Our mission and story

The National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) is the only national nonprofit dedicated exclusively to families who give and those who work with them. We provide the resources, expertise and support families need to transform their values into effective giving that makes a lasting impact on the communities they serve. Together, we make great things happen.

Our history

The National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) was founded in 1997 in response to the need for a national source of knowledge and expertise that advocates for the value of family philanthropy. Grounded by the perspective of donor families, NCFP has helped define this burgeoning field and raise awareness of its unique issues.

Over time, we have developed several important initiatives for giving families as well as partners in the field:

• Encouraged best practices for governance by publishing a variety of books and journals, including the first-ever comprehensive guide to starting a family foundation.
• Demonstrated the scale and potential of family giving by conducting groundbreaking research studies on numerous topics.
• Created an extensive educational infrastructure by presenting over 750 workshops, teleconferences and webinars.
• Helped families, advisors and trustees communicate more effectively by developing language and context through the largest searchable database on family giving.
• Helped foster peer learning networks to support giving families through critical stages and transitions.
  
  

Our vision

We envision a world where families embrace the promise and possibilities of philanthropy to transform lives and communities.

Our mission

We inspire generations of giving.

The mission of the National Center for Family Philanthropy is to promote philanthropic values, vision and excellence across generations of donors and donor families. Our understanding and experience with the very personal act of giving ensure that these donors and their advisors have access to the highest quality information and the encouragement needed to:

• Articulate, pursue, and achieve their charitable missions;
• Understand and meet their governance and management needs; and
• Have a significant, positive impact on the lives and work of those they support.

NCFP is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization.

Our values

Family Participation in Philanthropy Families bring unique gifts beyond $ Giving can enrich the family and the community	Privacy & Public Trust Respect the privacy of donors Foster and maintain public trust in charitable giving
Choice & Diversity Respect the philanthropic choices of donors Value diversity of all kinds	Pursuit of Excellence Encourage ethical conduct and effective practice Encourage donors to inspire and learn from each other Transform lives and communities
Advocacy Promote a culture of giving that endures Inspire, prepare and support the next generation of leaders	Collaboration Value the work of our colleagues Serve the field and society by being a respectful, active partner