Nick Tedesco headshot

Nicholas A. Tedesco

President and CEO

Nicholas (Nick) Tedesco is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP). NCFP serves as a hub of learning, connection, and collaboration designed to resource and activate a community of families to be intentional philanthropic stewards. Nick is a passionate advocate for philanthropy and brings over a decade of experience partnering with donors and their families to establish and meet their giving goals.

Prior to joining NCFP, Nick served as a Senior Advisor in the J.P. Morgan Philanthropy Centre where he provided clients with insights and services to help meet their philanthropic objectives through innovative advice, thought leadership and opportunities for learning and collaboration.

Previously, Nick served as a Relationship Manager at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he helped launch the Giving Pledge—an effort led by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett to encourage the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to commit the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. In this role, Nick managed relationships with current and prospective members of the pledge, as well as their staff and advisors. He helped to connect global philanthropists with one another in effort to exchange knowledge and encourage collaboration.

Nick began his career in the social sector as the Deputy Director of the Children’s Health Forum—a national nonprofit focused on the prevention and eradication of childhood diseases that disproportionately impact underserved communities.

Nick was named to the inaugural Chronicle of Philanthropy 40 Under 40 ranking in 2016 and the Nonprofit Times Power & Influence List in 2024. He was also named by Inside Philanthropy as the Best Guide to Family Philanthropy in 2023. He has been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal MarketWatch, Time Magazine and other notable publications.

Nick received a B.A. from Villanova University and resides in Washington, D.C.

Contributions

The Principles of Effective Family Philanthropy: Equity

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Sergio Rodríguez, Liz Dozier, Cathy Cha, Erin Borla, Nicholas A. Tedesco, June L. Wilson, Kelly D. Nowlin

 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… Read More

2023 Partner Summit

Posted on May 3, 2023 by Andrea Judd-Shurmur, Bridget McGuiggan, Regina Bell, Randy Van Antwerp, Kyle Caldwell, Miki Akimoto, Dr. Brittany Kienker, Nicholas A. Tedesco, Christine Sherry, Jason Born

The inaugural Partner Summit is a virtual convening designed for our network of regional associations of grantmakers, philanthropic consultants and advisory firms and financial institutions that serve family philanthropies. The summit will explore the latest trends in family philanthropy, including promoting effective practices with members and clients, the power of cross-sector relationships and defining paths to equity and advocacy for family… Read More

Community Foundation Spark Session: Guiding Donors on the How and Now of Philanthropy

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Rebekah Allison, CAP®, Ayanna Wakefield, Brennan Gould, Nicholas A. Tedesco, Tony Macklin

Compass guiding donors in philanthropy
Our communities face many complex and interconnected challenges. Most require us to confront racial, economic, and other inequities. We’re also living in an era of massive wealth creation and wealth transfer. More donors have the resources to meaningfully address those challenges. But the how and now of their philanthropy matters more than ever. Community foundations have an incredible opportunity—and perhaps… Read More
From NCFP

Powering Possibilities: In Community and for Community

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Nicholas A. Tedesco

Two attendees shaking hands at the 2022 National Forum on Family Philanthropy
Amazing things happen when people come together in community. Mutual aid groups support local communities with access to food and needed resources. Donor collaboratives now give over $2 billion annually. Community Advisory Councils are breaking from the traditional philanthropic mold of family philanthropy governance and expanding knowledge and connection to the communities they serve. In my personal and professional life… Read More
From NCFP

How and Now Matter: Reflections from the 2022 National Forum on Family Philanthropy

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Nicholas A. Tedesco

Every two years the family philanthropy community gathers for reflection and inspiration at the National Forum for Family Philanthropy. San Francisco hosted our latest summit a few short weeks ago—marking the 25th anniversary of the organization and the first in-person event since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event brought into focus the moment of shift we are experiencing… Read More

Community Foundations Network Topical Call: Using the Family Giving Lifecycle Toolkit

Posted on June 21, 2022 by Nicholas A. Tedesco, Tony Macklin

Community foundations are asked to guide families through many points of inflection and reflection in their philanthropic journeys. In those moments, families can embrace proven practices and advance momentum or stall out due to uncertainty and lack of clarity. How can you as a philanthropic advisor forecast those points of inflection and prepare your donors for more informed decisions? NCFP’s… Read More
From NCFP

Demystifying the Hidden Figure of ‘Effectiveness’

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Nicholas A. Tedesco

In philanthropy, effectiveness is our north star—it is the bar we measure ourselves against and the standard we strive to uphold. But what exactly does it mean to “successfully achieve an intended result” or “fulfill a specified function,” particularly when our structures, practices, and beliefs are called into question? What does it mean to be effective not just as funders,… Read More
From NCFP

Lead and Give with Bravery and Humility

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Nicholas A. Tedesco

Society is calling leaders to action: demanding fundamental changes in our mindsets, how we operate, and what we pursue. Responding to the call requires us to step into unknown spaces and discomfort and to go beyond platitudes and statements of support. The bold step into action challenges us to be brave, vulnerable, and humble. Leadership is hard. It is messy… Read More

Pluralism in Family Philanthropy: Navigating Tensions and Bridging Divides for Impact

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Uma Viswanathan, Tegan Acton, Heather Templeton Dill, Brian Hooks, Nicholas A. Tedesco

Group of people of on top of the mountain at sunset
In an increasingly divisive society, people are facing complex, challenging dialogues around politics, ethics, and social issues, struggling to manage perspectives across the political aisle and facilitate healthy discourse with multiple viewpoints. What is taking place on a macro scale is mirrored within individual families—difficult conversations, distinct political and cultural divides, and in many cases gridlock or an inability to… Read More

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