Voices from the Field

I have been talking with families and executives lately about the growing number of private foundations deciding to “sunset” after a predetermined number of years. The primary reason for this is the concern about the mission and values of the foundation shifting away over time from the original intent of the donor… Read More

As the world faces one of the largest refugee crises since World War II, understanding how to fund effective solutions has proven to be a difficult, complex task… Read More

The philanthropy landscape is shifting underneath us. The fact is that it is always shifting, to evolve as each generation reacts to and learns from what has worked and what hasn’t… Read More

Over the past 18 months, the trustees and staff of the David Rockefeller Fund have embarked on a journey to engage a new generation of family trustees and reinvent a 25 year-old family foundation for a new century of philanthropic challenges… Read More

Every grant award offers a potential risk that should be understood and properly mitigated. Providing grants to a charity that has had its tax-exempt status revoked — even unknowingly — can lead to the disbursement being considered a taxable expenditure, prevent foundations from meeting the annual 5 percent distribution requirement, and cause the IRS to levy excise taxes — stiff fines — on the foundations involved… Read More

When you were at the table, we generally worked through consensus building, rarely actually taking a vote. Of course since you were there, we had no trouble coming to agreement. We knew whose vote counted! … Read More

Some of philanthropy’s core practices may unwittingly be leading funders to perpetuate the inequities they’re trying to eliminate… Read More

Results of the recent election season have spotlighted the tremendous divisiveness in our nation – divisiveness that colors our approach to our country, our government and each other… Read More

So you’re cooped up in the house for the day. You may be tempted to hand over the internet-enabled devices to keep your kids out of your hair for a few hours. You could do that, or you could check out this guide for simple activities to help your kids practice generosity… Read More

You’ve seen the research: financial returns need not be sacrificed for environmental or social objectives. You recognize the possible benefit of using your foundation’s investment capital to ameliorate the same pressing social and environmental issues currently targeted by your grant strategy. You hear people in the mainstream financial services industry throwing around the term “impact investing,” but wonder how it might apply to your own foundation’s investment portfolio… Read More