Elaine Gast Fawcett

Contributions

Transparency in Family Philanthropy: Opening to the Possibilities

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

What choices do you have when it comes to transparency? How open and accessible is your family foundation—to the extended family, to grant seekers and partners, to the public? What approach do your colleague foundations take, and why? This guide examines how family funders are thinking, acting—and not acting—when it comes to how transparent they are with others. It encourages… Read More

Thrive at Five: The Secrets of Long-Term Family Philanthropy

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

If you are a newer family foundation with one or two generations on the board, five generations may seem like a long time away. Yet in family philanthropy, quite a few foundations have been operating and thriving for 50, 75, even 100 years. What’s the secret of these family philanthropies that make it five generations or more? How do they… Read More

Managing Your Family Foundation

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

This resource is an excerpt of Chapter 9 from “Splendid Legacy 2: Creating and Re-creating Your Family Foundation”… Read More

In Times of Growth: Planning for an Influx of Assets

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

An influx of assets is a powerful transition point in your philanthropy. With rising resources comes the budding potential to do more of what you’re already doing—or, perhaps, try something new. This Passages Issue Brief will help you plan now for growth tomorrow, and manage change if you’re in the midst of it today… Read More

Planning for an Influx of Assets

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Tara Brown, Katherine Lorenz, Elaine Gast Fawcett

An influx of assets—whether sudden or expected—is a powerful transition point in your family’s philanthropy. With rising resources comes the budding potential to do more of what you’re already doing: making a difference according to your foundation’s mission. For family foundations—particularly those for whom the influx comes as a complete surprise—a change in asset size can feel downright disorienting. … Read More

Avoiding Avoidance: Addressing and Managing Conflict in Family Philanthropy

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

Conflict is normal in any family or organization. In this issue of Passages, you’ll learn about the most common conflicts in family philanthropy, the creative “tactics” some boards use to perpetuate the avoidance, and how you can use simple tools to address conflict in a healthy, productive way… Read More

Avoiding Avoidance: Addressing and Managing Conflict

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Bobbi Hapgood, Lisa Parker, Elaine Gast Fawcett

Conflict is neither inherently good nor bad. Conflict will always occur in an organization that's growing, evolving, and changing. On this webinar, we’ll explore typical situations where families might find themselves falling into the avoidance trap, along with useful strategies for ‘avoiding avoidance’ and other related tips and tools for managing family conflict… Read More

Real estate: The grant that keeps on giving

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Elaine Gast Fawcett

“At a time like this, we need to stop investing in treasuries and bonds and start investing directly in our communities.” —Tom Parker, Hutton Foundation As a family fund these days, you might feel like crawling into a corner and licking your endowment losses. But look on the bright side. Trying times can inspire positive change—and a chance to get… Read More