Article

Putting Grantees at the Center of Philanthropy (GEO and SSIR Blog Series)

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations

Research shows that grantmakers that are more connected to their grantees—those that have an ear to the ground—are more likely to provide the support that nonprofits need to be successful; they are five times as likely to offer capacity-building support and two times as likely to offer multiyear support. We also know that tapping the knowledge and perspective of grantees… Read More

The Future of Philanthropy: a New Gospel of Giving?

Posted on July 21, 2016 by The Nation

In “The Gospel of Wealth,” written in 1889 as a manifesto of sorts for the beneficiaries of the first Gilded Age, Andrew Carnegie describes massive inequality as the unavoidable consequence of a free-market system and suggests that philanthropy would ease the pressures created by it. Perhaps it’s time for a new “Gospel of Wealth.” Darren Walker, president of the Ford… Read More

We Can’t Force Philanthropy to Talk About Power Dynamics, Can We?

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Jen Bokoff

As a sector, we embrace and use power every day, but we don’t talk about it. Why? Well, for one thing, the dynamics are challenging to discuss; power itself can never be eliminated. With increased awareness of power, however, conversations, relationships, and strategies can shift in surprising ways. Since power can be a touchy subject, I wanted to try to… Read More

Foundations Can Get More Done by Giving Nonprofits More Power

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Kathleen Enright

For as long as foundations and individuals have given money to charitable causes, the power dynamic has been part of the equation. To many people, the idea that grant makers and nonprofits could work together on equal footing has seemed like a fairy tale, because one of them holds all the resources and decision-making power. In recent years, tension between… Read More

Toward a New Gospel of Wealth

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Darren Walker

For my colleagues and me, these past 15 months have entailed both deep introspection about this privilege and broad exploration of how we can harness and direct it to advance our mission. For us, what has unfolded is a process of discovery and renewal that has led us to reorganize our programming around the global crisis of inequality. … Read More

Understanding Rsk Tolerance in Grantmaking

Posted on July 22, 2015 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

Understanding decision-making patterns is the first step toward improving them. We know that despite best efforts to act rationally, human tendencies to avoid risk and loss while seeking certainty and gain can impact sensible decision-making. Research has demonstrated this phenomenon across many facets of our society—including finance, consumer products, and even golf. Given our professional and personal interest in the… Read More

5 Common Philanthropy Mistakes You Cannot Afford to Make

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

There are many rules of thumb and lists of best practices out there for grantmakers. Yet, so many grantmakers seem to get caught in ruts of practice and policy that hold them back from achieving the effectiveness and impact they want to deliver. Here are five of the most common mistakes that I’ve seen through my practice, and even seasoned… Read More

We’re here to equip you with the tools you need to make a meaningful impact. Contact NCFP for support.

Get in Touch

Keep up with trends in family philanthropy. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Signup

Gain access to personalized support and a network of peers. Join our community!

Join Now