Alice Buhl served as Senior Fellow to the National Center for Family Philanthropy from 2004 to 2019. She was a founding board member of the National Center for Family Philanthropy and led the development of the “Pursuit of Excellence” assessment process. She also is a frequent contributor to National Center publications.

Alice is a Senior Consultant for Lansberg, Gersick & Associates and has extensive experience in philanthropy and nonprofit management. Born and raised outside Chicago, she earned her MBA from Washington University (St. Louis). Alice has served as executive director of the Conference on Education and of the Metropolitan Association for Philanthropy in St. Louis, and senior vice president of the Council on Foundations in Washington, DC. Since 1990, Alice has been a consultant in philanthropy to many American and Canadian family foundations and prominent private foundations, specializing in assisting families as they manage critical challenges affecting their grantmaking. Alice and her husband live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Contributions

A Letter to Seniors (and will be seniors): Planning for Your Future in Philanthropy

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Alice Buhl

Their stories are fascinating reminders of the many philanthropic paths available, whatever your age. Their stories fall into four categories of approaches to how they planned their own as well as their family’s philanthropic futures: senior generation members who chose to stay actively involved in leading the family’s foundation. seniors who passed on leadership but stayed active in the foundation… Read More
Featured Article

CEO Transitions in Family Foundations

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Alice Buhl

Among the most important tasks that any board confronts is the choice of head staff person. If anything, this decision has even greater significance in family foundations. Whether the position is vacant because of the retirement of a beloved CEO or the departure of a problematic one, CEO transitions in family foundations typically have three major stages: clarifying the foundation… Read More
Voices from the Field

On the Phone With… Alice Buhl

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Alice Buhl

Welcome to the October edition of “On the Phone With…,” our series of interviews with leading family foundations and philanthropy experts from around the country. This month we’re on the phone with Alice Buhl. In this interview, Alice discusses the “Spectrum of Family Involvement” for family foundations and funds, and why she feels this is an important concept for families… Read More
Featured Article

Family Involvement: The Spectrum of Options

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Alice Buhl

Kelin Gersick’s book, Generations of Giving: Leadership and Continuity in Family Foundations, outlines the patterns most often seen in family philanthropy. In the first generation the donor has the strongest involvement and control. In the second generation more family members become involved and by the third and fourth generation, staff is often a key part of the picture. Gersick calls… Read More

Emeritus Board Members: Curse or Blessing?

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Alice Buhl

Mom and Dad are aging but we want to keep them involved.  Aunt Sally has been running the foundation forever but the other board members feel it is time for someone else to take over.  Uncle John is beginning to get confused.  The three sisters in the second generation have been controlling things for years but the next generation wants… Read More
Featured Article

Family Philanthropy or Family Foundation Philanthropy?

Posted on October 15, 2009 by Alice Buhl

Alice Buhl, Senior Fellow here at the National Center and Senior Associate at Lansberg, Gersick & Associates, joins Family Giving News with the third of a series of occasional columns on issues in philanthropy. When I first began working with families, I was often fairly oblivious to the many ways that families were engaging in philanthropy beyond their foundation. Now,… Read More

Passing the Baton: Generations Sharing Leadership

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Alice Buhl

Today's family foundation field has many well-prepared next generation members and a whole generation of longer living, active senior members. And while the field has been resourceful in promoting next-generation involvement, it has done little to address succession issues for the senior generation or to consider options for shared, multi-generational leadership… Read More

Passing the Baton: Generations Sharing Leadership

Posted on June 4, 2008 by Alice Buhl

Today’s family foundation field has many well-prepared next generation members and a whole generation of longer living, active senior members. And while the field has been resourceful in promoting next gen involvement, it has done little to address succession issues for the senior generation or to consider options for shared, multi-generational leadership. Alice Buhl discusses lessons learned from family business,… Read More