NCFP Blog

As the CEO of a family foundation with a defined end date, I am frequently asked how we retain and motivate staff when everyone on the team knows their job will end in the not-too-distant future. As a leader, this is a tremendously interesting situation to manage. It takes careful thought and deft, compassionate leadership (which I aspire to but… Read More

Courtesy of Serpstat from Pexels Foundations have been badly underserved in terms of available financial benchmarking resources. Coverage of foundations tends to focus mainly on where donations dollars are going without much attention paid to what happens to the money that stays in foundations’ endowments. The few reports that are available either 1) only describe the largest foundations, 2) are… Read More

The McKnight Foundation has implemented a new program devoted to equity and inclusion in our state. David Nicholson, program director of the Vibrant & Equitable Communities program, shares how that team is thinking about systems change and what they’ve learned so far. Q: As a family philanthropy, how do you see your role in moving racial equity forward? And how… Read More

As we approach the conclusion of Black History Month we are pleased to share a fresh look at the special role of Black philanthropy in the US. “African American giving is grounded in a collective sense of responsibility and obligation towards the community and the continuing larger struggle for liberation. It is based on a generosity of spirit as an… Read More

Courtesy of RODNAE Productions from Pexels Many giving families have a strong sense of identity, defined by their relationships, traditions, and underlying values, and carried out through a shared purpose and approach to philanthropy. In NCFP’s recent webinar, “Family Culture and Identity” Senior Program Consultant Tony Macklin discussed what family culture and organizational culture mean in the context of family… Read More

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 here. “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb In our first article, we shared the philosophy and beginnings of our relational reparations group in Seattle, which would… Read More

Courtesy of Johannes Plenio from Pexels This blog post is excerpted from the Passages Issues Brief Family Culture: Creating a Resilient Family Tree. For more information about family culture, please register for our Family Identity and Culture Webinar on February 11, 2021. Family connectedness, not money, has the greatest influence on multi-generational family continuity. But when many think about legacy, it’s often in… Read More