Family Philanthropy Playbook for Community Foundations

Unit 2: Business Model Canvas

NCFP based the structure of this Playbook on the Business Model Canvas, a one-page visual chart capturing brief answers to essential questions about customers, value proposition, resource uses, and more.


DO: Philanthropic Services Business Model Canvas

NCFP adapted open source versions of the Business Model Canvas for community foundations’ use in the Family Philanthropy Playbook. There are three documents to download:

  • Using the Business Model Canvas which provides instructions and self-reflection questions for each section of the canvas. [members only]
  • Philanthropic Services Canvas Annotated, an 11×17 PDF planning tool that contains key questions in each section of the canvas and links to the appropriate units in the Playbook to help you develop answers that make sense for your foundation. [members only]
  • A blank PDF of the Philanthropic Services Canvas which you can type or write your answers and create your own canvas. [members only]

WATCH (3:46): The Nonprofit Business Model Canvas

Facilitator and trainer Bryann Alexandros was one of the first people to adapt the Business Model Canvas to the nonprofit sector. He outlines his version in this video and you can download his version on his website. Your grantees also may find this version useful.