Feb 28Avoiding Avoidance: Managing Healthy Family ConflictAvoiding conflict can often seem like the easiest path to take, but if families are to truly practice effective family philanthropy, they must deal with conflict head on. Tony Macklin outlines how families can better approach this issue. Disagreements between two or more people are about what they want to…Philanthropy5 min readPhilanthropy5 min read
Jan 19Building and Maintaining Successful Board Chair-CEO Relationships“Will you let the other person be a whole person-be who they really are?” That question came early in a session about the relationship between foundation board chairs and CEOs at the 2022 National Forum on Family Philanthropy. …Philanthropy3 min readPhilanthropy3 min read
Dec 7, 2022Supporting Systems ChangeOriginally published at https://www.ncfp.org on December 7, 2022. “We want to get to the root of the problem, not just fund the symptoms.” “We should go upstream and prevent these things from happening.” I often hear these kinds of sentiments from donors and foundation leaders. …Philanthropy5 min readPhilanthropy5 min read
Sep 14, 2020New Resources for Private Foundations and their Donors“How much should we spend?” It’s a fundamental question for founders and boards of private foundations. Finding an answer becomes more complex and emotional during an economic downturn, natural disaster, or other unexpected crisis or opportunity that increases demand for funding. …Private Foundations2 min readPrivate Foundations2 min read
Nov 6, 2019New Resources for Those Serving Giving FamiliesThe late summer and early fall were a bounty harvest of new information useful for advisors, consultants, and staff to wealthy philanthropic families. I’ve already been quoting the data in presentations and proposals. Social Impact in Hundred-Year Family Businesses: How Family Values Drive Sustainability Through Philanthropy, Impact Investing, and CSR…Philanthropy4 min readPhilanthropy4 min read
May 21, 2019Advice for the Savvy Donor Advised Fund ShopperDear Savvy Donor, By now you’ve at least heard about Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), the charitable checking and savings accounts established by individuals, families, and businesses. In the U.S. alone, more than 1,000 charitable organizations offer DAFs. These “DAF Sponsors” range from small groups with fewer than 10 DAF customers…Philanthropy2 min readPhilanthropy2 min read
Sep 5, 2018Monthly Musings — Sep. 2018: Anonymous Giving and Transparent GrantmakingPrimary audience — donors and their advisors Over the summer, I saw a number of articles about the pros and cons of anonymous giving and grantmaking. Some were likely off the radar of donors — a series on HistPhil and an article in the Foundation Review. …Giving4 min readGiving4 min read
Aug 6, 2018Monthly Musings — Aug. 2018I’m jumping back into blogging through a new monthly series reflecting on things I’ve recently read, seen, or worked on. I’ll identify the primary audience for each post. And, I’ll continue to write on other topics in between the monthly posts. Family Chief Learning Officer (CLO) Primary audience — staff and advisors to philanthropic families…Learning3 min readLearning3 min read
Mar 7, 2018What does your family need your foundation (or DAF) to be?Congratulations! You have a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) or Family Foundation, perhaps set up by your advisors in response to changing tax rules. Let’s call it a tool. Why do you want that tool? What jobs do you want to accomplish (beyond tax avoidance)? …Philanthropy5 min readPhilanthropy5 min read
Feb 2, 2018The Charitable Question, R.I.P.?Dear friends in philanthropic advising — you community foundations, planned giving councils, Chartered Advisers in Philanthropy, Purposeful Planners, and more. We gather around to mourn the soon-likely death of our dear friend, the “charitable question.”* We lifted it up to friends and clients. We chided the masses of our peers…Philanthropy3 min readPhilanthropy3 min read
