From the Start: Questions for Donors and Family Members

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Charles Hamilton

Donors often seek effective ways to involve other family members from the start. Heirs, meanwhile, look for ways to appropriately honor the legacy of the donor(s). There are many questions and issues likely to be considered by both the donor and future generations. (Source: Living the Legacy: The Values of a Family’s Philanthropy Across Generations, NCFP, 2001) Questions for the… Read More

Code of ethics (Hudson Webber Foundation)

Posted on December 18, 2014

The Hudson-Webber Foundation commits to integrity in our actions and responsibility for our decisions and their consequences. We are committed to act honestly, truthfully and with integrity in all our transactions and dealings. We are committed to the appropriate handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest in our relationships. We are committed to treat our grantees fairly and to… Read More

Toeing the Line: Legal Pitfalls in Family Foundation Governance

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Andrew Schulz

Should we accept those tickets to the opening of the new local theater that just arrived in the mail? Can our family office charge our foundation for rent? Is it o.k. for us to pay Uncle Bob to manage the foundation’s investment portfolio? Can we make a grant to our family's donor advised fund to help make year-end payout requirements? … Read More

Igniting the Spark: The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Youth Philanthropy Connect

In 2001, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta launched the Center for Family Philanthropy. The focus of the Center was two-fold: (1) to provide a higher level of services to philanthropists with donor advised funds of $250,000 or more, or a planned gift of $1M or more; and (2) to engage donors with families in philanthropy. There are approximately 200… Read More

Igniting the Spark: Foundation for Metrowest

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Youth Philanthropy Connect

The Foundation for MetroWest, based in Natick, Massachusetts, has been committed to educating the next generation of community leaders through the Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) program since 1997. In that time, over 900 youth from MetroWest communities have funded nearly $700,000 in grants that support youth. This case study describes their history of youth engagement and programming, and new strategies… Read More

Should I Give Anonymously or Publicly?

Posted on December 8, 2014 by The Bridgespan Group

Whether or not you “go public” with your philanthropy is a matter of strategy and personal style. Ask yourself, given the change you want to see in the world, what’s the right approach? This short issue brief from the GiveSmart website provides a list of considerations for determining how publicly you want to give… Read More

Advisory board member roles and responsibilities

Posted on December 8, 2014

The Sample Family Foundation’s Declaration of Trust designates two groups of participants: (1) “Trustees,” all of whom are currently family members and who vote on grants and issues of governance; and (2) “Advisors” who serve in an advisory capacity without voting power. Advisors are appointed to three-year terms that may be renewed until the Advisor reaches the age of seventy-five… Read More

Passion: Discovering Meaning in Your Philanthropy

Posted on November 6, 2014 by The Philanthropic Initiative

What is the place of passion in philanthropy? When it comes to giving and volunteering, we might think of passion as that mix of curiosity, enthusiasm and conviction which takes us beyond an annual contribution into a sustained engagement with an issue, cause or organization. The passion in philanthropy can be expressed in many ways… Read More