NCFP Blog

Voices from the Field

Not Throwing Away This Shot

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Jaimie Mayer

For the past year, the family foundation I chair has spent a lot of time working to clarify our guiding values. As we were working on this effort, I took it upon myself to interrogate my own values and illuminate my own blind spots. Nothing is more important to me than helping grantees seize this moment to advance racial equity,… Read More
Voices from the Field

Protecting Democracy through Collaborative Philanthropy

Posted on September 17, 2020 by Stacey Faella

I voted sticker - Democracy
In early April, when the turmoil of COVID-19 had gripped New York City, where the Woodcock Foundation is based, the foundation called an emergency virtual board meeting. The purpose was to discuss the implications of the pandemic on our programs, the steps we were taking to check in on and help ensure the stability of our grantees, and brainstorm ideas… Read More
Voices from the Field

The Big Reset: Guidance for Funders

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Mario Morino

This article was originally published by Leap of Reason. View all components of The Big Reset and a list of references for funders here. Brutal Truths America has never needed more from civil society. That’s because our country is being rocked by a health pandemic, an age-old racism pandemic, economic upheaval, sweeping cuts in safety net programs, and the increasing… Read More
Network News

September 2020: News and Notes from NCFP’s Friends of the Family Network

Posted on September 9, 2020

purple flowers
Friends Focus highlights updates from members of our Friends of the Family network and their work. This month features updates from the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Delaplaine Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Hill-Snowdon Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Raikes Foundation.   Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle member of NCFP with an update or good news about your foundation that you would… Read More
Featured Article

A Change is Gonna Come: Supporting Our Partners through Leadership Transitions

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Liz Sak

Like many of you, when lockdowns came, we felt like we were in the midst of the crisis of our generation. No one could have anticipated that the months following would bring a cascade of additional crises, that together have the potential to fundamentally change this country for generations. We have all watched grantees pivot and respond to each emerging… Read More
Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Three Approaches To Place-based Philanthropy: Lessons For Donors

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Katie Smith Milway, Giving Compass

This article was originally published by Giving Compass and is re-posted here with permission. For more information on place-based giving, explore NCFP’s Pride of Place Content Collection.  When Ross and Emily Jones set up their family foundation, Imago Dei Fund (IDF), in Boston, they gravitated toward addressing injustices against girls and women as a linchpin for global progress. On her first donor trip in… Read More
Voices from the Field

Focus and Reenergize with Four Powerful Questions

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

white question mark on an abstract background
Feeling uncomfortable? You’re not alone. We’re all being asked to stretch and grow these days as we navigate a new world. Along with COVID-19, we’re facing divisive political rhetoric, and the growing needs of a struggling civic society. Add to that the challenges of a recession and a deafening cry for action to condemn racism and increase social justice. While… Read More
Voices from the Field

Five Lessons Learned from Running a Foundation That Gives Directly to Families

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Amy Kingman

In 2016, I was asked to join a philanthropic project that was close to the heart of philanthropist Warren Buffett and his beloved older sister, Doris Buffett. The “letters program” first started many years ago. After going public with his giving pledge, Warren (like many well-known philanthropists) was flooded with requests not just from nonprofits, but also from individuals and… Read More

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