Family Dynamics

What is a private operating foundation, and should we consider using this option?

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Jason Born

The IRS distinguishes between public and private foundations and, within private foundations, between operating and non-operating (grant-making) foundations. While private operating foundations may choose to make some grants to other charitable organizations, they must engage primarily in direct charitable activities by running their own programs (i.e., using their own facilities, staff and resources to directly further their charitable operations)… Read More

Opportunity of a Lifetime 2.0: Multigenerational Family Philanthropy

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Kylie Musolf, Danielle LaJoie

More than ever before, giving families are working to involve multiple generations in their philanthropy. According to the National Center for Family Philanthropy’s Trends in Family Philanthropy Study, nearly 3 in 5 U.S. family foundations engage younger family members in the foundation — and more than 40 percent say they expect to add to or increase the number of younger-generation… Read More

Balancing Family Privacy and Public Trust: Transparency in Family Philanthropy

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Chris Rurik, Richard Russell, Richard Woo

While transparency is an important value in principle, what do you do when your foundation’s privacy is also your family’s privacy? How do we balance the need for public accountability with a family’s right to privacy? What do the tough but important questions regarding transparency and accountability mean for family philanthropy and how can foundations think strategically about these questions?… Read More

Cultivating Nonprofit Leadership

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Niki Jagpal, Ryan Schlegel

Leadership development is an integral component of any work that seeks to address long-standing structural barriers to sustainable change. We cannot succeed without substantial investments in leadership at the grassroots level, specifically among groups working to address rigid structural barriers to equity and creating sustainable change. … Read More

Family Ties: Multigenerational Family Foundation Board Engagement

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Center for Effective Philanthropy

A family throws their hands up in joy on the beach; the photo is taken from the back and with an unfocused lens
Based on interviews with CEOs and family board chairs at seven large, multigenerational family foundations, this publication spotlights the governance practices and structures that these family foundations have created to maintain family involvement; select, orient, and engage family members across generations; and keep the board and foundation focused on impact… Read More

Family Philanthropy Stories- Capture the Legacy of Your Giving with NCFP and the History Project

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Virginia M. Esposito, Michelle Knapik, Niles Lichtenstein, Kelly D. Nowlin

Why, in 2017, are we still relying on grandma’s photo albums and poorly scanned Facebook uploads to preserve our family histories? Legacy preservation is deeply important whether you are preparing for succession or seeking to keep donor intent alive. So, how can you bring your family’s history up to date in the New Year? In this webinar, NCFP teams up… Read More

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

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