Rural Funders Salon

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Erin Borla, Wynn Rosser

Family foundations and other funders and donors focused on serving rural communities face special challenges—lack of infrastructure, lack of partners, and often lack of urgency from state and federal government entities. NCFP is pleased to offer this collaborative space for family foundations and other funders with a rural focus seeking to create connections and share strategies and stories with others… Read More

Why Am I Always Being Researched?

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Chicago Beyond

In this publication, Chicago Beyond offers “how” we can begin to level the playing field and reckon with unintended bias when it comes to research. This guidebook was created to help shift the power dynamic and the way community organizations, researchers, and funders uncover knowledge together. It is an equity-based approach to research that offers one way in which we… Read More

Innovating Place-Based Grantmaking: An Evaluation of the Annie E. Casey Foundation “Strategic Co-Investor” Approach

Posted on August 25, 2021 by Annie E. Casey Foundation, TCC Group

When the Annie E. Casey Foundation launched Family-Centered Community Change™ (FCCC) in 2012, the Foundation set out to make improvements to their approach to place-based grantmaking. The programmatic aim was to support local partnerships to help parents and children succeed together in what is known as a “two-generation approach.” Rather than creating something new, Casey joined existing partnerships—located in Buffalo, New… Read More

Values Proposition: How and Why We Transformed Our Investment Model to Align Our Capital With Our Mission

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Nathan Cummings Foundation

Mission-aligned investing presents a compelling opportunity for philanthropic organizations to reimagine how they use their financial resources to affect change. All of the institution’s capital is harmonized in service of its mission — a total-enterprise approach to impact. Yet, such an approach is relatively novel and still often met with skepticism or confusion. This report by the Nathan Cummings Foundation… Read More

Menu of Communication Platforms

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Stupski Foundation

This document shows the options for how the Stupski Foundation uses communications to elevate the work of its grantees. Community members and grantee partners can reach out to the foundation to collaborate through social media, the newsletter, and more… Read More

Rural Funders Salon

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Erin Borla, Wynn Rosser

Registration is now closed. Family foundations and other funders and donors focused on serving rural communities face special challenges—lack of infrastructure, lack of partners, and often lack of urgency from state and federal government entities. As detailed in NCFP’s 2018 report, Pride of Place, family foundations are traditionally among the most place-based of all funders, with deep and lasting connections… Read More

Demystifying Decision Making in Family Philanthropy

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Ann Shulman

This Passages Issue Brief examines the kinds of decisions that family foundations often face and sets out practical, easy-to-apply guidelines for ensuring that the foundation’s decision-making methods vary appropriately, as conditions and circumstances change. It includes factors to consider when selecting a decision-making method, guidance on how to communicate clearly, simple tools to help make good decisions, and short case… Read More

Decision Making when Founders are Present

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Ann Shulman

This is an excerpt from Demystifying Decision Making in Family Philanthropy. Founders accustomed to making their own decisions in a business setting may bring unilateral decision-making to the foundation, often using it inappropriately. Founders may think of the foundation as “theirs” and feel impatient with or dismissive of group decision-making. At the same time, they genuinely want family members to… Read More