U.S. Trust Study of the Philanthropic Conversation (US TRUST-TPI, 2018)

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Bank of America Private Bank, The Philanthropic Initiative, US Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management

Discussions between advisors and high net worth (HNW) clients about philanthropy are on the rise, finds the U.S. Trust Study of the Philanthropic Conversation, as clients report advisors to be a valuable source of information, second only to their spouse or partner. However, the study reveals several disconnects between advisors and their clients. For instance, many advisors underestimate their clients’ desire… Read More

Expand Your Comfort Zone: Taking Risks in Family Philanthropy

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Diane Miller, Rehana Nathoo, The Case Foundation, Tony Macklin

Philanthropy is often described as society’s “risk capital.” Private generosity can support causes and ideas that business and government agencies cannot or will not. However, the idea of risk in philanthropy quickly muddies as we direct our generosity through a family foundation, donor-advised fund, or other collective effort. Our ideas about – and tolerance for – risk diverge, shaped by… Read More

The Story of How the Civil Marriage Collaborative Helped America Embrace Marriage Equality

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Proteus Fund

There were many forces at work in this historic change: tenacious leaders and litigators, coalitions of diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations, straight individual and organizational allies, elected officials, celebrities, and most important, hundreds of thousands of individuals, couples and families at the grassroots level… Read More

Failure Reports: A how to guide

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Ashley Good

This document, developed by Fail Forward, is intended to support organizations who are interested in documenting and learning from their failures, and using the process as a launch point for organizational change. It is largely based on the process developed by Engineers Without Borders Canada (EWB), an organization which has been publishing its Failure Reports publicly since 2008… Read More

The family foundation life cycle and the role of consultants

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Mary Phillips, Susan Schwartz, Suzanna Stribling

Family foundations come with a unique set of dynamics, like their dedication to preserving a legacy and to sharing decision-making among family members. These dynamics are often a significant influence on a foundation's governance and operations, and they can also extend to how family foundations' experiences with consultants differ from those of other foundations or nonprofits… Read More

Collaborating Across Power Differences

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Miki Kashtan

Power dynamics can really get in the way when you are trying to build a healthy, strong organization. If family foundations and their grantee partners don’t see eye to eye, or if junior members of the family pose challenges to their board leaders or elders, the back-and-forth struggle isn’t just uncomfortable; it can undermine the organizational stability and compromise impact… Read More