Next gen fund RFP (Andrus Family Fund)
Posted on July 27, 2015 by Andrus Family Fund
A sample grants RFP for the Andrus Family Fund’s next generation fund… Read More
Branch and family dynamics
Andrus youth service program application
Posted on July 27, 2015 by Andrus Family Fund
A sample application from a family foundation inviting next gen family members who are interested in participating in the family’s formal philanthropy program to share what excites and inspires them to give back to their community. Includes a sample cover letter explaining the overall goals of the youth service program… Read More
Andrus youth service program handbook
Posted on July 27, 2015 by Andrus Family Fund
A sample next gen program handbook from a family foundation inviting next gen family members to “develop a long-term commitment to being the change you want to see in this world.” Includes history about the foundation and the program, as well as a collection of activities for next gen youth to use to brainstorm and choose their own philanthropic path… Read More
Avoiding Avoidance: Addressing and Managing Conflict in Family Philanthropy
Posted on June 9, 2015 by Elaine Gast Fawcett
Conflict is normal in any family or organization. In this issue of Passages, you’ll learn about the most common conflicts in family philanthropy, the creative “tactics” some boards use to perpetuate the avoidance, and how you can use simple tools to address conflict in a healthy, productive way… Read More
Navigating Leadership Transitions in Family Philanthropy
Posted on June 12, 2014 by Virginia M. Esposito, Betsy Brill, Dean Phillips, Dinaz Mansuri, Patrick Troska
Every family philanthropy experiences the joy, the sadness, the complexity, and the energy of transitions. Moving toward new leadership in the family can be difficult, emotional, and sometimes frustrating. However, when it is done deliberately and thoughtfully, these times of transition can also be positive for all involved. … Read More
Leading Through Change: Advice from and for Seasoned CEOs and Their Boards
Posted on April 10, 2014 by Susan Crites Price, David Nee, Nat Chioke Williams, Pamela David
How do seasoned family foundation CEOs stay renewed and refreshed in their work? How do experienced CEOs find ways to balance the needs of the family with those of the foundation? How do they know when it is time to move on, and how can they work with the board to prepare the donor family for an eventual departure? … Read More
Over the River and Through the Woods: Geographic Dispersion in Family Philanthropy
Posted on May 9, 2013 by Evan Wood, Irene Siragusa, Jack Siragusa, Una O. Osili
With family members living far apart, what steps can families take to build family identity and bonds that once evolved naturally from living in close proximity? How can family members whose lives have taken different paths forge a genuinely collaborative team driven by a mission derived from and embraced by the family? How are families balancing the commitment to the foundation's "home town" and their growing concern for their own region?… Read More
Celebrating Milestones in Family Philanthropy
Posted on June 14, 2012 by Claire Peeps, Lani Shaw, Zoe Lloyd Foxley
Family foundations celebrating their 20th, 40th, 50th or 60th anniversaries have found creative ways to honor the giving legacy of the donor and subsequent generations, while also celebrating the importance and potential of their nonprofit partners… Read More
Discretionary Grants: Encouraging Participation… or Pandora’s Box?
Posted on December 8, 2011 by Susan Crites Price, Greg Cantori, Karie Brown
Family foundation boards that offer discretionary grants to their individual trustees and staff have a variety of reasons for doing so. Those who do not cite a number of potential barriers - both practical and philosophical - for this decision… Read More
Discretionary Grants: Engaging Family… or Pandora’s Box?
Posted on December 8, 2011 by Susan Crites Price
If you asked at a gathering of family foundation folks whether using discretionary grants is a good idea, you’d never reach consensus. Many family foundations don’t use them. Those that do have widely varied policies governing how much money is available, who is eligible to make the grants, and whether the grants must be within the foundation’s mission and guidelines… Read More