Jen Crino headshot

Jen Crino

Senior Manager, Programs

Jen Crino is the Senior Manager of Programs at the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP). Jen supports NCFP’s signature events, including the National Forum on Family Philanthropy and the Leadership Retreat. She assists with program development and logistics for other virtual learning events.

Previously, she was a Community Investment Fellow at the Greater Washington Community Foundation and supported the grantmaking process for the Community Foundation’s Fund for Children, Youth and Families. During her graduate studies, she helped lead a youth philanthropy course and service learning projects for college freshmen.

Jen received her master of public policy degree with a focus in nonprofit management from the University of Maryland in 2017. She earned her B.A. from Boston College and is New Jersey native currently living in D.C.

Contributions

From NCFP

Takeaways Blog on Reducing the Administrative Burden through Fiscal Sponsorship

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Jen Crino

This blog summarizes key notes from our March Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy webinar. Management, operations, and administration are often barriers to scaling impact, and many donors opt to utilize vehicles that reduce these burdens and offer more legal, financial, and operational support. Fiscal sponsorships and other outsourced service providers are common choices for families, and provide their own specific set… Read More
From NCFP

Takeaways Blog on Engaging the Next Generation

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Jen Crino

This blog summarizes key notes from our November Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy Webinar. Multigenerational families use varying, and often multiple, strategies to engage the next generation in philanthropy. Yet why it is important to engage subsequent generations in the family philanthropy, and how does it impact the culture and operations of the foundation? Successful next-gen participation depends on a number… Read More
From NCFP

Takeaways Blog on Scaling for Success

Posted on October 14, 2021 by Jen Crino

This blog summarizes key notes from our September Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy Webinar. Giving families often reach a point where they grow their giving; however, it is often challenging to understand the practices that promote success. How do you develop an effective strategy and systems as your philanthropy expands? When does a philanthropic effort require staff and what are the… Read More
Voices from the Field

Takeaways Blog on Impact, Measurement, and Evaluation

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Jen Crino

Courtesy of Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash  This blog summarizes key notes from our August Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy Webinar. Impact is often an elusive concept in philanthropy. Giving families want to understand the impact of their investments, as well as the most effective way to assess progress, how to define and measure success for challenging and long-term problems, and ways… Read More
Voices from the Field

Takeaways Blog on Grantee Relationships and Power Dynamics

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Jen Crino

Courtesy of Alexander Suhorucov from Pexels This blog summarizes key notes from our July Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy Webinar. Power dynamics are inherent any funder and grantee relationship, and this imbalance between giver and receiver can inhibit productive, honest partnerships. Often nonprofits make shifts to accommodate funder guidelines for grant dollars they are seeking, to fit the specific grant application… Read More
Voices from the Field

Engaging Youth Retreat: A Recap

Posted on June 22, 2021 by Jen Crino

Courtesy of Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash This article was originally published by Foundant and is re-posted here with permission. For families interested in engaging multiple generations in their philanthropy, younger family members need opportunities to learn and build skills and competencies necessary for future leadership. These skills and family philanthropy knowledge should be taught in tandem with a broader… Read More
Voices from the Field

Takeaways Blog on Building a Social Impact Strategy and Approach

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Jen Crino

Courtesy of Mikael Blomkvist from Pexels This blog summarizes key notes from our June Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy Webinar. A social impact strategy is the fundamental element of a family philanthropy effort. The practice of grantmaking actualizes the motivations of a donor, advances their values, and accomplishes their aims and objectives. However, it requires careful planning and consideration. A family… Read More
Voices from the Field

Takeaways Blog on Demystifying Decision Making

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Jen Crino

This blog summarizes key notes from our May Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy webinar. Philanthropic families employ a wide range of models to make decisions—from unilateral authority to consensus. However, identifying the appropriate structure is often a challenge and can serve as a barrier to effective philanthropic practices. Developing an appropriate decision-making framework for distinct situations allows families to rely on… Read More
Voices from the Field

Takeaways Blog on Effective Governance: Principles, Policies, and Practices

Posted on April 19, 2021 by Jen Crino

Courtesy of Leon on Unsplash This blog summarizes key notes from our April Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy Webinar. Family philanthropy is rooted in the act of collective decision making—one that is often codified in a formal governance structure. Governance consists of three elements—principles, policies, and practices—that define who makes decisions and how decisions are made. Families that are intentional about developing… Read More
Voices from the Field

Going Beyond the Private Foundation: An Exploration of Vehicles

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Jen Crino

Courtesy of Pixbay on Pexels Donors have an array of options when it comes to selecting a giving vehicle(s). Vehicles offer a range of tools, decision-making structures, and approaches to achieve impact. While philanthropy traditionally showed up as grantmaking through two main entities, the private foundation and the donor-advised fund, a number of alternate and uniquely impactful vehicles have gained… Read More

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