Elaine Gast Fawcett

Elaine Gast Fawcett

Contributing Editor, NCFP

Elaine Gast Fawcett is a philanthropy advisor, communications and grantmaking strategist, and storyteller with 20+ years serving multigenerational family foundations, nonprofits, and grantmaker associations. She is the published author of 12 field-respected books for grantmakers, and hundreds of articles, tools, case studies, and guides for family philanthropists, and a long-time contributing writer and editor for NCFP. Reach Elaine at PhilanthropyCommunications.com or LinkedIn.

 

Contributions

Breaking Up: Division in Family Philanthropy

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

This Passages is part two of a two-part series on divorce and division in family philanthropy, featuring tips for what board and staff can do to plan ahead for potential change. The second part includes stories and advice from those who have been through, or advised, families as they divided their philanthropy. Learn more by reading part one, Breaking Up:… Read More
From NCFP

Anticipating the Complications of Divorce in Family Philanthropy

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

This blog post is excerpted from the new Passages guide: Breaking Up: Divorce in Family Philanthropy Divorce is never easy for any family. Family members marry, divorce, remarry, and form domestic partnerships. When a divorce occurs within family foundations where spouses serve on the board, there is an added a layer of complexity. For example: If a divorce occurs within the… Read More

Breaking Up: Divorce in Family Philanthropy

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

This Passages guide is part one of a two-part series on divorce and division in family philanthropy, featuring tips for what board and staff members can do to prepare and cope. This first part includes case studies on family foundations who have navigated divorce, questions to consider when developing board policies, and perspectives on the implications of divorce on assets… Read More
Voices from the Field

Money and Death: Having the ‘What Happens When’ Conversation

Posted on October 28, 2020 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

The death of a foundation leader or senior family member is likely the most emotional change a foundation will undergo. Suddenly, or not so suddenly, family members and the board face grief and loss, perhaps alongside an onslaught of financial, legal, and organizational issues. How can you plan ahead, as a foundation and as a family? And how can you… Read More

Death, Legacy, and Leadership Transition

Posted on October 12, 2020 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

The death of a foundation leader or senior family member is likely the most emotional change a foundation will undergo. Suddenly, or not so suddenly, family members and the board face grief and loss, and also an onslaught of financial, legal, and organizational issues. How can you plan ahead, as a foundation and as a family? And how can you… Read More
Voices from the Field

Power of a Name in Family Philanthropy: Two Perspectives

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

Arlington crowd shot
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
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Get Rid of the Go-Between: Jacobs Family Foundation

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

Cover of the Passages Issue Brief, Bridging the Power Divide, with a person teaching a few others in a room
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
Uncategorized, Case Studies

Transfer Decision Making and Wealth: Chorus Foundation

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

Cover of the Passages Issue Brief, Bridging the Power Divide, with a person teaching a few others in a room
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
Voices from the Field

It’s Cool to be Kind: How to Have Civil Conversations in Today’s World

Posted on November 22, 2019 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

Civil puzzle
Civil: relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns; courteous, polite —Merriam Webster In an increasingly divisive society—where politics seem to dominate public as well as private discourse—what would it be like to hold civil conversations in our own families and communities? And how might family foundations create space for people to come together and have these conversations? These were big… Read More

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