Getting Started

Defining Your Family’s Philanthropic Purpose

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Fred Kaynor, Megan Costigan, Jean Buckley, Tony Macklin

illustrated image of people pushing together life-size puzzle pieces
What motivations and values drive your generosity? What priorities propel your social action? A clear philanthropic purpose defines why you want to make a difference and your priorities for where and who you most want to benefit. It improves family decision-making, community relationships, and impact. On this webinar, you’ll learn how you and your family can define your philanthropic purpose—shared… Read More

Community Foundations Network Topical Call: Philanthropic Services Beyond Grants

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Tony Macklin

Donors use an increasingly broad set of tools to make a difference, amplifying the impact of their gifts and grants. We heard examples in last year’s Supporting Young Changemakers Spark Session and NCFP’s new Impact Strategies & Tools Primer provides more detail. How might you as a philanthropic advisor increase your comfort and competence in discussing the broader toolkit? We’ll… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: Investing with an End in Sight

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Emilie Cortes, Karie Dewan, Priscilla Enriquez

Planning to spend down is financially complex. It can be tough for board and staff to predict the financial future of the work. How do you plan for the funding needed for staffing, operations, and multi-year investments? While planning, how can you best make decisions to maximize the financial and social impact of your dollars? Join Emilie Cortes, trustee of… Read More

Community Foundations Network Topical Call: Racial Equity Programming for Donors

Posted on March 23, 2022 by Charisse Grant, Djaka Blais-Amare, Janeen Webb

What do organizational values of equity, justice, or even reconciliation look like in action? Join the Calgary Foundation and The Miami Foundation to discuss how equity permeates their strategic plans and work and learn about their racial equity programming for donors. Learn how these foundations have integrated living their values into better serving their donors and informed family philanthropy. This… Read More

Community Foundations Network Topical Call: Next Gen Engagement

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Linsey Mills, Michael Nuno, Caroline Kuebler

Next generation engagement fosters their leadership, supports community engagement, and involves future generations of givers or successor advisors. Community foundations have a variety of models for next-gen engagement, which can allow donors to learn together, develop their personal giving goals, and network with peers. Community foundations are also well-positioned to teach next-generation donors about local community needs. Learn about different… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: Spending Up, Committing to Increased Assets for Increased Impact

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Colleen O’Keefe, Pat Sauer

How are you thinking about your foundation’s assets, the challenges and inequities in our world, and supporting timely problems? In 2021, the Sauer Foundation shared, “the assets of the foundation would increase from $28 million to $100 million, and that amount would be invested in the community over the next 10 years.” This foundation’s gift to spend up and make… Read More

Reducing the Administrative Burden through Fiscal Sponsorship

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Kyle Peterson, Yvonne Moore, Tony Macklin

Administration is often a hurdle to scaling impact. Because of this, an increasing number of donors are leveraging giving vehicles with less administrative burden and more legal, financial, and investment support. Fiscal sponsorships and other intermediary partners provide an option for giving families that want to build a philanthropic effort, but do not want to administer a separate entity for… Read More

Complexities of the Collective: Balancing Individual and Family Interests

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Melinda Oakes, Andy Klingenstein, Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Ashley Blanchard

stones balancing; balance
For many, family philanthropy presents an opportunity to create a shared experience, unifying the family by working together toward a lasting legacy of impact. Family philanthropy can also give participants an opportunity to explore and cultivate their personal philanthropic passions. Yet there is an inherent tension between these two goals, and many families struggle with how to address it—especially as… Read More

Reflecting on Your Origin Story: Understanding Wealth, Legacy, and Equity

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Holley Fowler Martens, David Roswell, Katherine Lorenz

old photographs on table; genealogy; family tree
The criticism of wealth is longstanding and brings to the fore a conversation on justice that is important to reflect upon in the pursuit of effective family philanthropy. Though necessary, this type of reflection often raises a number of difficult questions that require philanthropic families to interrogate their history and reconcile the actions of their ancestors. Join us for a… Read More

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