Voices from the Field

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

In impact investing, we are witnessing the flipping of the script between the old and the new. Investors are striving to transform the mental formations (mindsets, deal sheets, and return expectations) that many times collide with the limits of natural resources, the call for equitable financial outcomes, and the health and well-being of people, places, and the planet… Read More

America’s philanthropic landscape is filled with many bright spots. In 2017, Americans gave away over $400 billion to charity for the first time. Giving has also reached historical highs amongst America’s wealthiest families. The most recent data show that households with $500 million or more in assets contributed around $45 billion to charity in 2017… Read More

Yet it is exactly this—a characteristic way of thinking, feeling, judging, and acting—that defines a culture. In direct and subtle ways, children are molded by the family culture into which they are born. Growing up, their assumptions about what is right and wrong, good and bad, reflect the beliefs, values and traditions of the family culture. Most take for granted their family’s ways, and they carry into adulthood numerous attitudes and behaviors acquired in childhood… 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, acting—and, in some cases, not acting—when it comes to how open and accessible they are with others. … Read More