Four steps to hire the right staff at your foundation
Your mission is only as strong as your people. Selecting your trustees is the first step, but even the best board won’t counterbalance a staff that’s unaligned with your mission.
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Should you choose a private operating foundation for your philanthropy?
Operating foundations are the best choice if you have a very specific philanthropic goal that few—if any—charities are fulfilling. With this option your foundation funds its own charitable services and Read more…
Should you choose a philanthropic LLC for your charity?
If you seek maximum flexibility in your philanthropy, consider bypassing the tax-exempt route and forming a for-profit limited-liability company (LLC). The benefits of LLCs in charitable work are numerous: wider Read more…
Where should you incorporate your foundation?
Laws governing trusts and not-for-profit corporations vary from state to state. Choosing a home for your foundation can be important in protecting donor intent. Delaware is generally the preferred jurisdiction Read more…
Should you choose a donor-advised fund for your philanthropy?
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are one of the simplest ways to protect your charitable intent. These funds originated within community foundations as a way for donors to create individual philanthropic accounts Read more…
Should you choose a community foundation for your philanthropy?
More than 800 community foundations operate in the United States, serving areas large and small. What all community foundations share is a long-term commitment to their place, through the pooling Read more…
Is a philanthropic partnership the right choice for your charity?
A philanthropic partnership could help your charitable dollars go further. A typical philanthropic partnership involves a third-party intermediary bringing funders together through a portfolio approach. Examples include the Charter School Read more…
Should you use a supporting organization for your philanthropy?
Supporting organizations (SOs) are, at first glance, attractive tools for donors who value simplicity, and seek an ongoing, perhaps multi-generational, relationship with the charity to be supported. Broadly defined, an Read more…
Eighteen questions to ask prospective board members
At the heart of good governance, reminds Virginia Esposito of the National Center for Family Philanthropy, is “building the board your foundation deserves.”
Is a tiered structure the right choice for your board?
The question of donor intent should be in the front of your mind when choosing a board. But donor intent is only part of the equation. Your board will need Read more…
Four tips to plan for board succession
It’s one thing to pick board members you know and trust while you’re living. It’s another to plan successfully for board succession after you’ve passed. Donor-intent violations often occur during Read more…
Should you compensate your board members?
Compensating your board has both advantages and disadvantages. This article explores them from the perspective of donor intent. Board compensation is one means of tapping individual self-interest for the purpose Read more…
Eight board policies to protect your donor intent
After you create a plan for recruiting, training, and retaining strong members for your board of directors, what’s the next step? It is to establish powerful operational board policies to Read more…
Three external safeguards to protect your donor intent
The most effective donor-intent safeguards are internal: Creating a strong mission statement, picking the right timeframe for your giving and the appropriate vehicle, and choosing the right people for your Read more…
Donor intent is important for a healthy philanthropic sector
Philanthropy, both big and small, has been a vital force throughout the American experience. It represents the best ways that civil society responds to problems and needs in our smallest Read more…
Safeguarding your donor intent is worth the effort
Donor intent remains an afterthought for far too many givers. But the risks are significant. Without a plan for donor intent, your philanthropy can quite easily slip into a comfortable Read more…
Why you can’t afford to ignore a mission statement
A strong, well-crafted mission statement is the first step to safeguarding your intent. “It all starts there,” says philanthropic consultant Calvin Edwards. The importance of a mission statement holds true Read more…
Mission statement examples: The Peters and Templeton foundations
Several ingredients go into making an effective mission statement for your philanthropy: specificity, brevity, clarity, proper supporting documentation, and the input of trusted family members or colleagues, to name a Read more…
Five steps to creating an effective mission statement
A mission statement helps you create a roadmap for your giving. This article explores five key steps you can take to make the process more effective. 1. Discuss your values Read more…
Ideas for supplementing your mission statement
It’s important to keep your mission statement concise and focused. That means more descriptive material is better left to supporting documentation. This is an excellent way to further protect your Read more…