What are the Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy?
The monthly Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy webinar series provides guidance on the core tenets of effective family philanthropy—from motivations and values to governance, grantmaking, and succession. The series equips giving families with the latest information on evergreen topics in the donor lifecycle through practical takeaways and diverse family stories that illustrate important practices. Designed for seasoned practitioners and newcomers alike, the series is available to our members and network partners.
Register for upcoming sessions and view recordings and resources from previous webinars below.
Philanthropic Purpose
Philanthropic Purpose, Motivations, and Values
Refine the “why” behind your philanthropy and connect your philanthropic purpose to the broader change you wish to see in the world.
Defining and Translating Motivations and Values
In this webinar, learn how to facilitate productive conversations on motivations for giving, strategies for translating shared values into action, and how to successfully carry forward values across generations.
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Family Identity and Culture
Learn how families cultivate their philanthropic identity and nurture a family culture that reflects a shared sense of purpose.
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Reflecting on Your Origin Story: Understanding Wealth, Legacy, and Equity
Hear how families successfully examine their histories to move forward with a more equitable and just philanthropic effort in the future.
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Complexities of the Collective: Balancing Individual and Family Interests
In this session, we explore how families navigate the tension between the collective legacy of the foundation and individual philanthropic interests, hearing from the experiences of peer family funders and researchers examining this issue in a study of family foundations.
Impact Vehicles & Structures
The Case for Multiple Giving Vehicles
In this webinar, understand the different motivations for using multiple vehicles, how to connect the purpose behind your giving to your vehicle structures, their pros and cons, and how to create the most useful structure for your philanthropic goals.
Beyond the Private Foundation: An Exploration of Vehicles
Learn about the range of structures that advance the objectives of philanthropic families, explore the fundamental considerations, and understand how a portfolio of complementary vehicles may promote success.
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Reducing the Administrative Burden through Fiscal Sponsorship
Join us for a discussion on when and how best to leverage fiscal sponsors as a solution to effective family philanthropy.
Governance
The Essentials of Good Governance
Join this upcoming program to learn the “nuts and bolts” of good governance, including common policies and practices, strategies for how to build an effective board and decision-making framework, the core roles and responsibilities of board members, and best practices for managing meetings, strategy conversations, and other concrete aspects of governance.
Managing Family Dynamics in Governance
Learn strategies to manage dynamics, build in moments for family connection, and facilitate group decision-making.
Fiduciary Responsibilities and Legal Basics in Family Philanthropy
Join this session to better understand the fundamental and nuanced federal and state laws regulating charitable giving, including self-dealing, payout, fiscal agency, excise tax, required filings, and much more.
Effective Governance: Principles, Policies, and Practices
Learn about effective governance structures and explore the principles, policies, and practices necessary to ensure good governance in a family philanthropy effort.
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Demystifying Decision Making
Learn about the range of models that philanthropic families adopt to guide their giving and explore how to promote a healthy, open, and honest culture of communication across a family philanthropy effort.
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Governance Practices for Better Decision Making
Learn how to create an advisory committee or add independent directors, and how to ensure that these models are effective.
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Designing Effective Board Meetings: Purpose, Outcomes, Process, and People
Consider how to intentionally design meetings to engage family members in a learning agenda about their giving and how to plan and facilitate enjoyable, useful meetings that consider the purpose, outcomes, process, and people involved.
Impact Strategies & Tools
Demystifying Trust-based Practices: Trust in Action
Join this upcoming program where we will explore how to utilize specific trust-based approaches and what they look like in action. What does it really mean to be a trust-based funder? What are concrete ways to be more trust-based in your internal operations, in relationships with your partners, and in your evaluation and financial due diligence with nonprofit partners? And how do you measure success?
Developing a Purpose-aligned Budget
September 27, 2023
In this webinar, hear insights for how the budgeting process can support your organization’s philanthropic purpose.
Your Impact Strategy Doesn’t Stop at Your Grantmaking
December 14, 2023
This webinar will highlight different methods for providing support beyond grantmaking, and how to think through what can work for your philanthropy.
Building a Social Impact Strategy and Approach
How you fund matters just as much as what you fund—getting input from community members, utilizing trust-based practices, and being responsive to current needs are all important elements of successful grantmaking. In this webinar, learn practical guidance for how to build or refresh your grantmaking strategy and approach.
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Participatory Grantmaking
Learn how funders engage community members in the decision-making process and what strategies have been successful.
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Impact Investing: Aligning All Capital for Good
Join us to explore the fundamentals of impact investing, and learn more about structures like mission- and program-related investments as well as legal and administrative considerations.
Assessment & Learning
Internal Evaluation and Learning
October 12, 2023
Explore how board and staff can create a learning culture within the philanthropy, different tools to assess the organization internally, and strategies to build assessment and feedback into all facets of the work.
Listening and Feedback: Tools to Assess Your Philanthropy
November 9, 2023
Learn how to listen with intention, gather feedback in a way that does not burden your nonprofit partners, share how you acted on feedback, and how to use tools that will provide insights into how you can improve your work.
Grantee Relationships and Power Dynamics
In this webinar, learn how to build authentic relationships with grantees through trust-based practices and other approaches that will reduce power imbalances and lead to more effective partnerships.
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Impact, Measurement, and Evaluation
In this webinar, learn how to adopt a formative approach to measurement and evaluation and explore the considerations for high impact philanthropy.
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Practicing the Equitable Evaluation Framework™
Join us for a conversation on a growing movement to shift the paradigm of learning.
Operations & Management
Operationalizing Equity Practices
Learn strategies for how to operationalize an equity lens throughout your entire organization.
Scaling for Success
In this webinar, learn how families have scaled their operations strategically for impact.
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Adopting Equity Practices
In this webinar, learn how to apply a racial equity lens to internal and external practices, how to discuss equity with staff and board, and explore resources for continued reflection on privilege, bias, and power.
Staffing for Success
What are the skills and expertise required for staff members to be successful in family philanthropy? How can philanthropic families prepare to hire the right talent?
Organizational Change: Building a Successful Culture
Join us for a conversation on how to address organizational change, rebuild culture, and integrate practices that best serve the organization as a whole.
Succession & Legacy
Preparing for and Managing a Productive Board Chair Transition
Join this webinar to learn more about board chair succession planning whether you’re in the midst of a transition now, are preparing for an eventual shift, or haven’t yet considered this process.
Engaging the Next Generation
In this webinar, learn how to strategically engage the next generation in family traditions, legacy, and culture, and explore when and how to promote formal philanthropic engagement at different ages and stages in the development process.
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Succession Planning and Family Transitions
In this webinar, learn how families have managed successful transitions and explore the necessary steps to prepare the family philanthropy for the inevitability of change.
Five Levers of Legacy
Join us for a conversation on the five levers of legacy and how to be more intentional about building and revisiting family legacy.
Making Space for Youth Leadership
In this webinar we discuss how families engage youth and support their growth and development.
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