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The form of your giving must follow the function you intend for your philanthropy. Explore the vehicles and structures available to you and how to determine which best supports your philanthropic goals. This primer is the second in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

Governance is the framework that helps you establish decision-making principles, policies, and practices. Understand the process and value of building a strong governance structure. This primer is the third in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

How will you use your resources to achieve your philanthropic purpose? Learn how to consider the context in which you are operating, the role you want to play within that context, and what processes you need to implement to achieve those goals within your role. This primer is the fourth in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

Effective philanthropy is a process of continual learning. An assessment plan will help you define and measure the progress of your partners, your strategy, and the governance and operations of your social impact vehicles. Find out how to create a robust learning agenda and assessment plan. This primer is the fifth in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

One of the critical considerations you and your family must define is how best to manage the operations of philanthropy. This primer is the sixth in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

What is the consequence of your philanthropy and who will steward future efforts? Legacy requires creating and implementing plans for donor intent, lifespan, continuity, and succession. Explore how to define and build your legacy and prepare for transitions. This primer is the seventh in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

As noted in The New Family Office 5.0 Model, a rising number of family offices are allocating resources to direct investments, including building an in-house direct investment function to gain greater control, better diversification, increased flexibility, and income and estate tax benefits.

Teaching the joys, benefits, and responsibilities of philanthropy is often a top-down process. For most families, the starting point in encouraging a philanthropic mindset in children is to identify specific values that matter to them and to live by those values. Most important, continue to set a good example through meaningful actions and active giving plans.

Also known as a family trust company, a private trust company (PTC) is an entity that allows families to unbundle fiduciary services in furtherance of family and financial goals. In this overview and primer, learn more about the elements of the PTC structure, board roles and responsibilities, and when it makes sense to form a PTC.

Good intentions do not make for philanthropic success on their own. Blind spots cost philanthropists—and the causes they espouse—dearly. To make the most of their philanthropic dollars, donors practice due diligence. But when concepts of diversity and inclusion are added to basic due diligence, the result can create a philanthropy that is both responsive and efficient. Any philanthropist can benefit from adopting a policy of including diverse voices at all levels of their giving program. This guide aims to show how that can be done.