Voices from the Field

To celebrate his 50th birthday, a Boston-area banker named Abraham "Cap" Ratshesky chose to give a gift to his community by setting aside some of his wealth to create a foundation. A century later, that giving continues… Read More

Many of us in family philanthropy are driven by a grand vision of a better world. We are motivated by bold ideas, and finding ways to use our philanthropy to make a difference and leave a lasting impact. And, at the same time, we are too often hamstrung by a fear of failure. … Read More

We live in a world of growing income disparities, human rights violations, increasing environmental concerns, political instability and ongoing global threats and atrocities. We will never have an impact on these issues until we enlist the help of those who will be 60 years old in 2071. Yes, I’m talking about the five-year-olds of today… Read More

Learn Foundation Law is a free resource for online trainings and tools related to the basic legal rules for private foundations… Read More

Racial diversity and inclusion have been central to the grant making strategy at the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation for decades. In more recent years, the Foundation has deepened its engagement with racial equity. For David L. Neal, a family member and trustee at the Winston-Salem, N.C., family foundation, this focus on equity has been a high priority. Not long ago, however, as he was researching his family’s — and the foundation’s — history, he discovered that its legacy is more complicated than he had once thought… Read More

We often hear that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. But what if we started to think about them to be leaders today? What does that mean and how would it look? Philanthropy gives us an opportunity to work with youth on developing life skills such as decision-making, collaboration and, more importantly, empowering youth as leaders in their communities. … Read More

Why you give matters just as much, if not more, than what you give. Whether you are talking about preserving wealth or giving it away, it’s important to be clear on the values that drive that decision. How many people have voiced their own values, held a conversation with loved ones about the values they share? My guess? Not many… Read More