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For many families, the holidays provide a natural opportunity to reflect on how philanthropy fits into their shared story. Conversations often turn toward legacy, impact, gratitude, and how giving can be more intentional and connected across generations. Whether your family has an established foundation or is still exploring how to give together, there are five best practices for meaningful family engagement in philanthropy that can help create a more inclusive, sustainable, and fulfilling approach.

For the family foundations and investors interested in exploring the option of program-related investments (PRI), this interview with Brian Lucareli, Michael Calabrese, and Emmaline Jurgena at Foley & Lardner provides an overview on the investment option that allows a private foundation to invest for charitable purposes rather than making a typical charitable grant. They also discuss the PRI’s purpose for charitable organizations, the necessary IRS documentation, and how PRI compares to traditional investments.

In the quest to generate positive social change, family philanthropies face diverse and sometimes competing perspectives. They also must sort through an overwhelming amount of information to make good decisions—and often, that information is too general or limited to be useful. With this research report, clear and focused data goes a long way toward helping families make confident decisions for their family foundations and at each inflection point in their philanthropy.

While there are good resources to help family foundation boards identify common and effective practices in each area of governance-related questions, this guide by the National Center for Family Philanthropy focuses less on the outcomes and more on ensuring that all of the issues are considered for building the board your foundation deserves.

There are many benefits to establishing and running a family foundation, including strengthening the family bond and developing a philanthropic legacy while creating a lasting impact through charitable giving. In this 10-minute interview, attorney Emmaline Jurgena of Foley & Lardner’s Estate Planning group joins Brian Lucareli to discuss how to plan for the next generation’s involvement in family foundations.

Because nearly 90% of all foundations are set up with the intent to exist in perpetuity, their success depends on their ability to prepare for and manage change. The challenge isn’t merely a transition, but also the internal stress of balancing the energy and engagement of new blood with the experience and traditions of its senior members. Based on over a decade of experience supporting over 2,000 foundations, this booklet provides pertinent discussion points for each of these common transitions and what to consider at each juncture.

Some families start a private foundation because they want to give back while others are seeking tax savings. Whatever the impetus, private foundations serve as a powerful and flexible philanthropic vehicle and offer tremendous advantages over giving as an individual donor.

At the most basic level, the difference between a donor-advised fund (DAF) and a private foundation is the construct, or form, in which each entity is created and operated. Because a private foundation is a freestanding legal entity, and a DAF is an account, the two charitable vehicles offer very different levels of control, authority, and philanthropic versatility. For families considering which charitable structure to form, this side-by-side comparison is a helpful guide. And it turns out that form does dictate function.

While nearly 90% of affluent households participate in charitable giving, just 27% have received formal guidance around philanthropic matters. This disconnect means there’s a unique opportunity for advisors to deliver philanthropic support as part of a balanced and holistic wealth management solution. From this webcast and presentation, learn about: