Community Foundations
Community foundations play vital roles across the country—they serve as hubs for donor engagement, capital, and learning. As dedicated partners in the philanthropic sector, NCFP’s goal is to help you more effectively serve your donors. The Community Foundations Family Philanthropy Network brings together foundation staff to create shared tools, exchange insights, build capacity for the field, and create new connections.
Get Involved
Molly Rand (The Chicago Community Trust), Caroline Kuebler (Community Foundation of Greater Memphis), Tony Macklin (NCFP program consultant), and Ellen Grill (The Foundation for Delaware County) tackle how to measure progress at the 2019 Community Foundations Workshop in Chicago.
NCFP’s Community Foundations Family Philanthropy Network supports the special role community foundations play with philanthropic families as a trusted resource and partner. The network receives guidance from its members through a co-chair and advisory group structure.
Learn from Peers and Experts
Network members exchange ideas, tools, stories and effective practices through virtual programs held throughout the year, an annual workshop, and an online library of network specific resources. In addition, Network members are eligible to attend the National Forum on Family Philanthropy. Ahead of each Forum, there is a low-cost, in-depth, skill-building workshop for Network members specially designed for community foundation staff and board.
Family Philanthropy Playbook
The Family Philanthropy Playbook organizes resources into 9 training modules that focus on key issues community foundations face when planning and delivering family philanthropy services. The basic information in each module is free to the public. Webinar recordings, topical calls, and most downloadable templates and examples are only available to NCFP’s subscribers.
Family Philanthropy and Donor-advised Funds
Over the past 20 years an increasing number of donors and families are choosing donor-advised funds (DAFs) as the primary vehicle for meeting their philanthropic goals, in large part thanks to the nation’s more than 750 community foundations. NCFP’s online guide, Family Philanthropy and Donor-Advised Funds, offers donors, families, and advisors guidance and real-life examples of the benefits and complexities of the DAF vehicle. Whether you are a donor exploring DAFs for the first time or a philanthropic or wealth advisor working with families, this guide will help you answer key questions and determine whether a DAF is the right tool for all your goals.
Diane Higginbotham of the Greater Houston Community Foundation (right) and Kathleen Wagner of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (left) at the 2019 Community Foundations Workshop in Chicago.
Access New Resources and Tools
NCFP continually develops new case studies, articles, issue briefs, and other content to help Network members increase their capacity to effectively serve philanthropic families. In addition to the Knowledge Center, Network members have a private digital library of resources and events.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to the Lilly Endowment and Charles Stewart Mott Foundation for the initial funding which allowed the network’s creation.