained and nurtured.

This national symposium for 100 invited leaders in the field was preceded by regional symposia held in 12 cities and attended by approximately 300 people, mostly foundation trustees, who shared their views on the challenges and opportunities of family participation in philanthropy. The themes that emerge from these facilitated conversations have informed the selection of topics to be discussed at this national convening. All regional meetings were co-sponsored by regional associations and, often, community foundations, so they too could benefit from the lessons learned and apply them in service to their constituencies.

The information gleaned from the regional and national symposia as well as a number of individual interviews will serve as the basis for a publication The Value of Family in Philanthropy, a publication to be issued early 2009.

Download the event program, complete with session descriptions and speaker biographies.

Read coverage of the symposium in Family Giving News.

View highlights from all of the symposium sessions at the National Center's YouTube channel: Family Philanthropy TV.