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

Posted on December 1, 2021

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, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, General Service Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, J.M. Kaplan Fund, Walter & Elise Haas Fund,  McKnight Foundation, Stupski Foundation.  Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle member of NCFP… Read More
From NCFP

We Can Be Bold Together

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Nicholas A. Tedesco

Today, the family philanthropy field is at a point of inflection. We are amidst a culminating moment in which our social, economic, and political landscapes are significantly changing. Now it is time for us to reflect on our purpose, pace, and practice to decide how we will meet this moment. Will family philanthropy maintain the status quo? Or will we… Read More
Voices from the Field

Giving Circle Spotlight: Ecowomanist Institute ELM Giving Circle

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Veronica Kyle, Valerie Hill Rawls

Grapevine, an online platform for giving circles, interviewed one of its community members to shed light on their origin story, the power of giving together, and how they have built community. We’d love to hear your origin story. How did your giving circle come to be?  The giving circle came as a result of our inaugural Southeast Region EcoWomanist Institute… Read More
From NCFP

Trust-Based Philanthropy: Shifting Power to Communities

Posted on November 23, 2021 by Nicholas A. Tedesco, Shaady Salehi

This article was originally published by Citi GPS: Global Perspectives & Solutions and is re-posted here with permission. Philanthropy is a complicated pursuit. Donors are committed to supporting their grantees to advance social progress, yet they hold a disproportionate amount of power, and operate within an inherently inequitable system that often perpetuates harm. Foundations and donors have virtually all the… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Family Philanthropy Speaks: A Conversation with Vilas Dhar

Posted on November 22, 2021 by Vilas Dhar, Nicholas A. Tedesco

Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, joins NCFP President and CEO Nick Tedesco for a Family Philanthropy Speaks episode on data science, artificial intelligence, and the foundation’s recent merger. Hear about the innovative strategies the McGovern Foundation is using to tackle social issues.  Philanthropy is a practice borne out of compassion and commitment—and one that is… Read More
From NCFP

Ginny’s Governance Checklist Part 4: Ensuring Board Vitality: Communications, Committees, and Renewal

Posted on November 18, 2021 by Virginia M. Esposito

The Governance Checklist blog series is a practical guide to building and maintaining the best possible family foundation board. Framed around a series of questions, the Checklist can inform and help shape a discussion or series of discussions about the founding of a new board. It can also serve as a useful tool for a healthy, and well-advised, reconsideration of… Read More
Voices from the Field

Tough Talk

Posted on November 17, 2021 by Stephanie Ellis-Smith

This article was originally published by Phila Engaged Giving and is re-posted here with permission. Having tough conversations are often a necessary part of social change — both in funding it and in carrying it out. But how do we have a tough discussion that gets our point across without it coming across as a personal affront? I was recently asked to present… Read More
Voices from the Field

Prepare for Ethical Dilemmas on Family Boards

Posted on November 16, 2021 by Mary Phillips

This article was originally published by GMA Foundations and is re-posted here with permission. Many family foundations have taken the time to develop a values statement that guides board behavior and decisions.  While a board may have this deeply-held set of values, the board members might not always agree on how to interpret them. Reality can be complex, and gray… Read More
Voices from the Field

Video Highlights from the 2021 Trustee Education Institute

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Dimple Abichandani, Will Cordery, Kimberly Myers Hewlett, Anne Wallestad

The Trustee Education Institute is one of NCFP’s signature events, offering family foundation board members and CEOs a comprehensive overview of family philanthropy trends and topics. The virtual Institute this September featured conversations on values, racial equity, board chair leadership, next-gen engagement, and much more. Here are short video highlights from a few of those sessions. Give Big and Give… Read More
Network News

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

Posted on November 3, 2021

Friends Focus highlights updates from members of our Friends of the Family network and their work. This month features updates from the Compton Foundation, Delaplaine Foundation, Frist Foundation, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, Libra Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Stupski Foundation, Surdna Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation.  Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle member of NCFP with an update or good… Read More

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