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Family dynamics often play a critical role in the long-term success of family businesses, and women's relational and interpersonal skills tend to make them well-equipped to manage these issues. Effective leadership within the family business is, now more than ever, dependent on the inherent relational skills that a woman can bring to the business.

Like cost-benefit analysis in the for-profit world, social return on investment provides guidelines that can help charitable organizations to think more strategically about outcomes and show accountability. But if SROI is to be a successful tool, analysis indicates its principles need to be applied with greater rigor.

Philanthropy appears set to increase among the wealthy, according to a survey of millionaires in 20 countries. The United States, Ireland, South Africa and India lead in donations of both money and time.

Closing the gender gap at the top of corporations fosters innovation, creates a more balanced work environment and positively affects the bottom line. Yet, achieving gender balance requires new thinking, innovative approaches and courage.

The authors present highlights from a series of seminars in which more than 80 trustees from charities of all kinds debated how they could make their charities more effective and shared ideas about improving trusteeship.

Families should consider an array of factors as part of their charitable planning, such as their legacy, the particular assets, market conditions, investment objectives, interest rates and cash flow needs, as well as the mission of the charitable organizations.

To realize the social benefits their donors seek, foundations must clearly define their missions, create spend policies that correspond with those missions and set investment strategies that suit those policies.

Putting a financial value on social outcomes can help funders determine whether an organization is worth supporting, understand the impact that grantees are having and identify where organizations need help.

In the post-Madoff era, the foundation and non-profit sector continues to struggle with how to invest philanthropic assets most appropriately and how to ensure that boards and staff are managing investments prudently.

Disasters bring out the urge to help, but would-be donors often are not sure about where to donate. Schwab Charitable Fund looks at the hierarchy of disaster relief, considers the importance of general disaster expertise vs. local expertise for a charity, and discusses how to encourage accountability. A targeted list of recommendations for donors is included.