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Family philanthropy can be transformative for both family members and the communities they serve, sometimes with an impact that lasts generations. However, achieving a positive, enduring impact requires purposeful decision making throughout the lifespan of the family’s philanthropic work. This guide contains worksheets that first help you, as an individual or couple, clarify or update your personal philanthropic purpose and plan.

Along with the guidance of “Defining Your Philanthropic Purpose,” this Road Map workbook will provide donors and their family members with the ability to chart and gain a better understanding of their family’s hope and plans for collaborative, meaningful, and effective philanthropy. As a Road Map, it can become a framework for shared strategies and decision making while strengthening the family engagement in philanthropy.

Reimagined Philanthropy is your indispensable guide to navigating the dynamic landscape of giving. Whether you're just starting your philanthropic journey or looking for new ways to go deeper in your giving, the insights and tools shared here will empower you to architect positive change with intentionality, structure, and focus.

In an era marked by unprecedented wealth transfer and shifting societal dynamics, philanthropy is being called to actively adjust to a new reality. In the middle of all this, younger people are starting to have a bigger say in where philanthropic money goes. They care more about equity, inclusion, and transparency, as well as changing systems that cause problems.

While there are good resources to help family foundation boards identify common and effective practices in each area of governance-related questions, this guide by the National Center for Family Philanthropy focuses less on the outcomes and more on ensuring that all of the issues are considered for building the board your foundation deserves.

Women’s growing economic influence across all generations has been one of the most significant shifts within our economy across recent decades. While this new dynamic represents great progress, many women lack confidence when it comes to investing. To help change this mindset, this issue focuses on sharing stories that lead by experience to build confidence around all aspects of their wealth.

By recognizing there are various charitable giving vehicles—including donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trust, and CRUTs—that donors use to engage in philanthropy, there is also the recognition that there is no single method that is a universally perfect solution and that there are donors who may wish to utilize more than one structure. So how do families know which charitable structures will work for them?

Using charitable giving strategies to enhance the tax-efficiency of your donations plays a vital role in maximizing the impact of your gifts. To make the most of your charitable gifts and achieving high-impact philanthropy, take the time at year-end and during the year to review these giving strategies that include different ways to give, knowing and understanding gifts that protect assets and pay income, and giving from other entities such as donor-advised fund gifts.

While every philanthropic journey is unique, there are points at which all families must make decisions. This series of seven short videos offers a comprehensive introduction and refresher to critical concepts to consider at each stage of your family philanthropy—from philanthropic purpose and selecting giving vehicles, to operations, succession, and legacy. Additional resources and insights are provided on each topic to further help you navigate your philanthropic giving and strengthen your family engagement.