Family philanthropy structures, leaders, and goals are constantly evolving, just like the families they represent. The change that comes over time is to be anticipated, managed, and, if possible, embraced as an opportunity for renewal. The inevitable changes and transitions that come to family giving programs are too often spoken of in negative terms. As relieved as we are to make it from one challenge to the next, change is not something to be simply weathered.

Leaders will leave, and new ones will emerge. Priorities will shift. Families will move. Stock values will rise and fall. It’s all to be expected. Change comes with the territory. How your family initiates, manages, and responds to that change will determine the course of your giving and reveal your true legacy.

Things We Wish Our Founders Had Told Us: Interpreting Donor Legacy

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Susan Packard Orr

This special NCFP Distinguished Fellow Essay by Susan Packard Orr explores the questions that Susan and her fellow trustees wished they had asked of the founders when they were still alive. From the introduction: This year marks the 20th anniversary of our father’s death. Our mother has been gone almost 30 years. During this time, we have worked to build… Read More

September 2016 NCFP Non-Family Staff Peer Network Call

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Christine Koehn, Sharmila Rao Thakkar

The NCFP Non-family Staff Peer Network is open to senior level non-family staff members who are current member’s of NCFP Friends of the Family network. This network, co-chaired by Christine Kuehn of The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation and Sharmilla Rao Thakkar of the Siragusa Foundation, is offered as a “safe space” for non-family staff peers facing… Read More

Social Impact Exchange’s June 2016 Annual Conference

Posted on June 22, 2016

2016 Conference on Scaling Impact The conference includes presentations from more than 60 foundation and nonprofit leaders, as well as knowledge-building sessions and peer networking opportunities.  Key themes in 2016 include systems change to support scaled impact, local and national collective action, social impact bonds, impact investing at scale and collaboration to drive large scale change. SOCIAL IMPACT EXCHANGE The… Read More

June 2016 NCFP Non-Family Staff Peer Network Call: Managing Geographic Dispersion in Family Philanthropy

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Christine Koehn, Sharmila Rao Thakkar

The NCFP Non-family Staff Peer Network is open to senior level non-family staff members who are current member’s of NCFP Friends of the Family network. This network, co-chaired by Christine Kuehn of The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation and Sharmilla Rao Thakkar of the Siragusa Foundation, is offered as a “safe space” for non-family staff peers facing… Read More