Heather Pruess

December 2, 2019
Heather Pruess is the Donor Relations Officer at the Oregon Community Foundation. Heather works with advised fund holders to reach their charitable goals by connecting them to resources at OCF, in their communities, and beyond. She is a trained and certified 21/64 practitioner. Prior to OCF, Heather worked to recruit and train older adult volunteer mentors at Metropolitan Family Service and Read More
Blog | Network News

December 2019: News and Notes from NCFP’s Friends of the Family Network

Friends Focus highlights updates from members of our Friends of the Family network and their cutting edge work. This month features updates from The Brinson Foundation, Sobrato Philanthropies, and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. Are you a current Friend or Leadership Circle member of NCFP with an update or good news about your foundation that you would like to share Read More
Blog | From NCFP

The Promise of Even Greater Possibilities

November 26, 2019 | Virginia M. Esposito
What distinguishes giving families are the dual goals they bring to their philanthropic giving: goals for charitable purpose and goals for family participation. What unites them all is a very personal passion, a commitment to the legacy of their families’ values and vision and a commitment to philanthropic excellence. As I mentioned at the recent National Forum on Family Philanthropy, Read More
Blog | Voices from the Field

It’s Cool to be Kind: How to Have Civil Conversations in Today’s World

November 22, 2019 | Elaine Gast Fawcett
Civil: relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns; courteous, polite —Merriam Webster In an increasingly divisive society—where politics seem to dominate public as well as private discourse—what would it be like to hold civil conversations in our own families and communities? And how might family foundations create space for people to come together and have these conversations? These were big Read More
Blog | Voices from the Field

Build Authentic Relationships: The Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Minnesota

November 18, 2019 | Elaine Gast Fawcett
As a family funder, how can you acknowledge and responsibly navigate the power of your position? How does the power and privilege you hold affect those you interact with and support? How can you use your power for good—to make lasting impact? This Passages Issue Brief features stories, perspectives, and practical tips on power, and suggestions for how family funders can work Read More

Kathleen Wagner

November 18, 2019
Kathleen Wagner is a Senior Philanthropic Officer at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. Kathleen is dedicated to helping donors achieve their philanthropic goals and make a difference on the issues that are important to them. She actively supports donors in maximizing the impact of their philanthropic giving and donor-advised fund management. Since joining the Foundation in 2014, Kathleen has Read More

Stephen Robinson

November 18, 2019
Stephen Robinson is a Philanthropic Advisor at Seattle Foundation. Stephen advises families and individuals on effective philanthropic strategies to support their community interests, realize philanthropic impact and create meaningful legacies. Stephen manages our Scholarship Program and works closely with philanthropists interested in impact investing. As a philanthropic advisor, Stephen brings contemplative practices and rigorous qualitative methods to shape conversations and Read More

Lauren Domino

November 18, 2019
Lauren Domino is the Director of Philanthropic Services at Seattle Foundation. Lauren guides a team of philanthropic advisors, ensuring that philanthropists receive a personal approach, access to deep community insights and exceptional support to achieve their goals of powerful and rewarding philanthropy. Lauren comes to Seattle Foundation with a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, primarily focused on program Read More
Blog | Voices from the Field

The Perrin Family Foundation: A Funder Journey Story

The Perrin Family Foundation is a family foundation based in Connecticut, with a focus on supporting youth-led social change focused on addressing the root causes of injustice and inequity statewide Sheila and Charlie Perrin founded PFF in 1994 to create a permanent vehicle for their family philanthropy and allow their extended family to be part of their vision for providing Read More
Blog | Voices from the Field

Ingredients for Grantee Collaboration Success: A Case Study

November 12, 2019 | Elizabeth Versten
My board members often remark, “There are so many organizations addressing this issue, it’d be great if they could work together.” I serve as executive director of several foundations, one of which is anonymous, based in a family office outside Chicago. My foundations all support excellent nonprofits we wish would share expertise, if not officially collaborate. Through the years, we Read More