Ask the Center

Is there a database for donors to find great grants/nonprofits to fund?

Posted on July 21, 2016 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

Every year, our family foundation considers new causes and grantees to support. Since the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, the foundation staff would like to know if there is a database or another resource that captures great grantseeker requests for funding. To our knowledge there does not (yet) exist a one-stop-shop for grantmakers looking to navigate requests for funding. However,… Read More

How do family foundations typically provide discretionary grants?

Posted on July 21, 2016 by National Center for Family Philanthropy

Q: How do family foundations typically provide discretionary grants? What about for committee members that aren’t board members? A: According to our 2015 Trends in Family Philanthropy study, “Most family foundations (85 percent) allow individual board members to recommend discretionary grants for foundation funds.” Each family foundation ultimately has to find the balance that’s right for them! NCFP has published two issue… 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

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

How long should a foundation keep grantee reports?

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Andras Kosaras, James P. Joseph

Are there legal requirements, IRS or other, for foundations regarding receiving and retaining paperwork from grantees that documents how grant dollars were spent? A good rule of thumb is to keep grant materials for seven years. We suggest four years at a minimum. The IRS audit statute of limitations is three years. So, it is important to keep grant materials… Read More

Are there any lobbying red flags to look out for in final grantee reports to our foundation?

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Andras Kosaras, James P. Joseph

Are there any lobbying red flags to look out for in final grantee reports to our foundation? The foundation should look at grantee reports for lobbying flags or electioneering flags. If grantees are not following the rules it is better to know sooner rather than later. This way it can be corrected going forward. For more information, see The Rules… Read More

Naming Recognition: Is it ok to name a building after donors rather than the foundation?

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Andras Kosaras

Our foundation, the Hearts and Hopes Foundation, provided a grant to a new research facility at a local university. The university has suggested naming the facility after our donors: i.e., the “John and Mary Smith Research Center.” Is this okay or do we have to name it the “Hearts and Hopes Foundation Research Center?” We want to ensure we are… Read More

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