Network News

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

Posted on August 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.  David Farren Announces Forthcoming Retirement Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Executive Director David Farren announces his plans to retire at the end of the year after an 11-year tenure at… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Family Foundation Finds Focus in Grantee Relationships

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Prentice Zinn

Growing plant put into focus by a magnifying glass
In recent years, GMA Foundations has worked with the Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation to define and hone its grantmaking focus. The process involved deep listening and learning and strengthened grantee relationships.  Cohesive family giving across geography and generations is patient work. Trustees’ willingness to listen to one another and to invest time in grantee relationships translates… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

The Power of a Learning Journey

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Christine Sherry

Aerial view or car driving on winding road through a forest
Family philanthropy benefits enormously from continuous inquiry. But it can be challenging to identify paths to deepen knowledge, explore new ideas, and ultimately, build a culture of curiosity. Embarking on a learning journey—a series of experiences designed to better understand your role in the funding landscape and how to improve your work—can be a creative and inspirational way to promote… Read More
From NCFP

Application Processes and Effective Family Philanthropy: No easy answers

Posted on August 21, 2023 by Miki Akimoto

You don’t know who you don’t know – Jay Espy, former CEO, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation What does your application process say about you? As the philanthropic field continues to evolve and explore critical issues including equity, accountability, relationship-building, listening, and trust-based approaches, the grants application process (or lack thereof) often serves as a focal point for both discussions and… Read More
Voices from the Field

Indian American Philanthropy: A Tradition of Seeding Change and Inspiring Giving

Posted on August 10, 2023 by Sharmila Rao Thakkar

Indian Americans have a long history of philanthropy, and the tradition continues to thrive with the current and next generation. In this piece, Sharmila Rao Thakkar explores the various trends and motivations behind Indian American philanthropy—as well as share more about the first-ever India Giving Day that took place on March 2, 2023 and that will become a new annual… Read More
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