Featured Article

Rapid Response Funding Partnerships in the Fight Against SARS-CoV-2

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Will Fitzpatrick

DNA strands
As the coronavirus pandemic intensifies, philanthropists are struggling to respond. Nearly the entire world suddenly has the same urgent needs: more and better diagnostic testing, personal protective and respiratory equipment, food supply support, and small business support, to name a critical few. At the same time, we are beginning to see huge systemic flaws in our national and global healthcare system… Read More
Voices from the Field

How to Best Support Nonprofits through Uncertainty

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Hannah Martin, Center for Effective Philanthropy

How can funders help and support those who are working most directly with and for the populations we care most about? Read “Supporting Our Unsung Heroes in a Moment of Crisis” a series by CEP President Phil Buchanan for timely perspectives and advice. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is complicating an already complex funding landscape for nonprofits. While the need for… Read More
Voices from the Field

Successful Generational Transitions: Building Trust and Flexibility into Your Work with Families

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Jen Crino, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, The Seattle Foundation

Young girl and father drawing outdoors
Generational transitions are a natural part of family philanthropy—trusting the next generation to honor established values and traditions while asserting their own leadership. Many families seek guidance from philanthropic advisors to find the right balance of implementing changes and maintaining the status quo. In the webinar Successful Generational Transitions, staff members from the Seattle Foundation and the Community Foundation for… Read More
Network News

March 2020: News and Notes from NCFP’s Friends of the Family Network

Posted on February 25, 2020

Purple Poppy Flowers
Friends Focus highlights updates from members of our Friends of the Family network and their cutting edge work. This month features updates from the Bainum Family Foundation; Brindle Foundation; The Clowes Fund; Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund; J. M. Kaplan Fund; McKnight Foundation; The Russell Family Foundation; Surdna Foundation; and Zellerbach Family Foundation.  Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle… Read More
Voices from the Field

How Claneil Foundation Puts Relationships into Practice

Posted on February 22, 2020 by The Whitman Institute

Claneil Foundation has valued the importance of relationship since its inception. Over the last four years the foundation has deliberately reexamined its practices with this lens – and it’s been transformational. The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project’s Shaady Salehi sat down with Executive Director Mailee Walker to get the scoop on why they did this and what they’re learning along the way:… Read More
Voices from the Field

Working Towards Foundation 2.0: Professionalizing Your Family Foundation

Posted on February 20, 2020 by Jennifer Wegbreit, Deborah Dauber

a cup of coffee sits next to a notebook and pen on a wooden table
Creating and running a family foundation can be rewarding and impactful. However, when a family foundation grows and hires non-family or family staff to operate the organization, it is imperative that systems are put in place to professionalize the foundation. These systems will introduce clarity and objectivity in decision making, reduce potential conflicts, and ensure the foundation follows best nonprofit… Read More
Voices from the Field

Values Lead to Decades of Kindness

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Heather Fust

Editor’s note: In this excerpt, Heather Fust writes about putting values into practice through staff culture at Foundant Technologies. The full article was originally published on Foundant Technologies’ website and appears with permission.  As I wrote at the beginning of 2019, “Choose Kind” remains front and center to every interaction and every thought in our day-to-day lives at Foundant. As… Read More
Voices from the Field

Connecting Family Philanthropists Across Generations

Posted on February 10, 2020 by Stephanie Ellis-Smith and Lauren Janus

A large group of people standing on the beach, silhouetted by the sunset
Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on Phīla Engaged Giving’s website and appears with permission. There’s a danger in making generalizations about any group of people, however, this blog post aims to share trends within the “Millennial” or “NextGen” demographic and to offer some tips on how to bridge the generation gap between the old(er) and young around philanthropic giving… Read More
From NCFP

Welcome Letter from NCFP President & CEO Nick Tedesco

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Nicholas A. Tedesco

Hand_holding_compass
In a welcome letter, our new President and CEO shares his reflections on the state of the sector and the future of the National Center for Family Philanthropy. We invite you to read the letter in full and share your thoughts in this brief survey. Dear Community Members and Friends: As I begin my tenure with the National Center for… Read More