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The number and scope of women-owned businesses have risen at an unprecedented rate. In an era of new opportunities, this paper profiles eight courageous and resilient women who share their personal stories and the lessons they learned building successful businesses. One theme that emerged from these women’s stories was the critical role of mentorsh...

Families of wealth and business-owning families face security risks in their everyday lives, where personal and business risks are often blended and are typically managed by different people and processes. This creates a gap in identifying risks and solutions that can be addressed through a holistic and collaborative risk management approach. With ...

As high-net-worth investors discuss plans for charitable giving and investing with their financial advisors, it is absolutely crucial for them to be on the same page in terms of the outcomes desired, both financially and philanthropically. For this reason, advisors and their clients need a set vocabulary of terms going into the first meeting. Only ...

As technological advances are disrupting and transforming companies in every sector, the traditional investing landscape is also being disrupted. Venture capital is at the core of the transformation and has become a critical component of a long-term investment strategy. With the potential for attractive returns and significant impact to society, ve...

Across the world, philanthropy is undergoing a transformation that offers both exciting opportunities and complex challenges. With so much in flux, emerging donors and established funders are seeking new models not only for funding strategies and impact measures, but also for organizational design and management systems that will serve them well in...

This 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 commun...

Just as government and businesses require sound governance to do their work well, so too do families—and their philanthropy. The Family Governance Pyramid provides a model and framework for philanthropic families that is even more relevant and necessary today than when it was first introduced nearly two decades ago. This article by the National Cen...

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 p...

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 seve...

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 b...

The Senate Bill 54 (the “SB 54”) was signed into law in California and will take effect March 1, 2025 for all investments made during calendar year 2024. The law will require “covered entities” to report the demographic information of “founding team members” of all companies in which the covered entity has invested. The law is meant to address the ...

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), designed to combat the use of shell companies for illicit purposes and increase ownership transparency in corporate structures, took effect on January 1, 2024. This update addresses how these CTA regulations will apply to corporate structures used in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions. In ...

Sustainability is now a business imperative across the world, as much as it is a stewardship one, and those companies that fail to adapt may struggle to compete in a new, low-carbon environment. Fortunately, for many family businesses, the drive for sustainability is already a road well-traveled. Their experiences and the progress they’re making on...

While there has been an ongoing slowdown in venture capital funding for startups, the slowdown appears to be leveling and suggesting that the market may be normalizing. Furthermore, investors are still active in certain key sectors and notable trends are beginning to emerge. Here are five areas that attracted significant investment during Q1 2023, ...

Effective tax and wealth planning can be a challenge, especially when there is a possible recession, elevated inflation, rising interest rates, and geopolitical strife. With this guide, you have the planning information and resources to help you make the right moves to plan for your family’s future and manage your wealth. In addition to insights on...