Tag Archives: nonfamily board members

MARCH 14TH WEBINAR: Adding Non-family Trustees and Community Voices to Your Family Foundation Board (February 2013 FGN)

Posted on February 20, 2013 by

This year the National Center is focusing its programming on two themes: transitions and community. In March, we’ll take a look at a topic that bridges both: adding non-family and community members to the family foundation board: What are the … Continue reading →

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ASK THE CENTER: How do I set priorities as the new CEO of a family foundation? (June 2012 FGN)

Posted on June 19, 2012 by

Editor’s note: This article is excerpted from the new NCFP CEO Guide, Performance Review: The Complete Guide to Evaluating the Family Foundation CEO, volume 3 of our Family Foundation CEO Leadership Series. Setting priorities can be challenging for a new … Continue reading →

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ASK THE CENTER: We’re a Family: How Can We Be Diverse? (May 2012 FGN)

Posted on May 16, 2012 by

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on the Minnesota Council on Foundations’ Philanthropy Potluck Blog, and is used with MCOF’s permission. During discussions of diversity in philanthropy, family grantmakers sometimes get frustrated. Their thoughts may immediately turn to: “Our board … Continue reading →

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ADDITIONAL READING: Enhancing Diversity in Your Family’s Philanthropic Decisions (January 2012 FGN)

Posted on January 17, 2012 by

There are a variety of resources, both new and old, on the topic of enhancing diversity in the view and perspectives on family foundation boards. Here are a few of our favorites: A Place at the Table: Non-Family Membership on … Continue reading →

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On the Phone With… Lissa Widoff of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation (September 2011 FGN)

Posted on September 13, 2011 by

Lissa Widoff is executive director of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, an environmental foundation based in Belfast, Maine. The Foundation supports graduate fellowships in New England and California, and a Leadership Grant Program supporting NGO partnerships with Switzer Fellows … Continue reading →

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A Place at the Table for Non-family Trustees? (May 2011 FGN)

Posted on May 4, 2011 by

by Joseph Foote When a family foundation board works as a team, with harmony in vision and purpose, it may see no immediate need to bring in individuals who are not related to the donor family. The family itself is … Continue reading →

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Ask the Center: Keeping “Control” (May 2011 FGN)

Posted on May 3, 2011 by

Our foundation has begun discussions to add nonfamily trustees to enhance and complement the skills and perspectives currently on our all-family board. How do we ensure that the family will not lose “control” of the foundation over time? There are … Continue reading →

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Family Involvement: The Spectrum of Options (October 2010 FGN)

Posted on October 5, 2010 by

Kelin Gersick’s book, Generations of Giving: Leadership and Continuity in Family Foundations, outlines the patterns most often seen in family philanthropy. In the first generation the donor has the strongest involvement and control. In the second generation more family members become … Continue reading →

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From the Outside In: Benefits of Non-Family Participation in Your Philanthropy (August 2006 FGN)

Posted on August 28, 2006 by

For many families the act of giving remains an intensely personal one and discussions regarding their philanthropy are more likely to take place across a kitchen table than a boardroom table. For this reason the idea of inviting non-family perspectives … Continue reading →

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Six Steps to a Successful and Stress-Free Family Meeting (May 2006 FGN)

Posted on May 28, 2006 by

Like so many other things preparation for a family meeting is vital to its success. With a little planning you can orchestrate and carry off a family meeting that accomplishes your philanthropic goals, strengthens your family’s commitment to effective governance … Continue reading →

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Profiles in Family Philanthropy: Givens Foundation for African American Literature (May 2006 FGN)

Posted on May 28, 2006 by

When the Archie and Phebe Mae Givens Foundation was established in 1972, its mission was to provide scholarships to African-American students. By 1985, the foundation’s focus had shifted after it successfully rallied community support to purchase a 3000-piece collection of … Continue reading →

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Gathering Year Round: The Power of Collaborative Giving (December 2005 FGN)

Posted on December 29, 2005 by

The holiday season is a time of the year that brings families together: around dinner tables, lighted candles—for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa—Christmas trees, and fireplaces. It’s a time of year that inspires people to send out cards and well-wishes, exchange gifts … Continue reading →

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