Family Giving News | December 2024

Family Giving News | December 2024

Welcome to the December edition of Family Giving News.

Here we'll share the latest news, trends, and research in family philanthropy. Make sure to subscribe to be notified when a new edition is released.



Top Blogs of 2024

Declining Applications and Inquiries: How Funders Can Do Better

Peter Marks , executive director of The L.B. Research and Education Foundation, received positive feedback from grant seekers who were not selected to move forward in the foundation’s application process. The feedback affirmed Peter’s own experience as a nonprofit grantseeker: funders often fail to provide helpful information in their declination letters. Here, Peter shares a template for other funders to employ.


Strategies for Scaling Philanthropic Impact Through Values-Aligned Investing

The Marguerite Casey Foundation (MCF) updated its investment policy statement to align its endowment with its grantmaking work. The foundation’s endowment continues to grow, beating industry benchmarks, while supporting the mission of the organization. Daniel Gould, CFA, CAIA , vice president of investments and operations at MCF, outlines four pillars that inform MCF’s values-aligned investing, including diversifying asset managers and engaging in shareholder advocacy.

Read it here.


Beyond the Family: An Ecosystem Approach to Family Philanthropy

"While many families can see the value in adopting an ecosystem approach, the grip of preexisting power dynamics and ingrained systemic traditions often make it difficult for them to translate their intention into action. The first step is to understand how giving must happen in relationship with others," says NCFP CEO Nick Tedesco .

Read it here.


Using the Mirror Tool to Minimize Unconscious Bias in Grantmaking and Fund Leaders Closest to the Issues

Chicago Beyond dramatically shifted its grantmaking and, today, all of its multi-year grants are in support of BIPOC-led organizations with direct experience in the social issues they are working on. Here, Liz Dozier shares more about how the organization went about making this change and introduces Chicago Beyond Mirror Tool, which other funders can use to identify and reduce bias in the ways they fund.

Read it here.


Top Resources of 2024

Developed with support from Bank of America Private Bank , the report captures and tracks leading trends in the field of family philanthropy and builds on the findings of Trends 2015 and Trends 2020. Read it now to explore the changes across the last decade in:

  • Asset sizes and payout rates
  • Grantmaking
  • Family dynamics
  • Governance and staff
  • And much more

Read the report.


Even the most enthusiastic and driven donors often become overwhelmed and anxious, causing them to put off, stall, or curtail their giving, which in turn, hinders impact and strips the joy out of philanthropy.

In this report, we explore the behavioral science behind the ten most common barriers to giving—such as too many choices, fear of uncomfortable family dynamics, and lack of urgency—and provide effective and actionable ways for you to overcome those barriers.

Authors: Betsy Erickson , Piyush Tantia , and Nick Tedesco .

Read the report.


Welcoming next-generation family members at any stage requires careful planning, but formally doing so when they are adults can be particularly complex. Bringing adults into the family philanthropy in a substantial way without a thoughtful strategy can lead to both generations feeling frustration and disappointment, and it can hinder impact. Doing it well, however, can bring great personal meaning, bolster a family’s legacy, and move it closer to achieving the positive changes they seek in our world.

Author: Cara Binder-Kopchick

Read the report.


Upcoming Events

A Racial Reparations Framework for Family Philanthropy | Hosted by NCFP December 10, 2024 | 2–3 pm ET


Participatory Learning and Decision-Making: Taking A Whole Foundation Approach to Sharing Power | Hosted by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) December 11, 2024 | 2–3 pm ET


Immigrant Media and the Fourth Estate: A Democratic Imperative | Hosted by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees December 12, 2025 | 12–1 pm ET


Trends in Family Philanthropy 2025 Report: Exploring the Main Findings | Hosted by NCFP January 14, 2025 | 2–3:15 pm ET


More from NCFP

Hiring? NCFP provides a no-cost job board to advertise roles related to family philanthropy. Learn more here.

We also share sample position descriptions for family philanthropy jobs in our Policy Central Content Collection.


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Jonah Cherutich

Program Manager |Partnerships| Disability Inclusion | Program Management | Humanitarian | Peace-building |Cash Transfer | Climate Change Adaptation and Justice |Strategy Reviews| Advocacy | Resilience & Livelihoods

2 个月

Very informative As fundraiser for global south, I am indeed grateful for the information

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