Voices from the Field

Shifting Our Approach to Traditional Reporting Relationships

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Drew Payne

Courtesy of fauxels from Pexels I have long sat at the intersection of philanthropy and technology. My parents started the Payne Family Foundation 25 years ago, committed to organizations focused on youth development, education and healthcare. At the heart of our giving is a relationship-based approach to support mission-aligned grantees with flexible capital and open communication lines, creating space to… Read More
Voices from the Field

Legacy in Family Philanthropy: A Modern Framework

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Janice Simsohn Shaw

Courtesy of Monstera From Pexels This blog post is excerpted from NCFP’s new report Legacy in Family Philanthropy: A Modern Framework Historically, legacy in family philanthropy has been considered from a retrospective point of view. From an external vantage point, legacy has often been seen as the sum philanthropic impact of a family, the culmination of its efforts. That is,… Read More
Voices from the Field

Takeaways Blog on Demystifying Decision Making

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Jen Crino

This blog summarizes key notes from our May Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy webinar. Philanthropic families employ a wide range of models to make decisions—from unilateral authority to consensus. However, identifying the appropriate structure is often a challenge and can serve as a barrier to effective philanthropic practices. Developing an appropriate decision-making framework for distinct situations allows families to rely on… Read More
Voices from the Field

The Gift of Being Heard and Working in Partnership

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Alliance Magazine, Gwen Shivers, Pam Savoy-Weaver

This article was originally published by Alliance Magazine and is re-posted here with permission. It can be easy to invest money in an attempt to fix problems. But money alone can’t build trust or change. That work starts with how you treat people. Fortunately, for the families of Detroit’s northwest neighborhood of Brightmoor, the network of providers and parents working to… Read More
Network News

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

Posted on May 3, 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, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, McKnight Foundation, and Walton Foundation.  Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle member of NCFP with an update or good news about your foundation that you would like… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Family Philanthropy Speaks: A Conversation with Valerie Rockefeller

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Valerie Rockefeller, Nicholas A. Tedesco

Valerie Rockefeller chairs the board of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, bringing her skills as a special education teacher and passion for impact investing. In this Family Philanthropy Speaks conversation, Valerie talks with NCFP President and CEO Nick Tedesco about building her own identity within a well-known family and strategies for successfully leading a family foundation board. Related Resources Content Collection:… Read More
Voices from the Field

We Can’t Quit Now! Making the Case to Double Down on Democracy

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Stacey Faella

Courtesy of the Movement Voter Project This past year has been one of landmark success for our democracy, despite (or perhaps to some extent because of) the uphill battle the pandemic presented in a presidential election year. In the fall we shared the Woodcock Foundation’s decision to increase our grantmaking budget in order to promote democracy and support organizations as… Read More
Voices from the Field

Establishing Tri-Sector Alliances To Combat COVID-19

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Giving Compass, Nancy Rauch Douzinas

This article was originally published by Giving Compass and is re-posted here with permission. Giving Compass’ Take: • Nancy Rauch Douzinas encourages business, government, and philanthropy to form tri-sector alliances as the only way to truly respond to COVID-19. • How can tri-sector alliances expedite coronavirus response efforts? What are you doing to enhance collaborative efforts in your own organization? • Read… Read More
Voices from the Field

Beyond A Donation: Reflecting On Philanthropy And Reparations (Part 4)

Posted on April 26, 2021 by LeAnne Moss, Candace Tkachuck, June L. Wilson

This article was originally published by Giving Compass and is re-posted here with permission. This is part two in a four-part series. Read part one, part two, and part three. “Anti-oppression can’t happen without the presence of spirit. Dehumanization, soul loss, and alienation are not states of mind, so it is not a change of mind that is needed. They are states of being… Read More
Voices from the Field

Stories From The Spend Down Journey

Posted on April 20, 2021 by Jeffrey M. Glebocki

Courtesy of Elena Rabkina on Unsplash To be or not to be? More accurately, to spend down or to remain in perpetuity? Much has been written about the pros and cons of this existential inquiry in philanthropy. This article shares practical observations from the field about the strategies, tactics, and approaches that limited life foundations have used and guiding questions… Read More