Ask NCFP

Can family foundations play a role in presidential or local elections? Well, sort of. The long answer is more complex than you might expect and private foundations who want to enter this arena must do so with care.  The role you and your grantees can play in issues that might have heightened public attention in an election year lies in… Read More

Question:  I would like to make a meaningful contribution to my alma mater – my 50 year reunion is coming up. I have also decided, reluctantly, that the time has come for me to part with the family vacation home in Maine that has meant so much to me and my late husband over the past 40 years. The kids… Read More

Editor’s note: This article is excerpted from the new NCFP CEO Guide, Performance Review: The Complete Guide to Evaluating the Family Foundation CEO, volume 3 of our Family Foundation CEO Leadership Series. Setting priorities can be challenging for a new CEO, what with the myriad responsibilities of the job. When Kathleen Odne, the executive director of the Dean & Margaret… Read More

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on the Minnesota Council on Foundations’ Philanthropy Potluck Blog, and is used with MCOF’s permission. During discussions of diversity in philanthropy, family grantmakers sometimes get frustrated. Their thoughts may immediately turn to: “Our board members are family, how can we be diverse?” No matter your family’s DNA or your foundation’s charter, it is possible (and desirable) to… Read More

My parents are in the process of establishing a family foundation, and we are wondering  if you have a list of common mistakes that other donors have made in planning for a family foundation? A foundation is a business enterprise and, like any good business enterprise, a little bit of planning goes a long way. What can go wrong, you… Read More

Our foundation’s board of directors is preparing to hire a new CEO to replace our retiring CEO, who has been with the family for nearly 20 years. As we talk with applicants, what are the most important topics we should discuss in terms of appropriate board and staff roles? In the transition between CEOs, Boards should discuss specific leadership roles… Read More

Our board has recently been asked by a local group of funders to join a funder collaborative designed to help revitalize a troubled neighborhood in our community. What advice do you have for how to respond to this invitation? What are the advantages of funder collaborations, and what red flags should we be aware of? And how difficult is it… Read More

Our family foundation board is committed to adding several new next generation family members (i.e., in their 20s and 30s) to the board in the next 2-3 years. We also need to become more proactive in inviting younger family members (i.e., those in the 10-20 range) to participate in the family’s philanthropy. Do you have suggestions for opportunities for our… Read More

By Andras Kosaras, Associate, Arnold and Porter LLP Private foundations frequently receive grant applications from groups that are under the fiscal sponsorship of a section 501(c)(3) public charity.  But sometimes the request is for the private foundation itself to serve as a group’s fiscal sponsor.  Is a private foundation legally permitted to serve as a fiscal sponsor?  Why would a… Read More