August 2021: News and Notes from NCFP’s Friends of the Family Network

Friends Focus highlights updates from members of our Friends of the Family network and their work. This month features updates from the Castellano Family Foundation, Cherng Family, Christopher Family Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Laughing Gull Foundation, Lumpkin Family FoundationJames B. McClatchy Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and Sobrato Philanthropies.

Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle member of NCFP with an update or good news about your foundation that you would like to share with Family Giving News readers? Please email us. Interested in learning more about the families involved in NCFP’s Friends of the Family network? Go here.


NCFP Friends Acknowledged on Inside Philanthropy Power List

Inside Philanthropy announced the inaugural edition of the IP Power List, which recognizes 100 key players in the philanthropy field. Congratulations to Don Chen, Crystal Hayling, Larry Kramer, Peter Laugharn, the Pritzker family, Jeff and Tricia Raikes, Lisa Sobrato, the Walton family, and all the other leaders on this recognition.

Castellano Family Foundation Trustee Discusses Power Sharing and Equity

Armando Castellano, trustee of the Castellano Family Foundation, wrote an article for Stanford PACs about power sharing and equity. He shared, “For philanthropists to make the kind of lasting impact we envision, we need to more authentically prioritize listening to the people we seek to support. Giving is nothing without empathy, and we cannot hope to help anyone without taking the time to understand the reality they are living.”

Cherng Family Featured in Forbes Video about the Family Business

The Cherng Family was recently featured in a Forbes video where they discussed starting the Panda Express business as a family, launching the the Panda CommUnity Fund, and supporting the AAPI community.

The Christopher Family Foundation and The Lumpkin Family Foundation Call for Ideas

The Christopher Family Foundation and the Lumpkin Family Foundation created a one-million dollar annual fund to make healthy food more accessible to the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. They are issuing a call for ideas to elicit projects and encourage collaboration among organizations and people who know the Austin landscape and understand the requirements for success.

Nathan Cummings Foundation Board Chair Shares About The Power of Impact Investing

Jaimie Mayer, board chair of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, summarizes the foundation’s impact investing lessons in an article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy. She wrote, “Transitioning to this approach to investing was not easy. But it was even more successful and valuable than we had hoped.”

Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Announce New Staff, New Grants, and New Office

The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation are welcoming Baronica Roberson and Natalie Birk as new staff members. Additionally, the board approved 28 grants totaling $1.8 million across three program areas and the foundation moved into a new office in Charleston, SC.

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Announces 2021 Hilton Humanitarian Prize Recipient

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announced that CAMFED, the Campaign for Female Education, a pan-African movement revolutionizing how girls’ education is delivered, has been selected as the 2021 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize recipient and will receive $2.5 million in funding.

Laughing Gull Foundation Commits $1.98 Million in Grants to Organizations Advancing Justice for LGBTQ Southerners

The Laughing Gull Foundation announced the approval of $1,980,000 in grants to be awarded in 2021 to 30 organizations advancing justice for the LGBTQ community in the US South from its LGBTQ Equality Fund.

James B. McClatchy Foundation Releases New Journalism Feasibility Report

In a new report, the James B. McClatchy Foundation announces the establishment of the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC), a new infrastructure model dedicated to keeping community journalism thriving in California’s Central Valley.

William Penn Foundation Welcomes Stuart Clarke as New Program Director of Watershed Protection

The William Penn Foundation announced the appointment of Stuart A. Clarke as the organization’s new Program Director of Watershed Protection. Clarke will oversee a $30 million annual grant portfolio, which includes investments in research, data gathering, and advocacy focusing on priority stressors across the Delaware River watershed.

Sobrato Philanthropies Appoints Camille Llanes-Fontanilla as Vice President, Silicon Valley Programs

Sobrato Philanthropies announced that Camille Llanes-Fontanilla will join Sobrato Philanthropies as the organization’s first Vice President, Silicon Valley Programs on September 1, 2021.