Ethics in family philanthropy: Right vs. right decision-making

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Rushworth Kidder

Ethical issues affect every facet of a family’s philanthropy from its structure and mission to its investment, grantmaking strategies, and perhaps most importantly, governance structure. The role of ethics and values is so integral to how families define and carryout their missions, and the expectations for ethical behavior among philanthropists so high that it’s easy to become overwhelmed or stymied… Read More

Conflict of interest policy (Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation)

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation

This policy delineates the responsibilities of Directors, staff members, or committee members who are not board members of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation regarding two levels of conflict of interest. The first level is a conflict of loyalties, such as serving on the board of any applying organization but having no financial conflict of interest. The second level of conflict… Read More

Family Members on Call: Being Both Family and Staff

Posted on February 12, 2009 by Sarah Cavanaugh

If you are already family staff, if you are thinking of hiring a staff member who is family, or if you are transitioning from a family to a nonfamily staff person, this discussion is for you. The role of staff member to a family philanthropy already comes with a myriad of roles. But when the staff person is also family, there's a whole set of dynamics with both benefits and challenges… Read More