Board decision-making

Trustee Handbook and board policies (Hill-Snowdon Foundation)

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Hill-Snowdon Foundation

This document represents all standing policies that have been developed by the Hill-Snowdon Foundation since the year 2000.   It presents long-term policies as well as short-term (action-oriented with specific timeframe attached) policies that have not yet been completed, and includes Executive, Grantmaking, and Operational policies… Read More

Family Boards: Why Can’t We Just All Get Along?

Posted on May 14, 2009 by Judith K. Healey

Every family has occasional disagreements when they engage in grantmaking together. How do you handle such common dilemmas as: family members who disagree on grantmaking, discretionary dollars or payouts; members who act out at board meetings or don’t do their share; a leader that’s not willing to step down; individuals who carry their family baggage or branch differences into the board room?… Read More

Perpetuity is a Long Time

Posted on December 13, 2008 by Daniel Bader, Richard Moore

Most foundations are created in perpetuity, but a growing number are planning to sunset, most for family or program reasons. Some foundations feel strongly that they best serve society by continuing their work over the long haul. Some simply avoid discussing the issue… Read More

Challenges of Board Leadership: What Now and Why?

Posted on March 13, 2008 by Ken Gladish

Good board leadership in the foundation field has become increasingly complex and challenging. It has also become more important than ever. And, in family foundations, trustees and directors are faced with a special set of conditions and circumstances that make their work even more "interesting."… Read More

Family Governance Meets Family Dynamics: Strategies for Successful Joint Philanthropy

Posted on October 28, 2007 by Fredda Herz Brown, Patricia Angus

This Passages issue paper explores the interplay of family dynamics and family governance in family philanthropies, concluding families who think about their governance systems, including how decisions will be made, are less likely to be encumbered by family dynamics than families who begin their philanthropies informally, progressing to formality over time. In addition, families who openly address their underlying internal… Read More

Family Governance: a Primer for Families

Posted on June 8, 2005 by Patricia Angus

Many families working together in philanthropy find that managing the work that must be accomplished as a group can be as complex as the grantmaking itself. Typically, a family’s philanthropy, whether formal or less structured, is only one of a number of ways in which family members interact with one another. In this session, Patricia Angus of Asset Management Advisors… Read More

Generations of Giving: Lessons on Governance and Continuity

Posted on February 25, 2005 by Kelin E. Gersick, Ph.D.

For every family member involved in a family foundation or advised fund, there are two fundamental questions: Why are we doing this? And why am I participating? The second in a two-part series, Kelin Gersick presented key lessons on governance and explored questions in the areas of reviewing and reinventing mission, considering family dynamics, and preparing for future generations involvement… Read More

Families In Flux: Guidelines for Participation in Your Family’s Philanthropy

Posted on October 4, 2004 by Deanne Stone

Family members marry, divorce, remarry, form domestic partnerships and, in many cases, move far away from the family home. With families growing ever more complex, varied, and far-flung, foundations and donor-advised funds need clear guidelines regarding who participates in their philanthropy and in what roles. This Passages report addresses changing family composition and circumstances and how philanthropic families may deal… Read More

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