The NCFP Guide for Effective Family Philanthropy

The NCFP Guide for Effective Family Philanthropy defines effectiveness in the context of family philanthropy and anchors it in four principles—accountability, equity, reflection and learning, and relationships. Through a series of reflection questions and practices families can interrogate their current practices and embrace changes that support more meaningful outcomes.

Effectiveness is the culmination of many practices and it is a lifelong process and pursuit—not a destination or a simple checklist. We’ve developed this guide with insights from our community and the understanding that it will evolve. However, through this shared understanding and language around effectiveness, we can demystify the internal and external practices that promote positive outcomes and prepare families to create meaningful change.

Effective family philanthropy makes a collective commitment to meaningful societal change. It holds itself accountable to impact as defined by community, and to the proven practices that support it. It is adaptive, evolving with the family and the community or ecosystem within which it operates. It shares or cedes power with different family members and generations, as well as staff, communities, and grantees.