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| As a special benefit to SDG family foundation members, Family Ties is published bimonthly. Feel free to submit news about your foundation or other topics of interest. |
December 2009 | |
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Strategic Philanthropy
As the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) notes in this section on effectiveness, family foundations "are double bottom-line institutions," seeking both to create positive changes in the community (the "social impact" bottom line) and to foster a culture of giving and togetherness in the family (the "family unity" bottom line). So how can family philanthropists be more strategic in achieving these dual goals?
- Checkbook philanthropists who provide critical unrestricted support
- Responsive funders who actively solicit proposals in their areas of interest
- Venture philanthropists who strengthen nonprofits for scale-up and sustainability.
- Results-based philanthropists who narrow their focus to address root causes.
- Collaborative funders who partner with others to reduce redundancy and share knowledge.
So, your family philanthropy must first identify your resources, interests, networks, expertise, and skills to choose the appropriate path(s)--see the guide for advantages and disadvantages of each of the above strategies. Then you can conduct a self-assessment to evaluate current practices and plan for improvements.
Assessment Resources
Definitions of strategic philanthropy vary greatly, but overall important components include clear definitions of the specific needs to be met, the means of addressing those needs (and the resources required to do so), and the outcomes desired. By consciously articulating these factors, family foundations can move away from scattershot check-writing and toward achieving greater impact. | |
Related Resources
Making a Difference: Evaluating Your Philanthropy(contact SDG for access) This monograph offers simple, pragmatic approaches to evaluation. Measuring the results of a charitable effort can be difficult. Whether donors choose an analytical approach or a more intuitive one, the most important goal is to learn from the giving experience. Getting to Impact: Why Evaluation is KeyThis primer from the Association of Small Foundations introduces principles that keep evaluation meaningful and manageable for small foundations; profiles small foundations that use simple evaluation; and provides steps for getting started. Council on Foundations Stewardship Principles for Family FoundationsCOF's set of voluntary principles help family foundations guide and strengthen their board governance, grantmaking and management. Grantmakers for Effective OrganizationsGrantmakers for Effective Organizations is a coalition of grantmakers committed to building strong and effective nonprofit organizations. They offer several publications that may be helpful in developing your grantmaking strategy. |
Other Family Philanthropy Resources
Guidebook for Donor IntentAcross Generations: A Five Step Guide for Creating an Expression of Donor Intent is now available. Co-authored by Amy Zell Ellsworth and Susan Turnbull, the workbook-style guide includes stories, conversation starters, writing prompts and space for notes. It was designed for use in client and family meetings as a tool to explore philanthropic motivations, values and intentions, and as a well-structured process for creating a written or recorded non-binding document that captures the "voice" of the donor for successive family members and trustees who are entrusted with interpreting and fulfilling the original vision. The Philanthropic Family BlogThis blog, authored by Sharon Schneider (the Philanthropic Director at Foundation Source), offers ideas and inspiration for embedding philanthropy into everyday moments and special occasions. |
COF Family Philanthropy Conference in San Diego
The 2010 Council on Foundations Family Philanthropy Conference will be held from January 31-February 2, 2010 right here in San Diego! Several SDG representatives (including Nancy Jamison, Valerie Jacobs, and Adrienne Vargas--as well as former SDG member Lisa Parker) are serving on the planning committee for the conference. It will be a wonderful opportunity for you to meet and learn from family foundation colleagues from across the nation. Save the date and stay tuned for more details. |
SDG Member Service: Family Philanthropy Resources
SDG's partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) provides SDG and its members with family philanthropy information, resources and programming to increase and enhance your family giving:
- Monthly Teleconference Series - features presentations by experts and practitioners on a wide range of topics including family dynamics, governance, and new trends in family philanthropy.
- Research and Information - SDG can research a topic for you through the NCFP Online Knowledge Center, a searchable, comprehensive and constantly updated collection of more than 1,000 articles, case studies, profiles, presentations, reports and more related to family philanthropy.
- Knowledge - We will highlight NCFP articles and topics of interest to families in our communications.
If you would like further information or need a topic researched, please contact Phyllis Levine, SDG Director of Member Services at 858-875-3333. |
Family Philanthropy in the News
Washington Post: "Grappling with a Wealth of Guilt""They are young people who have inherited or stand to inherit big money, and they are spending their post-college years living modestly and working to address the needs of the poor, hungry and politically disadvantaged. But the privilege they grew up with and the money coming their way nag at them in ways few people not in their position can fathom." San Diego Daily Transcript: "Sharing and Caring in Business-Owning Families""As the time of sharing and giving thanks beckons, I recall a wonderful presentation I recently heard on giving and sharing by a gentleman who serves on his family foundation board of directors. The audience was comprised of family business owners and their advisers, as well as several development officers from local nonprofits. What was so remarkable about this presentation was the speaker's humble and simple approach to philanthropy, although he and his family were extremely wealthy and quite well known in our community." |
| Family Philanthropy Events & Teleconferences
NCFP Teleconference: The Role of Faith and Cultural Traditions in Family PhilanthropyDecember 10, 2009, 9-10:30am PacificWhat will your family be talking about over this year's holiday dinner table? As you consider your philanthropy in this giving season, here's a topic to ponder: how are your faith and cultural traditions expressed through your philanthropy? Ambassador James Joseph, who has written and spoken extensively on this fascinating subject, will help you think about this in new ways. An ordained minister and former ambassador to South Africa, Joseph is a professor at Duke University. He is a former President of the Council on Foundations and has served in a variety of capacities for Presidents Reagan, Bush, Carter and Clinton.
Don't miss this chance to be part of a national conversation without leaving your home town! The COF Family Philanthropy conference is coming right here to San Diego next year. Register by December 15 for reduced rates. | |
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