NCFP Blog

Voices from the Field

Five Ways Your Grants Management System Can Activate Trust-based Philanthropy

Posted on August 17, 2021 by David Goldsmith, Eric Jones

Courtesy of Mikhail Nilov from Pexels If the last tumultuous year has taught us anything, it’s that future-proofing your foundation’s grants management system (GMS) is more critical than ever. Core GMS capabilities like cloud-based access for staff and trustees, paperless processing, grantee portals, and electronic payments are now baseline must-haves for family foundations of almost any size. All indications are… Read More
Voices from the Field

Why and How Family Foundations Can Advance Equity Through Participatory Measurement

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Lymari Benitez, Yessica Cancel, Mary Marx, Katie Smith Milway, Teddy Thompson

Courtesy of Pace Center for Girls  The recent investment by MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett in funder coalitions Fund for Shared Insight and Equitable Evaluation Initiative—both dedicated to increasing participant feedback in evaluation—is the latest vote of support for gathering evidence of program impact in ways that engage program participants as experts in assessing their own experience. Participatory evaluation (PE),… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Family Philanthropy Speaks: A Conversation with Lisa Graustein

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Lisa Graustein, Nicholas A. Tedesco

Lisa Graustein, a trustee of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund in Connecticut, brings her experience as a public school teacher and her passion for building an equitable society to the boardroom. In this Family Philanthropy Speaks conversation, Lisa talks with NCFP President and CEO Nick Tedesco about the Fund’s evolution and her own philanthropic journey. Lisa also debunks assumptions… Read More
Network News

August 2021: News and Notes from NCFP’s Friends of the Family Network

Posted on August 4, 2021

Friends Focus highlights updates from members of our Friends of the Family network and their work. This month features updates from the Castellano Family Foundation, Cherng Family, Christopher Family Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Laughing Gull Foundation, Lumpkin Family Foundation,  James B. McClatchy Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and Sobrato Philanthropies. Are you a current Friend or Leadership… Read More
Featured Article

Building and Maintaining a Highly Functioning Board: Ginny’s Governance Checklist

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Virginia M. Esposito

About this Series In the early days of a family foundation, the donors and other enthusiastic family members tend to turn first to the excitement of grantmaking and, soon thereafter, to the practicalities of management and investment needs. Governance doesn’t often make it into the conversation right away— and that makes a certain sense. Early governance tends to be informal… Read More
Voices from the Field

Turning Aspiration into Action: A New Report Illustrates Equity in Action at the McKnight Foundation

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Na Eng

Before Covid-19, the McKnight Foundation invited grantees and partners to reserve meeting space in its Minneapolis office. Photo courtesy of the McKnight Foundation. This article was originally posted by the McKnight Foundation and is re-posted here with permission. Ever since the McKnight Foundation released the organization’s first diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement in 2018, our board and staff have… Read More
Voices from the Field

Looking Ahead: Featuring NCFP Peer Network Co-chairs

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Katie Scott

Courtesy of Jopwell from Pexels The National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) activates and connects a diverse and engaged community of philanthropic families and partners and seeks to foster unique opportunities for learning and inspiration. A hallmark of our work and area for growth in our future is our Peer Networks. Peer Networks are peer-led groups for a specific role… Read More
Voices from the Field

Takeaways Blog on Grantee Relationships and Power Dynamics

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Jen Crino

Courtesy of Alexander Suhorucov from Pexels This blog summarizes key notes from our July Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy Webinar. Power dynamics are inherent any funder and grantee relationship, and this imbalance between giver and receiver can inhibit productive, honest partnerships. Often nonprofits make shifts to accommodate funder guidelines for grant dollars they are seeking, to fit the specific grant application… Read More
Voices from the Field

Strengthening Your Board’s Decision-making Process

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Ann Shulman

This blog post is excerpted from the new Passages Issue Brief: Demystifying Decision Making in Family Philanthropy How does your Board of Directors make decisions? Do you gather around a table with a clear, concise packet of relevant materials, a well-prepared agenda that spells out which decision-making process will be used, then calmly discuss various proposals until you reach a decision… Read More

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