Igniting the Spark: Moniker Foundation
Posted on June 22, 2016 by National Center for Family Philanthropy
Three years ago, the Moniker Foundation came to a dramatic juncture in their organizational lifecycle and purpose… Read More
National Center for Family Philanthropy
Igniting the Spark: Dekko Family Foundation
Posted on June 22, 2016 by Youth Philanthropy Connect
The Dekko Family Foundation is located in Kendallville, Indiana. The idea for Youth Pods started in the 1990s, when a staff member went to a family philanthropy conference and learned about youth philanthropy initiatives. With no Dekko family members at the right age, the Dekko Foundation looked to the Michigan Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council model to develop youth philanthropy… Read More
Giving as a family: My family’s use of a donor-advised fund through our community foundation
Posted on June 21, 2016 by Rosie Abriam
A donor-advised fund (DAF) provides the donor(s) the opportunity to provide a tax-deductible gift to benefit the organizations and issues that the donor(s) care about most. Working with the community foundation has been great for our family because they provide management and support including handling the paperwork attendant to tax-deductions… Read More
Igniting the Spark: The Lawrence Welk Family Foundation
Posted on June 20, 2016 by Youth Philanthropy Connect
The Lawrence Welk Family Foundation is located in Santa Monica, California, with family geographically dispersed around the country. The foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations serving children and families living in poverty in three Southern California neighborhoods. In addition, a small portion of its funding goes to nonprofits promoting youth and family philanthropy. This next gen case study describes their… Read More
How can board members stay connected across time zones and significant distances?
Posted on June 9, 2016 by National Center for Family Philanthropy
As families grow, geographic dispersion of family and board members will become a common challenge. Each and every family must figure out a strategy that is right for you. Kelly Nowlin, family trustee of the Surdna Foundation, suggests the following, “The executive director or president of the foundation can make trips to dispersed board members and schedule one-on-one time to… Read More
What are common mistakes family foundations make when trying to engage next gen?
Posted on June 8, 2016 by National Center for Family Philanthropy
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already avoiding Mistake #1: thinking that you’ve got nothing left to learn about next gen engagement. The truth is, getting and keeping people engaged in your foundation’s work can be difficult, regardless of age. But, Biz Ghormley of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, Iris Brilliant of Resource Generation, and Mary Galeti of Nexus, sat… Read More
What’s the most effective technology to use when communicating with next gen family members?
Posted on June 8, 2016 by National Center for Family Philanthropy
It’s easy to get stressed out about the ever expanding field of technology. However, with more options comes the opportunity to figure out which communication strategies work best for your family!… Read More
To make a difference, family philanthropy must take more risks
Posted on May 24, 2016 by Katherine Lorenz
Many of us in family philanthropy are driven by a grand vision of a better world. We are motivated by bold ideas, and finding ways to use our philanthropy to make a difference and leave a lasting impact. And, at the same time, we are too often hamstrung by a fear of failure. … Read More
Even with complex histories, families have an opportunity to advance equity
Posted on May 3, 2016 by David Neal
Racial diversity and inclusion have been central to the grant making strategy at the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation for decades. In more recent years, the Foundation has deepened its engagement with racial equity. For David L. Neal, a family member and trustee at the Winston-Salem, N.C., family foundation, this focus on equity has been a high priority. Not long ago, however, as he was researching his family’s — and the foundation’s — history, he discovered that its legacy is more complicated than he had once thought… Read More
How do we ensure that the family will not lose “control” of the foundation over time?
Posted on May 3, 2016 by National Center for Family Philanthropy
There are a variety of strategies that family foundations around the country have used to retain control while engaging non-family board members in their work. These strategies may be used alone or in combination, and may include the following: Strategy 1: Create term limits for current board members. A technique used by many family foundations, term limits can be a… Read More