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Summer 2008 |
Family Ties is published electronically a few times a year for our San Diego Grantmakers Family Foundation members. Our mission is to connect, educate, develop, and inspire a diverse
group of foundations and corporations to stimulate effective
philanthropy in the San Diego region. For more information,
visit www.SDGrantmakers.org. |
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In This Issue
New Member Benefit Coming Soon: Free Access to Family Philanthropy Online Knowledge Center and Teleconferences
Due to our new partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy, SDG members will soon have direct access to the Family Philanthropy Online Knowledge Center and teleconference series (FP Online). FP Online provides practical information and advice through a continually updated collection of more than 900 articles, research reports, and sample documents related to family philanthropy. Topics include:
- Teaching and involving your children in giving
- Managing family dynamics in the decision-making process
- Understanding the legal and ethical dilemmas of family philanthropy
- Creating a mission statement and guidelines and finding a focus for your grantmaking
- Addressing issues of geographic dispersion and succession planning within your family
- Creating a meaningful legacy for your family's giving
Content is drawn from leading family philanthropy organizations, including the National Center for Family Philanthropy, The Philanthropic Initiative, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Center for Effective Philanthropy, Learning to Give, GrantCraft, and more.
Why Visit the FP Online Knowledge Center?
- Find answers to your questions about effective family giving
- Find resources for your next board meeting
- Save time! Information from a wide variety of sources is in one place
We will send out information on how to access this great online resource in the coming weeks! In the meantime, if you have an information need, contact Phyllis and she can search the database on your behalf.
ALSO: Free Family Philanthropy Teleconferences and Resource Library
Through this partnership, you, your family members and trustees can also participate at no cost in the monthly Family Philanthropy Teleconference Series, which brings national experts in the field directly to your home or office by phone with information on topics of importance to families that give. The topic for the next call, June 12 (starting at 9am Pacific), is "Family Foundations and Advocacy: Making Your Grant Dollars Go Further!" If you would like to participate, RSVP to programs@sdgrantmakers.org by June 9 and we will send you the call information.
Finally, we will also have a library of books available to borrow related to family philanthropy.
Guiding Principles for Family Foundations
Throughout 2008, we will be working to identify how SDG's newly-adopted Guiding Principles can be brought to life in your foundation. For example, last month's newsletter was the first in a series that will examine each principle in turn. Several SDG family foundation members have let us know that they are bringing the Guiding Principles to their boards and engaging in conversation about how they apply to their foundations. Some members are considering formally adopting the principles themselves as a sign of commitment. Let us know if you are considering doing so, or if we can provide any resources to you as you discuss the principles--and of course, stay tuned for the coming newsletters that will help translate principles to practice.
Increase in Family Foundation Giving
The Foundation Center's 2008 edition of Key Facts on Family Foundations (pdf) reveals a sizable increase in family foundation giving as well as assets. From The Philanthropy Journal: "Family foundations, which include some of the largest funders in the U.S., saw spikes in both assets and giving in 2006, a new report says. Defined by the Foundation Center as independent foundations with 'measurable donor or donor-family involvement,' family foundations account for almost six in 10 dollars awarded by the nation's independent foundations. While growth in the number of family foundations grew only 2 percent from 2005 to 2006, total giving jumped 21.4 percent to $17 billion, and combined assets grew 11.5 percent to almost $260 billion. These foundations received more than $14 billion in gifts combined in 2006, the report says, up 18.4 percent." Click here to read the rest of the article. As Philanthropy News Digest reports, this means that giving by family foundations has more than doubled since 1998. While the largest family foundation is also the largest foundation in the world (The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), 49% of the family foundations surveyed awarded less than $50,000 annually.
Next Family Foundation Exchange Meeting: June 10
The Family Foundation Exchange brings together family foundaton representatives in a small group setting to explore new avenues of grantmaking, gain skills and knowledge, and find support and encouragement among peers. The next meeting will occur:
June 10, 2008
10:00am-12:00pm
Location: Northern Trust, 4370 La Jolla Village Drive, 10th Floor, San Diego, CA
The topic for the meeting is "Doing More with Less" and our facilitators will be Lisa Wilson and John Hamel of The Rice Family Foundation.
Click here for complete details, or RSVP to programs@sdgrantmakers.org.
Family Giving Headlines
Philanthropy News Digest: "Inheritance Reconsidered: Bequeathing Values and Money"
A New York Times article describes how "wealthy Americans are reconsidering the meaning of inheritance, thinking not just about the money but also the values they want to pass along with it" in the context of the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in this country's history.
Financial Times: "Parents Must Put Children in the Know"
This article discusses how "estate planning can help parents enshrine values and educate children about fiscal responsibility" and mentions family foundations as one means by which to teach children about money and giving.
Resources
Family Funders Network Issue Briefs
The Family Funders Network website includes over thirty downloadable "issue briefs" outlining issues facing vulnerable families and what funders can do to help. Topics include workforce development, childcare & education, healthy homes, and more. Click here to review the full list and to access the briefs.
Association of Small Foundations: "What is Good Trusteeship?"
This newsletter article (pdf)
describes how foundation trustees can meet fiduciary duties of care, loyalty, and obedience.
SDG "Getting the Biggest Bang for Your Buck and Beyond" Resources
On May 15, SDG hosted this program about making the most of your grants, no matter how large or small. If you missed it, click here for the resource list.
COF Guide: Principled Planning: A Guide for Family Foundation Retreats
A practical guide on planning a family foundation retreat, this book is based on the Council's Stewardship Principles. The book includes examples and anecdotes from all types of grantmaking organizations and presents its information in a format that works for those new to retreats or experienced with them. Click here to download (pdf).
Foundation Center: Family Foundation Resource List
This reading list contains selected citations to books and journal articles from the Foundation Center's bibliographic database, Catalog of Nonprofit Literature, on the topic of family foundations.
Upcoming
SDG Programs
Click here for a complete listing of SDG Programs.
Lunchtime Briefing: LGBT Funders
May 27, 2008
11:30am-1:30pm
Location: San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, 4070 Centre Street, San Diego, CA
Role of Advocacy in Grantmaking
June 3, 2008
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Junior Achievement of San Diego and Imperial Counties, 4756 Mission Gorge Place, San Diego, CA
Family Philanthropy Teleconference Series: "Family Foundations and Advocacy: Making Your Grant Dollars Go Further!"
June 12
9:00am-10:00am (followed by 30 minutes Q&A)
RSVP to programs@sdgrantmakers.org by June 9 to receive call information.
SAVE THE DATE!
San Diego Grantmakers 2008 Annual Conference
MAPPING THE IMPACT OF SAN DIEGO PHILANTHROPY
October 23, 2008
Working Group Meetings
Workforce Funders: June 11
Homelessness Working Group: June 9
Child Welfare Funders: May 27
San Diego Neighborhood Funders: June 6
Family Foundation Exchange: June 10
Click here for more information about all of these SDG programs. All programs are free for SDG members except where indicated.
To RSVP, please call (619) 744-2180 or email programs@sdgrantmakers.org.
Other Events of Interest
The Grantmaking School Advanced Proposal Analysis
June 11-13, 2008
San Francisco, CA
Stanford Executive Program for Philanthropy Leaders
July 27 - August 2, 2008
Application deadline: May 19, 2008
Palo Alto, California
Association of Small Foundations National Conference (SDG members can register at the member rate--mention discount code COLLEAGUE!)
September 18-20, 2008
Denver, CO
2009 COF Family Foundations Conference
February 1-3, 2009
Indianapolis, IN
Copies
of past editions are archived here. Contact Nancy Jamison, 619/744.2180 or nancy@SDGrantmakers.org to suggest article ideas or submit news items, or if you no longer wish to receive these updates.
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