Blog | Ask NCFP

Are Family Foundation Board Internships an Effective Tool for Training the Next Generation?

Are board internships an effective tool for training the next generation? What are some examples of other family foundations that have used them, and what have their experiences been? The National Center for Family Philanthropy and Youth Philanthropy Connect, a program of the Frieda C. Fox Family Foundation, have teamed up on the release of our latest Passages Issue Brief Read More
Blog | Featured Article

Igniting the spark, part II: How do next gen boards work and how do we create one?

Part 2 of 2 The National Center for Family Philanthropy and Youth Philanthropy Connect, a program of the Frieda C. Fox Family Foundation, have teamed up on the release of our latest Passages Issue Brief entitled, “Igniting the Spark: Creating Effective Next Generation Boards.”  Giving families prepare their younger members for potential board service in a variety of ways, as Read More
Blog | From NCFP

Renew, Re-Imagine, Reinvigorate!

June 15, 2013 | Virginia M. Esposito
Virginia Esposito, President, National Center for Family Philanthropy Spring may quickly be a fading memory but the spirit of spring – renewal, re-imagining, and reinvigorating – is alive and well in the world of family philanthropy. Let me share a few examples to inform and inspire your own giving and, hopefully, to encourage you to share your own renewal efforts Read More
Blog | Featured Article

Fifteen Timeless Tips for Trustee Training and Succession

September 15, 2012 | Jason Born
Year after year, one topic in family philanthropy rises to the top: inspiring, engaging, and preparing the next generation for leadership. Sooner or later, unless the board decides to spend down the endowment, board succession in family foundations is a matter of when, not if. Since its founding in September 1997, the National Center for Family Philanthropy has published dozens Read More
Blog | Ask NCFP

Training Opportunities for Younger Family Members and New Trustees

Our family foundation board is committed to adding several new next generation family members (i.e., in their 20s and 30s) to the board in the next 2-3 years. We also need to become more proactive in inviting younger family members (i.e., those in the 10-20 range) to participate in the family’s philanthropy. Do you have suggestions for opportunities for our Read More
Blog | Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Declining Applications and Inquiries: How Funders Can Do Better

March 6, 2024 | Peter Marks
Peter Marks, executive director of The L.B. Research and Education Foundation, received positive feedback from grant seekers who were not selected to move forward in the foundation’s application process. The feedback affirmed Peter’s own experience as a nonprofit grantseeker: funders often fail to provide helpful information in their declination letters. Here, Peter shares a template for other funders to employ. Read More
Blog | From NCFP, Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Improving Philanthropic Practice by Prioritizing Reflection & Learning

February 6, 2024 | Emerald Adeyemi, Don Chen
Family philanthropy done well can achieve lasting and meaningful change in the world and within the families themselves. To be effective, NCFP believes funders must employ four principles: accountability, equity, relationships, and reflection and learning. Despite being essential to impactful funding, a commitment to reflection and learning is often the first practice to be left behind when the day-to-day is Read More

Atiba Mbiwan

August 31, 2023
In October 2006, Atiba Mbiwan joined the staff of The Zeist Foundation, a family foundation based in Atlanta, as the Associate Director to fortify their traditional grantmaking in the areas of Education, Arts & Culture and Health & Human Services, and to support the Foundation’s “place-based philanthropy” in the Edgewood neighborhood of Atlanta, which began in 1994 with a foundation Read More

Cassie Bean

July 21, 2023
Cassie Bean is a Director of Programs at the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP). In her role, Cassie collaborates with other members of the program team to deliver meaningful learning opportunities and events for NCFP’s community.  Additionally, she designs and implements a subset of programs, including the BIPOC, Non-Family Staff, Engaging Youth Peer Networks, and the Racial Justice Learning Read More
Blog | Effective Family Philanthropy in Action

Listening, Learning, Supporting: Reflections on the RFF Team’s Support Beyond The Grant

June 28, 2023 | Rhonnel Sotelo, Kate Ray
When the Rogers Family Foundation announced the sunsetting of our Oakland education strategy in October 2020, our team knew we’d reach a point of reflection on our grantmaking and practices over the last two decades. That time is now. This piece focuses on the concept of “Beyond the Grant,” which challenges funders to leverage internal organizational capacity to support their Read More