Search Results

For charitably minded individuals, cryptocurrency investments—such as Bitcoin and Ethereum—held more than one year may provide a unique opportunity to leverage highly appreciated assets to achieve maximum impact with charitable giving. By donating cryptocurrency to charity, it can also unlock additional funds in two tax-smart ways. For more insi...

The polarizing and often misunderstood cryptoasset landscape has grown exponentially in recent years. While there are substantial risks associated with these young assets, they continue to grow in importance along with its blockchain technology. This paper reviews some of the space’s pressing issues, considers cryptoassets in a portfolio setting, a...

What is the consequence of your philanthropy and who will steward future efforts? Legacy requires creating and implementing plans for donor intent, lifespan, continuity, and succession. Explore how to define and build your legacy and prepare for transitions. This primer is the seventh in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle b...

Effective philanthropy is a process of continual learning. An assessment plan will help you define and measure the progress of your partners, your strategy, and the governance and operations of your social impact vehicles. Find out how to create a robust learning agenda and assessment plan. This primer is the fifth in a series of seve...

Governance is the framework that helps you establish decision-making principles, policies, and practices. Understand the process and value of building a strong governance structure. This primer is the third in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection p...

The blockchain/crypto space continues to evolve at a blistering pace, with bitcoin reaching an all-time high of $65k in mid-April up from its $29k price at the beginning of 2021. The growth was fueled by a number of converging factors and game-changing developments in the crypto space. In addition to a crypto market update, this year-in-review repo...

The crypto landscape is constantly shifting and blockchain’s real value is almost impossible to assess. Despite the skepticism and confusion, this might be one of the most intriguing social and financial experiments of our lifetime. We examine crypto through a venture capital investment lens where most of these endeavors will fail but a small numbe...

Just as government and businesses require sound governance to do their work well, so too do families—and their philanthropy. The Family Governance Pyramid provides a model and framework for philanthropic families that is even more relevant and necessary today than when it was first introduced nearly two decades ago. This article by the National Cen...

While every philanthropic journey is unique, there are points at which all families must make decisions. This series of seven short videos offers a comprehensive introduction and refresher to critical concepts to consider at each stage of your family philanthropy—from philanthropic purpose and selecting giving vehicles, to operations, successi...

In philanthropy, meaningful change is the aim—it’s the purpose and the promise. But in striving for and achieving impact, effectiveness must go beyond healthy funding practices with grantees and the greater communities we serve. It must touch on intra-family dynamics, family philanthropy staff, and speak to the varied stages within the family fivin...

It's no secret that cryptocurrency markets and the larger digital assets economy have been roiled by recent instability, resulting in discussions about how regulatory initiatives, rising inflationary pressure, and public adoption trends will affect industry participants long term. To help navigate this challenging environment, a collection of ...

Governance, a system for who will make decisions and how, is the guiding framework for your family philanthropy’s long-term success. There are many governance constructs that support an effective board, and different methods to engage family within each construct. But what are the common elements that contribute to an effective board across all gov...

This issue brief examines the kinds of decisions that family foundations often face and sets out practical, easy-to-apply guidelines for ensuring that the foundation’s decision-making methods vary appropriately, as conditions and circumstances change. It includes factors to consider when selecting a decision-making method, guidance on how to commun...

So what does bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and blockchain mean? By starting with clear definitions, this introduction provides an overview and background information to help you understand how bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies work. While using bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies and digital assets may provide unique opportunities to your business, it ...

Across the world, philanthropy is undergoing a transformation that offers both exciting opportunities and complex challenges. With so much in flux, emerging donors and established funders are seeking new models not only for funding strategies and impact measures, but also for organizational design and management systems that will serve them well in...