NCFP Blog

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in The Philanthropist, is first of a series that will explore rural philanthropy in Canada. A French translation is also available. When a group of Prince Edward County residents decided to establish a community foundation for the pastoral rural island region in eastern Ontario in 2008, they began not with an endowment, as is… Read More

Editor’s Note: The following is a conversation with Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance and board member of the Andrus Family Fund. It is an excerpt from the forthcoming Passages Issue Brief: Bridging the Power Divide that will address power dynamics in family philanthropy.   “One of the most critical conversations we… Read More

Most discussions of younger donors tend to focus on how we give—our impact focus, our desire to be involved with the organizations we fund, and our interest in making a difference through social enterprise and newer forms of philanthropy. These trends are important to my family’s giving and I see them frequently working with younger donors in my capacity as… Read More

What choices do family foundations and funds have when it comes to transparency? And what approaches do other families take when it comes to managing transparency, communications, and privacy? NCFP’s new guide, Transparency in Family Philanthropy: Opening to the Possibilities examines how family funders are thinking about transparency… Read More

Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series by the Whitman Institute (TWI), featuring foundations that practice trust-based philanthropy, that acknowledge the power dynamics and realities facing nonprofits, and that invite more authentic relationships and communication with grantees. This piece originally appeared on the Whitman Institute’s website and appears with permission. The Hill-Snowdon Foundation is a DC-based foundation committed to supporting… Read More

We all have emotions and biases. Fear and greed are two of the most powerful emotions and are often a foundation endowment’s worst enemies. As investors, we need to be self-aware and recognize how these emotions can impact our investment decision-making. In order to reduce investment risk related to emotions, crafting and implementing an Investment Policy Statement (“IPS”) is an… Read More

It’s been my privilege to manage The Ruth and Hal Launders Charitable Trust since its inception in 2006. When I took on this challenge, I never imagined how something as simple as giving money for charity could be so complicated. Mastering the private foundation rules, adopting best practices, keeping abreast of trends in modern philanthropy, and searching for outsized impact can make the head spin… Read More

For many, this moment can feel overwhelming and even paralyzing. From climate crises to the opioid epidemic and growing social divides, it can seem impossible to prioritize our philanthropic efforts. As president of a national foundation focused on the health of the American political system, I receive calls daily from family philanthropists who have added the health of our democracy… Read More

What choices do family foundations and funds have when it comes to transparency? And what approaches do other families take when it comes to managing transparency, communications, and privacy? NCFP’s new guide, Transparency in Family Philanthropy: Opening to the Possibilities examines how family funders are thinking about transparency… Read More