Jason Born is the Senior Director of Knowledge at the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP), a role he has held since 2010. Jason helps track trends and leading-edge practices to inform NCFP’s development of suggested practices for effective family philanthropy; supports the President and CIO on strategies and partnerships; and serves as the head of NCFP’s internal team for responding to requests for information and assistance.

This is Jason’s is second stint at NCFP, and he previously served as NCFP’s Program Director from 1997 until 2005. Between his tenures, he helped launched the affinity group Funders Together to End Homelessness, an initiative of the Melville Charitable Trust. Prior, Jason was a program coordinator at the Council on Foundations.

Jason earned his master in economics from Tulane University and his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. Originally from rural Maine, he now lives outside of Boston with his wife and two sons where you can often find him on the baseball field or listening to his younger son’s rock band.

Contributions

What is a private operating foundation, and should we consider using this option?

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Jason Born

The IRS distinguishes between public and private foundations and, within private foundations, between operating and non-operating (grant-making) foundations. While private operating foundations may choose to make some grants to other charitable organizations, they must engage primarily in direct charitable activities by running their own programs (i.e., using their own facilities, staff and resources to directly further their charitable operations)… Read More

2016 Trustee Education Institute: a Comprehensive Seminar for Family Foundation Trustees

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Virginia M. Esposito, Susan Crites Price, Andrew Schulz, Bruce Kahn, David Grant, David Dodson, David Neal, Alice Buhl, Jan Jaffe, Kelin E. Gersick, Ph.D.

NCFP’s Trustee Education Institute provides a comprehensive introduction to all of the key legal, investment, ethical, grantmaking, and family dynamics issues facing family foundation board members. Featuring a faculty made up of NCFP’s senior staff and highly respected philanthropy experts, this three day, intensive seminar will cover: What does it mean to be a steward of both the public’s trust… Read More

The 2014 Trustee Education Institute: An intensive seminar for family foundation trustees

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Glen Galaich, Virginia M. Esposito, Susan Crites Price, Ami Aronson, Andrew Schulz, Kelly Sweeney McShane, Kristin Pauly, Leonor Alfonso, Maegan Scott, Mary Phillips

DOWNLOAD COMPLETE 2014 AGENDA HERE – SEE SPEAKER LIST AND BIOS BELOW NCFP’s Trustee Education Institute provides a comprehensive introduction to all of the key legal, investment, ethical, grantmaking, and family dynamics issues facing family foundation board members. Featuring a faculty made up of NCFP’s senior staff and highly respected philanthropy experts, this three day, intensive seminar will cover: What does… Read More

The Power of Urgency – The Eckerd Family Foundation

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Jason Born

Organized from its inception as a limited life foundation, the Eckerd Family Foundation took a bold and strategic approach to using its assets to create significant change on issues affecting young people, including juvenile justice, foster care, and education… Read More
Featured Article

Finding Common Ground & Valuing Different Views

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Jason Born

Dealing with different views is challenging in any family. Beliefs, opinions, and practices can diverge in so many ways. Making collective decisions across generations and branches within family foundations – while taking into account differing politics and religions, different attitudes toward money, and varying comfort levels with how public to be about wealth and foundation gifts – often requires patience,… Read More
Uncategorized, Case Studies

The Ansara Family Fund: Partnering Beyond Borders for Long-term Impact

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Jason Born

When Karen and Jim Ansara contacted the Boston Foundation on January 14, 2010 to talk about how their family’s donor advised fund could best respond to the earthquakes in Haiti – which had happened less than 48 hours before – they were continuing both a longstanding commitment to international philanthropy, as well as a more recent commitment to Haiti in… Read More
Case Studies

Finding and Fighting the Causes of Homelessness: The Melville Charitable Trust

Posted on June 11, 2009 by Jason Born

In 1990, a family trust in Connecticut decided to pursue an audacious goal: to end homelessness in America. The board thoroughly studied the issue, and eventually committed themselves to an equally bold strategy – creating a national movement. The Melville Charitable Trust’s considerable impact since then was recognized recently when its long-time executive director, Robert Hohler, received the Council on… Read More