NCFP Blog

Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

It’s Time To Retire The Term “High Net Worth”

Posted on August 3, 2023 by Stephanie Ellis-Smith, Nancy Reid

Person opening a door
Phila Engaged Giving’s Stephanie Ellis-Smith and Nancy Reid outline the benefits of changing “worth” to “wealth” in the term “high net worth.” This piece was originally published by Phila Engaged Giving and is re-published here with permission. Here’s something radical for you to consider: let’s retire the phrase “high net worth” (HNW), and the even more obnoxious, “ultra high net worth”… Read More
Network News

July 2023: News and Notes from NCFP’s Members and Partners

Posted on July 31, 2023

Network News highlights updates from NCFP’s members and network partners. Current NCFP members or network partners are encouraged to email us with news they would like shared with the community.  Ann Mackey Huston and Darlene Motley Elected to Fred L. Emerson Foundation Board of Directors Kristen E. Rubacka, president of the Foundation commented: “We are extremely pleased to have Darlene… Read More
From NCFP, Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Freedom & Effectiveness Through Accountability

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Miki Akimoto, Ashley Blanchard

Because a body of men, holding themselves accountable to nobody, ought not to be trusted by anybody. – Thomas Payne It should go without saying that families who embark on philanthropy together have good intentions—to give back to  communities where families live and have made their wealth, to make a difference in the world, and to provide a place where… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Partnership Lifecycle and Exercising Funder Responsibility and Accountability

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Nicholas Banovetz

Caterpillar transitioning to butterfly; lifecycle concept
“I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself.” -Teton Sioux Tribe We’re in this together. Funders, grantees, and community. And while the dynamics of power and privilege exist, the values of collaboration, transparency, and responsibility define good philanthropy. At the Better Way Foundation, we work alongside grantees and… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Living Our Values Through Stakeholder Compensation

Posted on July 15, 2023 by Alexandria Featherston-Gomez, Shelley Trott

Two people shaking hands across a table
What does it look like to equitably compensate grantees and other partners and how can funders do it in a way that aligns with their values? The Kenneth Rainin Foundation explored this question and shares their process for paying stakeholders. This piece was originally published by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and is re-published here with permission. In 2022 we wrote about our… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Listening, Learning, Supporting: Reflections on the RFF Team’s Support Beyond The Grant

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Rhonnel Sotelo, Kate Ray

Children playing with teacher in classroom, Courtesy of the Rogers Family Foundation
When the Rogers Family Foundation announced the sunsetting of our Oakland education strategy in October 2020, our team knew we’d reach a point of reflection on our grantmaking and practices over the last two decades. That time is now. This piece focuses on the concept of “Beyond the Grant,” which challenges funders to leverage internal organizational capacity to support their… Read More
Network News

June 2023: News and Notes from NCFP’s Members and Partners

Posted on June 15, 2023

Network News highlights updates from NCFP’s members and network partners. Current NCFP members or network partners are encouraged to email us with news they would like shared with the community.  James B. McClatchy Foundation Announces “Sunrise Plan” The James B. McClatchy Foundation announced its three-prong approach to spending all of its assets. The plan is expected to take seven years… Read More
From NCFP

Choosing Effectiveness as a Family

Posted on June 6, 2023 by Nicholas A. Tedesco

Effectiveness is a universal aspiration in philanthropy. It is ongoing and iterative, but it begins with making a choice. As our colleagues at the Center for Effective Philanthropy note, effectiveness requires four mutually reinforcing elements: goals, strategies, implementation, and assessment and learning. For family philanthropies, questions of effectiveness go even deeper. How do you build consensus with your family? How… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Aligning Legacy with Liberation: What if your family’s legacy was rooted in supporting liberation for all peoples?

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Will Cordery

Flock of birds flying near bridge
“Your family’s legacy can in fact honor previous generations, their sacrifices and opportunities; as well as hold a necessary critique of the harm these opportunities may have caused for many others,” says author Will Cordery. Will and his team at Freedom Futures share their Aligning Legacy with Liberation™ framework and the belief that a family’s liberation is deeply attached to… Read More
Network News

May 2023: News and Notes from NCFP’s Members and Partners

Posted on May 18, 2023

Network News highlights updates from NCFP’s members and network partners. Current NCFP members or network partners are encouraged to email us with news they would like shared with the community.  Blank Family Foundation Giving Surpasses $1 Billion The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has just passed the $1 billion threshold in grants made and committed. Arthur Blank, co-founder of the Home… Read More

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