Voices from the Field

Takeaways Blog on Family Identity and Culture

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Jen Crino

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
Voices from the Field

Five Touchstones In Our Relational Reparations Journey (Part 2)

Posted on February 17, 2021 by June L. Wilson, LeAnne Moss, Candace Tkachuck

Photo via Shutterstock 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… Read More
Voices from the Field

Family Culture: Creating a Resilient Family Tree

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Jamie Forbes, Kelly D. Nowlin

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
Featured Article

Takeaways Blog on Defining and Translating Motivations and Values

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Jen Crino

Defining motivations and values is in many ways the most critical step a family takes as they chart a path forward in their philanthropy. Understanding the reasons why families give and the values that connect them together will help guide families through their philanthropic effort. Motivations and values not only give families a common purpose, but also inform their approaches… Read More
Network News

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

Posted on February 2, 2021

Friends Focus highlights updates from members of our Friends of the Family network and their work. This month features updates from the Bainum Family Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, General Service Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Russell Family Foundation, and Surdna Foundation. Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle member of NCFP with an update or good news about your foundation… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Family Philanthropy Speaks: A Conversation with Jeff and Tricia Raikes

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Jeff and Tricia Raikes, Nicholas A. Tedesco

Jeff and Tricia Raikes, founders of the Seattle-based Raikes Foundation, are using their platform to push other donors to embrace and advance racial justice. In this Family Philanthropy Speaks conversation, Jeff and Tricia join Nick Tedesco to discuss how they have changed practices and acknowledged privilege throughout their donor journey. Jeff shares the value of diversifying their network, which opens… Read More
Voices from the Field

Spending down? Don’t forget your knowledge!

Posted on January 28, 2021 by Ashleigh Halverstadt

This article was originally published by Glasspockets by Candid and is re-posted here with permission. Ashleigh Halverstadt is the former senior evaluation and learning officer of the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, a spend-down foundation that concluded operations in December 2020. In this role, she worked with program staff and grantees to design and implement evaluation strategies, forged partnerships with… Read More
Voices from the Field

Foundations Respond to Crisis: A Must-Read Research Series from CEP

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Center for Effective Philanthropy

This article was originally published by The Center for Effective Philanthropy and is re-posted here with permission. In early spring, as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened, foundations in the U.S. began to shift resources and practices. Some funders, nonprofits, and others in the field called for fundamental changes in how funders approach their work — including upping the provision of long-term,… Read More
Voices from the Field

Breaking From Philanthropy Norms: An Inside Look At Relational Reparations (Part 1)

Posted on January 19, 2021 by June L. Wilson, LeAnne Moss, Candace Tkachuck

By Jacob Lund via Shutterstock This article was originally published by Giving Compass and is re-posted here with permission. What I’m talking about is more than recompense for past injustices—more than a handout, a payoff, hush money, or a reluctant bribe. What I’m talking about is a national reckoning that would lead to spiritual renewal. Reparations would mean the end… Read More
Voices from the Field

Philanthropy as Democracy Enhancement: Big Philanthropy’s Role as Discovery for Social Problem-Solving

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Mohit Mookim, Rob Reich, Nadia Roumani, Ayushi Vig

Photo by Element5 Digital from Pexels The United States is facing unprecedented levels of inequality. Nuanced critiques of donor-driven endowments permeate the media coverage of philanthropy, tinging it with skepticism and mistrust. As a donor, you want to do good—you want to have a positive impact by playing your part in advancing our society. Yet you may feel confused about… Read More