Founders, donors, intent, and family legacy

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 Compton Foundation

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Ade Adeniji

Five Practices the Compton Foundation Has Embraced to Achieve Its Goals Bringing in forward-thinking leaders. Compton’s first executive director wasn’t brought in until the late 1980s. Since then, they’ve had three. Their first ED encouraged practices like multiyear grants and reading books about equity in philanthropy. Embracing a spend out. It wasn’t immediate and it wasn’t without fireworks. But Compton… 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

Family Legacy in Philanthropy: A Reparative Framework

Posted on May 24, 2023 by The Milliken Family, Will Cordery

Join us for an enriching discussion on family legacy in philanthropy, moderated by the social impact advisory firm, Freedom Futures. In this thought-provoking one-hour conversation, we will hear from a philanthropic family committed to redistributing a significant portion of their wealth as a form of reparations to cement their family legacy in repair. They will share their motivations and approaches… Read More

Effective Family Philanthropy: The Perrin Family Foundation

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Ade Adeniji

Five Practices the Perrin Family Foundation Has Embraced to Achieve Its Goals Changing location. Once based in their hometown of Ridgefield, the Perrin Family Foundation moved to New Haven, Connecticut so that it could be closer to the communities it now serves. Bringing in the younger generation from the start. When Sheila and Charles Perrin established their foundation, they immediately… Read More

Effective Family Philanthropy: The Roundhouse Foundation

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Ade Adeniji, Inside Philanthropy

Four Practices Roundhouse Foundation Has Embraced to Achieve Its Goals Creative placemaking. Roundhouse Foundation strongly believes in investing in its local creative economy. This includes standing up and running its own artist residency, Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture, on a 260-acre working ranch. Meeting communities where they are. Rural organizations are often forced to travel to city-based… Read More

Effective Family Philanthropy: The Sobrato Family

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Ade Adeniji

Five Practices Sobrato Philanthropies Has Embraced to Achieve Its Goals Multiple grantmaking structures. Sobrato Philanthropies has many grantmaking tentacles. The broader family engages in collective work through the Sobrato Family Foundation. And several branches of the family each have their own donor advised fund to conduct more personalized giving in areas like climate change and social justice. Bringing in the… Read More

Conflict of Interest Policy (George Family Foundation)

Posted on July 22, 2022 by George Family Foundation

The George Family Foundation (GFF) is committed to avoiding transactions or arrangements that give rise to a conflict of interest, potential conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest. POTENTIAL Personal-Gain CONFLICTS No less than once a year, GFF Directors and staff will review a list of all GFF grantees, vendors, and other business partners — disclosing… Read More

Effective Family Philanthropy: Tegan and Brian Acton

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Ade Adeniji, Inside Philanthropy

Brian and Tegan Acton
Five Practices Wildcard Giving Has Embraced to Achieve Its Goals Donor-advised funds. Acton Family Giving and Solidarity Giving are donor-advised funds set up at Fidelity Charitable that allow them to take payouts and focus more of that money into the grants. However, these charities also avoid the normal trappings of DAFs, publishing grants, and honoring a minimum payout as if they… Read More

Five Levers of Legacy

Posted on December 9, 2021 by Vasser Seydel, Janice Simsohn Shaw, Sapphira Goradia

multigenerational family
Historically, legacy in family philanthropy has been considered from a retrospective point of view—as the culmination of the impact of a family and its philanthropic efforts. However, a new generation of leaders is redefining legacy to be formative, intentional, and continually refined. Join us for a conversation on the five levers of legacy and how to be more intentional about… Read More