National Center for Family Philanthropy

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What is a disqualified person?

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Benjamin T. White

Self-dealing is defined to include almost all business and financial transactions between a private foundation and its “disqualified persons.” So what is exactly is a disqualified person? The following is excerpted from the National Center for Family Philanthropy’s Passages Issue Brief, “Avoiding Conflicts and Self-Dealing for Family Foundation Boards,” by Ben White.  A transaction that involves self-dealing always has three… Read More
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Don’t Reinvent the Wheel: The Power of Field Scans

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Christine Sherry

In days of scarce resources and seemingly endless philanthropic choices, family foundations and funds can frequently feel overwhelmed by options and unsure where to best place their philanthropic bets.  Many funders wisely choose a focus area for funding, and then proceed to investigate—or be approached by—any number of apparently worthy organizations to support within that field. Most frequently, the questions… Read More

Working Together for Common Purpose: Family Philanthropy Through the Family Office

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Anne Etheridge

As the field of family philanthropy evolves, the options available to families for managing and making the most of their giving continue to keep pace. One option that a growing number of philanthropic families are considering is the creation of a single family office, a private entity that manages the investments and trusts for a single wealthy family—or multiple branches… Read More

Family Philanthropy Through the Family Office (Full Report)

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Anne Etheridge

This special Passages report is based on results of the first national study to explore the relationship between family offices and family philanthropy, identifying common themes for both success and failure. As a benchmark report for the field, the study draws on personal interviews and results from a survey of family offices to highlight emerging best practices by which family foundations and family offices can effectively work together to maximize the positive returns for the community and the family… Read More
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How do I set priorities as the new CEO of a family foundation?

Posted on June 15, 2012 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

Editor’s note: This article is excerpted from the NCFP CEO Guide, Performance Review: The Complete Guide to Evaluating the Family Foundation CEO. Setting priorities can be challenging for a new CEO, what with the myriad responsibilities of the job. When Kathleen Odne, the executive director of the Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, became the foundation’s first staff person, she came… Read More
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Getting Started with CEO Performance Review: Now’s the Time

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Susan Crites Price

Editor’s Note: This article is excerpted from NCFP’s CEO Guide, Performance Review: The Complete Guide to Evaluating the Family Foundation CEO. In a 2010 interview study of 60 family foundation chief executives by National Center for Family Philanthropy President Virginia Esposito, most told her they do not receive a formal performance review by their board. But when NCFP interviewed board… Read More

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