Voices from the Field

The Juneteenth Legacy Project Mural. Courtesy of Reginald Adams. On Juneteenth, 2020 I received a call from Galveston historian, Samuel C. Collins. His call was in response to an op-ed published in the Galveston Daily News that day. In it, I wrote that white people must acknowledge systemic racism; to deny it exists is to be complicit. After the horror…Read More

Courtesy of Mikael Blomkvist from Pexels This blog summarizes key notes from our June Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy Webinar. A social impact strategy is the fundamental element of a family philanthropy effort. The practice of grantmaking actualizes the motivations of a donor, advances their values, and accomplishes their aims and objectives. However, it requires careful planning and consideration. A family…Read More

Courtesy of Brooke Cagle on Unsplash As philanthropists lean into global challenges like climate change and economic inequality, it is easy to see that no one person or organization can shift the tide on these issues by themselves. To move the needle on these complex problems we must understand how to work together better, both externally with our partners as…Read More

Photo via Adobe Stock Photos Understanding generational differences can be confusing (if we’re even thinking about it). Have you heard the ringing refrain “Ok Boomer!” or “Damn Millennials!”? We certainly have. For the first time in history, our family’s philanthropy has five unique generations working and serving together on boards: Traditionalists (b.1927-1946), Boomers (b. 1943-1963), Generation X (b.1964-1980), Generation Y…Read More

Courtesy of the Ruderman Family Foundation. From left to right is Sharon Shapiro, Jay Ruderman, and Shira Ruderman. “Do not go into business with family.” It is a common warning—and we could not disagree more. Our personal and professional worlds collided 20 years ago when we became sisters-in-law and, later, colleagues at the Ruderman Family Foundation. Growing up, both of…Read More

This article was originally published by Inside Philanthropy and is re-posted here with permission. The transcribed conversation comes from a plenary session at NCFP’s 2021 CEO Retreat. How well philanthropy responded to the events of the past 14 months—a period of so much trauma and suffering—is a topic sure to be debated for many years to come. And, of course,…Read More

Courtesy of fauxels from Pexels I have long sat at the intersection of philanthropy and technology. My parents started the Payne Family Foundation 25 years ago, committed to organizations focused on youth development, education and healthcare. At the heart of our giving is a relationship-based approach to support mission-aligned grantees with flexible capital and open communication lines, creating space to…Read More

Courtesy of fauxels from Pexels This blog summarizes key notes from our May Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy webinar. Philanthropic families employ a wide range of models to make decisions—from unilateral authority to consensus. However, identifying the appropriate structure is often a challenge and can serve as a barrier to effective philanthropic practices. Developing an appropriate decision-making framework for distinct situations…Read More

Courtesry of Christina Morillo from Pexels This article was originally published by Alliance Magazine and is re-posted here with permission. It can be easy to invest money in an attempt to fix problems. But money alone can’t build trust or change. That work starts with how you treat people. Fortunately, for the families of Detroit’s northwest neighborhood of Brightmoor, the network…Read More