Engaging young adults and the next generation

Emerging Family Leaders Peer Network: Engaging and Onboarding the Next Generation in your Family Philanthropy

Posted on September 5, 2023

It can be challenging to be a leader in a family philanthropy context, particularly as a member of the next generation. One specific challenge is onboarding other next generation family members onto the board and/or as staff of your family philanthropy. How do you best engage and onboard these next generation members, who are your peers, and help them develop the… Read More

Effective Family Philanthropy: The Eisner Foundation

Posted on June 5, 2023

The Eisner Family EFL Sky Bet League 1 match between Portsmouth and Shrewsbury Town. From L to R: Anders Eisner, Breck Eisner, Jane Eisner, Michael Eisner, Eric Eisner. Photo courtesy of the Eisner Family
Five Practices the Eisner Foundation Has Embraced to Achieve Its Goals Learning and spending enough to hire the best help. When the Eisners decided it was time to professionalize, Michael Eisner reached out to the smartest person he knew in the world of philanthropy, Joel Fleishman, and followed his recommendations to gain more knowledge, and ultimately to hire Trent Stamp,… Read More

Effective Family Philanthropy: The Tarsadia Foundation

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Ade Adeniji

Five Practices the Tarsadia Foundation Has Embraced to Achieve Its Goals Bringing in all the family. Some foundations incorporate several family members into leadership roles to drive the agenda. But Tarsadia Foundation is a three-generation operation that involves upward of 50 family board members in total. Mixing service and philanthropy. Rather than just give out grants from a distance, family… Read More

Effective Family Philanthropy: Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Ade Adeniji

Five Practices the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation Has Embraced to Achieve Its Goals Place-based grantmaking. RPDFF makes grants in cities with personal connection to the family —Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Tacoma, Washington. Staff keep their ears to the ground including Executive Director Shawn Escoffery, who personally shows up to local events in L.A., not as a staffer… Read More

Engaging Youth Peer Network: Teen Philanthropy—Models and Strategies for Ages 13-18

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Caryn Conway, Cadence Miller, Neil Gobioff

Young People Learning About Philanthropy
What are models to teach teens (grades 9-12) the foundations of philanthropy and lead them through the grantmaking process? Learn more about the Foundation for MetroWest’s Youth in Philanthropy program and how they engage high school youth in the surrounding communities in an experiential leadership and teen philanthropy program. Caryn Conway – an instructor for the Youth in Philanthropy program… Read More

Emerging Family Leaders Peer Network: Peer Connection and Community-Building

Posted on May 3, 2023

It can be challenging to be a leader in a family philanthropy context, particularly as a member of the next generation. How do you navigate the family dynamics of the multiple generations? How do you develop the skills and connections to be seen as a leader in your family’s philanthropic efforts? How do you have an influence on the strategic direction… Read More

Executive Summary—Philanthropy in Complex, Multi-Generational Families: Balancing Individual Preference with Collective Purpose

Posted on April 12, 2023

fall leaves
Researchers from Lansberg Gersick Advisors consider how the family foundation’s design and operation is informed by—and informs—the family’s philanthropic activities that take place outside of it. The purpose of this study is to help families understand how they can design their family philanthropy to best meet their goals.    The study’s standout finding was that the creation of a robust family… Read More

Full Report—Philanthropy in Complex, Multi-Generational Families: Balancing Individual Preference with Collective Purpose

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Ashley Blanchard

Tree in field
Researchers from Lansberg Gersick Advisors hypothesized that families’ abilities to work together effectively in their philanthropy is dependent not only on the way they design their collective family foundation, but also in how they structure the philanthropic activities outside of it. From 2018-2022, they conducted surveys and interviews and found that as families evolve, they face common dilemmas regarding their… Read More

Emerging Family Leaders Peer Network: Roles and Boundaries: Beyond the Natural Family Hierarchy

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Rebecca Meyer, Bryn Monahan

A group of family leaders family philanthropy
Great leaders have many skills. Two of those skills are maintaining healthy boundaries and clearly defining roles. For next-generation leaders, these can be difficult to develop because the natural family hierarchy often dominates the way roles and boundaries are defined. In this session, Bryn Monahan and Rebecca Meyer from Relative Solutions will introduce the Family Intelligence Quotient (FQ) as a… Read More

Engaging Youth Peer Network: Getting Started

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Cadence Miller, Neil Gobioff

A group of young people ready to engage in family philanthropy
If you’re just getting started on engaging youth (ages 8-21) in your philanthropy, this event is for you.  We will spend time discussing how to get started engaging youth across ages, family sizes, geography and more. Join us to consider questions like: Should our youth engagement start slowly with service projects or values-based activities? Should my family create a formal… Read More