National Center for Family Philanthropy

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
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How do we ensure that the family will not lose “control” of the foundation over time?

Posted on May 15, 2011 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

Our foundation has begun discussions to add nonfamily trustees to enhance and complement the skills and perspectives currently on our all-family board. How do we ensure that the family will not lose “control” of the foundation over time? There are a variety of strategies that family foundations around the country have used to retain control while engaging non-family board members… Read More

Measuring What Counts: Meaningful Evaluation for Family Foundations

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Anne Mackinnon

Family foundations are in business to make a difference. As one family foundation leader put it, creating a family foundation is a “powerful statement about wanting to achieve impact.” Yet family foundations often get painted unfairly as not having impact, perhaps because they aren’t always very good at understanding or describing the impact they have, even to themselves… Read More
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Donor Legacy Statements, Values Statements, and Ethical Wills

Posted on March 15, 2011 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

I work for a small family foundation as their non-family executive director. The foundation has been in existence for 25 years. In the near term, I will be sitting down with the founder, who is preparing to write his legacy. I am wondering if you’re familiar with other founders who have shared excerpts concerning their vision for philanthropy that you thought to be… Read More
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How to Manage Relationships with your legal, financial, and investment advisors

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Patricia Angus

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

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
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Emeritus board members: Curse or blessing?

Posted on August 15, 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

Managing Risk: Board Oversight of Foundation Investments

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Karen Green, Andras Kosaras

In the post-Madoff era, the foundation and nonprofit sector continues to struggle with how to invest philanthropic assets most appropriately, and how to ensure that boards and staff are managing investments prudently. This new edition of Passages, authored by two leading experts on the roles and responsibilities of foundation boards, examines the critical role of governance and how to develop… Read More

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