National Center for Family Philanthropy

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The Value of Family Philanthropy in a Democracy

Posted on September 15, 2010 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

The passionate generosity of countless American families has inspired – and continues to inspire – extraordinary gifts. Indeed, we may know many of these families more by their philanthropy than by the business successes that made their largesse possible. What is most remarkable is the very phenomenon of American family philanthropy itself. An astonishing number of families make record-setting, private contributions… Read More
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How to Manage Relationships with your legal, financial, and investment advisors

Posted on September 15, 2010 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

How can we get an honest picture from our advisors about whether the strategies they are pursuing are the right ones? How do we know our advisors are telling us everything we need to know? Consider having general investment, legal and other training sessions for your foundation board that are conducted by someone other than the advisors who you’re working… Read More
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What is the 5% payout rule?

Posted on October 15, 2008 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

This familiar, if complex, rule is getting additional attention from family foundations looking at the fourth quarter of the year amid an economic downturn. What do the rules require? And what will that mean next year for foundations and the nonprofits they support? So what exactly are the rules? The figure below from Splendid Legacy 2: Creating and Re-creating Your… Read More
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Geographic Dispersion

Posted on December 15, 2007 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

Q: My family’s foundation has traditionally given in New England and continues to support nonprofits there, but family members live all around the country. How do we keep people engaged? A: As today’s families are more mobile than ever, geographic dispersion has become a crucial issue for family philanthropists as they try to keep distant family members involved. Consider the… Read More
Case Studies

The Theodore R. & Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Foundation

Posted on April 15, 2007 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

“Mr. Johnson felt he had been ‘lucky.’ Those were his words: ‘You know, we’ve been lucky with money.’” Theodore “Ted” Johnson returned from service as a gunnery officer in World War I and took a job with Merchants Parcel Delivery, a private messenger and delivery service. Johnson would work his way through college and up in the company, obtaining an… Read More
Case Studies

The Hill-Snowdon Foundation

Posted on March 15, 2007 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

Arthur B. Hill, a pharmaceutical salesman with no formal education who worked his way to the board of directors of Johnson & Johnson, created the Arthur B. Hill Foundation in 1959. For years, the foundation would operate as a “kitchen table” philanthropy with volunteer family members managing the assets and supporting personal interests. Ashley Snowdon, Arthur Hill’s great-granddaughter and now… Read More
Case Studies

The Durfee Foundation: Supporting Sabbaticals for Nonprofit Leaders

Posted on February 15, 2007 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

Stan and Dorothy founded what would become the Durfee Foundation in 1960. In those days, it bore the Avery name as did their flourishing business. As the company became more successful, though, the family suggested taking on Dorothy’s name Durfee to distinguish between the company’s philanthropy and the family’s philanthropy. In 1977, the family foundation became the Durfee Foundation and… Read More

The 990-PF in a Nutshell: What You Need to Know

Posted on August 15, 2004

What is the 990-PF and who needs to fill one out? The 990-PF is the tax return used for all private foundations filing under tax-exempt status, which inventories all of a foundation’s assets, investments, revenue, expenses, and charitable disbursements throughout the fiscal year. It also lists foundation officers, trustees, and the number of staff, itemizes its grants, and gives information… Read More

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