NCFP Blog

Voices from the Field

The Power of Shareholder Engagement

Posted on May 28, 2019 by Fran Teplitz

A beech tree forest in Germany
Most of us think first about the impact funds have when allocated for specific purposes like building a school or hospital, supporting job training, or funding advocacy campaigns. Others may also think about the impacts of where funds are invested, for example, in a community development financial institution that supports economically marginalized neighborhoods and individuals, or in a clean energy fund advancing new technologies… Read More
Voices from the Field

Giving Is Not Like Investing

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Phil Buchanan

A hand holds a dollar bill that is shaped like an origami heart
I remember sitting in a second-year elective course as an MBA student nearly two decades ago, listening to a guest lecturer describe how the “venture philanthropy” organization where she worked was applying the “principles of venture capital investing” to its work. She heaped disdain on what she called “traditional philanthropy,” which, she argued, hadn’t achieved results… Read More
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Family Philanthropy Board Chairs: Leading with Joy and Effectiveness

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

Two white women sit at a table, looking off camera to illustrate the Passages issue brief on Board Chairs
Who typically serves as the board chair of a family foundation, and how does the board choose who will be placed in this essential role? What are the responsibilities of board chairs, and what skills, qualities, and aptitudes are likely to lead to better board dynamics and performance? What are the common challenges that board chairs face, and what tips do existing chairs for tackling these challenge? And how do board chairs and leadership staff work together to strengthen board and foundation performance?… Read More
Featured Article

New ncfp.org and Family Philanthropy Online Knowledge Center

Posted on May 14, 2019

An important part of the new site is opening up public access to the Family Philanthropy Online Knowledge Center. This means anyone can access many of the Knowledge Center’s resources without logging in. Most importantly, these resources will now turn up in online searches via Google and other search engines. This raises the visibility of NCFP and our content, and… Read More
Voices from the Field

Let’s Be Candid About Board Succession Planning

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Katie Ensign, Deidre Garton, Megan Bell

Board meeting where people are analyzing numbers on a sheet
The Wilson Foundation was started in 1963 by Joe Wilson, founder of Xerox Corporation, and his wife, Peggy. The foundation embarked on strategic planning to revisit their giving priorities, but they quickly realized their impact goals would be successful only if they had the proper governance structure. In this blog, they share their board succession planning process… Read More
Voices from the Field

Family Funders: Always Important in Rural Communities

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Allen Smart

The history of the United States is marked by wealth created in rural America. Timber and wood products in the northwest and northeast; fossil fuels in Appalachia, the southwest and Rocky Mountains; textiles in the south, among others. Related philanthropic funds have been created alongside these rural industries—often from multi-generational family commitments to these rural communities. With the renewed focus… Read More
Voices from the Field

Why Study Integrated Philanthropy in Complex Multi-Generational Families?

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Neus Feliu, Ph.D., Kelin E. Gersick, Ph.D.

Generations - African American Family
In a follow-­up to Generations of Giving, NCFP is now co-­sponsoring a research project with LGA to explore how complex, multigenerational business families are using a variety of vehicles beyond their family foundations to pursue philanthropic goals—including their personal philanthropy, donor-­advised funds, corporate social responsibility programs, and values‐aligned investing strategies… Read More

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