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If you are a newer family foundation with one or two generations on the board, five generations may seem like a long time away. Yet in family philanthropy, quite a few foundations have been operating and thriving for 50, 75, even 100 years. What’s the secret of these family philanthropies that make it five generations, and across family branches? H...

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 ...

When starting with family philanthropy, a family can choose a donor-advised fund or establish a private foundation. Each option has different requirements and management issues, including start-up costs, privacy matters, control of grants and assets, and flexibility in impact investing. Serving as a general guidance for you and your experienced adv...

One of the many challenges facing wealthy families in today’s fast-paced society is the need to meaningfully involve family members, including the rising generation, in the management of the family wealth enterprise. One way to engage the family is through philanthropic giving where families can derive great benefit from working together to define ...

Professional staff is an essential element of an effective family philanthropy effort; however, it can be a difficult construct to navigate. In this webcast by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, learn how to hire and prepare your staff for success in family philanthropy. Download the transcript and presentation deck for your refer...

Charitable giving is an important goal for many investors. Although any form can be beneficial, proper planning of the when, what, and how can help maximize the donor’s philanthropic as well as overall wealth planning goals. In examining some common charitable giving strategies, the advantages and disadvantages are discussed, and examples are prese...

In this second paper of a two-part series on philanthropy and sustainable investing, we outline how families may wish to identify opportunities within sustainable and impact investing themes. Along with four guiding principles to help create an impactful portfolio, we discuss the broad opportunity set, how to construct and then actively manage...

For charitably minded individuals, cryptocurrency investments—such as Bitcoin and Ethereum—held more than one year may provide a unique opportunity to leverage highly appreciated assets to achieve maximum impact with charitable giving. By donating cryptocurrency to charity, it can also unlock additional funds in two tax-smart ways. For more insi...

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...

With impact investing, the viability and projected growth of the creative economy is not easily seen. But when using the “creativity lens” that looks at creative activity beyond the limits of art and culture, a different story emerges. It can be seen that impact investing in the creative economy has been hiding in plain sight. This study by Rockefe...

Impact investing, which seeks to generate social and/or environmental benefits while delivering a financial return, is expanding as a promising tool for both investors and philanthropists. This guide is part of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ Philanthropy Roadmap series and acts as an introduction to impact investing. To consider the next ste...

Developing an impact investing strategy and taking subsequent action steps can be organized into three stages: Prepare, Build, and Refine. In this guide, which builds from the introductory guide on impact investing, the three phases are explored further to explain how to take practical steps towards implementing your first impact investment.

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...