Family Dynamics

The Practices of Effective Families

Posted on January 12, 2006 by Charles W. Collier

In this interactive session, Charles W. Collier, the senior philanthropic advisor at Harvard University, explored and discussed seven practices of effective families through the lens of family systems theory. He also provided fresh insights on developing the four basic components that comprise true family wealth: human, intellectual, social, and financial capital… Read More

The Future of Family Philanthropy

Posted on December 15, 2005 by Virginia M. Esposito, Katherine Fulton

What will family philanthropy look like in the year 2020? How will globalization, immigration, geographic dispersion, and the vast array of new web-based initiatives for giving continue to affect the how, why, who, when and where of family philanthropy? NCFP President Virginia Esposito and special guest Katherine Fulton from the Global Business Network had a wide-ranging, forward-looking conversation on the future… Read More

Alternatives to Perpetuity: A Conversation Every Foundation Should Have

Posted on October 21, 2005 by Deanne Stone

This Passages is aimed at new donors considering a limited lifespan for their foundation, existing foundations that have already set a closing date, or any family contemplating the question of perpetuity. Author Deanne Stone gives background on the perpetuity vs. spending down debate and discusses the motivations for considering an alternative to perpetuity. The paper then identifies the basic challenges… Read More

Closing the door: Spending out frees the Beldon Fund board’s imagination

Posted on October 21, 2005 by Deanne Stone

Many family foundations that make the decision to spend out their assets within a limited timeframe say that doing so keeps them focused on the mission, energized, and on their toes. Bill Roberts, former executive director of the Beldon Fund, speaks for many of the foundations interviewed for NCFP’s Passages Issue Brief on this topic, “Alternatives to Perpetuity: A Conversation… Read More

Ethical Wills: Passing on a Philanthropic Legacy

Posted on October 20, 2005 by Susan Turnbull

An Ethical Will is a beautiful, sensible and compelling document, which provides the means to answer the question, ‘What do I want my loved ones to know?’ Legal and financial documents address only, ‘What do I want my loved ones to have?’ Yet our lives and legacies are so much richer than simply our monetary assets. This session with an… Read More

Choosing a philanthropic agenda: Five factors to consider

Posted on September 15, 2005 by Bruce Sievers

The most basic factor influencing the overall work of any family foundation is, surprisingly, often also the least examined: the initial determination of the foundation’s primary purposes and priorities. Issues of effectiveness, impact, strategy, assessment, and accountability get all the attention, while little discussion is given to the most fundamental determinants of what foundations do: donor preferences. This is the… Read More

Raising Charitable Children

Posted on July 13, 2005 by Kathryn Agard

Kathryn Agard, long-time executive director of Learning to Give, shares some of the steps that parents can take to help their children become philanthropic and provided examples of what parents can do for their preteens (10-12) and teenagers (13-18) to involve them in family philanthropy… Read More

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