Blog | Voices from the Field

Connecting Family Philanthropists Across Generations

Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on Phīla Engaged Giving’s website and appears with permission. There’s a danger in making generalizations about any group of people, however, this blog post aims to share trends within the “Millennial” or “NextGen” demographic and to offer some tips on how to bridge the generation gap between the old(er) and young around philanthropic giving. Read More
Blog | From NCFP

Welcome Letter from NCFP President & CEO Nick Tedesco

February 5, 2020 | Nicholas A. Tedesco
In a welcome letter, our new President and CEO shares his reflections on the state of the sector and the future of the National Center for Family Philanthropy. We invite you to read the letter in full and share your thoughts in this brief survey. Dear Community Members and Friends: As I begin my tenure with the National Center for Read More
Blog | Network News

February 2020: News and Notes from NCFP’s Friends of the Family Network

Friends Focus highlights updates from members of our Friends of the Family network and their cutting edge work. This month features updates from the Bainum Family Foundation, Davis Foundation, Delaplaine Foundation, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, and the Nathan Cummings Foundation. Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle member of NCFP with an update or good news about your foundation that you Read More
Blog | Voices from the Field

Power of a Name in Family Philanthropy: Two Perspectives

January 30, 2020 | Elaine Gast Fawcett
A name can carry a lot of meaning for a family foundation. For some, it is a recognizable tool to connect and inspire across the family and wider community. For others, it can symbolize the family legacy—and perhaps with it, an obligation—that carries into the next generation. Either way, how a family uses its name raises questions about privacy, transparency, Read More
Blog | Voices from the Field

Know Your Family Foundation Life Cycle

January 29, 2020 | Mary Phillips, GMA Foundations
Editor’s note: This content is authored by Mary Phillips at GMA, where she leads GMA Foundations’ consulting practice. GMA is a content partner of NCFP and the piece appears with permission. By nature, family philanthropy is a deeply meaningful and evolving endeavor. Families are notoriously unique in their approaches to giving together, yet there are common stages and transitions that Read More
Blog | Voices from the Field

The Exit Interview: Lessons Learned, Stories Shared and Memories Treasured from Richard Woo’s 20 Years of Leadership at The Russell Family Foundation

January 24, 2020 | The Russell Family Foundation
Editor’s note: This interview originally appeared through The Russell Family Foundation’s website and appears with permission. Original preface: Over the last 20 years, outgoing chief executive officer Richard Woo has led The Russell Family Foundation from its early beginning as he and co-founders George and Jane Russell charted its philanthropic path and giving model all the way to present-day as Read More
Blog | Voices from the Field

4 Questions to Sit With As You Learn to Let Communities Lead

Editor’s note: This article by Walter Howell and Lauri Valerio was originally published on the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy’s website and appears with permission. Good things happen when funders shift power to communities. It’s “regenerative.” We “actually get outcomes that work” and “build a groundswell for change.” But it’s hard to “give up power and build trust,” to “learn Read More
Blog | Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Get Rid of the Go-Between: Jacobs Family Foundation

January 21, 2020 | Elaine Gast Fawcett
As a family funder, how can you acknowledge and responsibly navigate the power of your position? How does the power and privilege you hold affect those you interact with and support? How can you use your power for good—to make lasting impact? This Passages Issue Brief features stories, perspectives, and practical tips on power, and suggestions for how family funders can work Read More
Blog | Uncategorized, Case Studies

Trust-based Philanthropy: Satterberg Foundation

January 13, 2020 | The Whitman Institute
The Satterberg Foundation recently decided to transform its processes in an effort to build greater transparency and alignment with their core values. One of the most dramatic changes was a shift to multi-year general operating support. The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project’s Shaady Salehi sat down with Executive Director Sarah Walczyk to get the scoop on why they did this and what Read More
Blog | Uncategorized, Case Studies

Transfer Decision Making and Wealth: Chorus Foundation

January 7, 2020 | Elaine Gast Fawcett
As a family funder, how can you acknowledge and responsibly navigate the power of your position? How does the power and privilege you hold affect those you interact with and support? How can you use your power for good—to make lasting impact? This Passages Issue Brief features stories, perspectives, and practical tips on power, and suggestions for how family funders can work Read More