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Parents who are concerned about family harmony after their deaths are wise to address the issues of estate equalization as a key element of their estate and business planning. Most of the problems that would create disharmony among their children can be handled with careful thought and with wills, trusts and business agreements that clearly dictate...

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.

Becoming thoughtful and intentional about altruism and the passion to make a difference is the difference between having good intentions and being intentional about our values and commitments to others. This newsletter offers tips on how to give better, helps 'tween philanthropists ask seven critical questions about giving, and provides a visual wa...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gifting may be the place to start in planning a long-term estate planning strategy, according to this paper from Wells Fargo. While gifting can be useful in transferring tax savings, it also can provide a real-time snapshot of the estate plan by allowing the giver to see how beneficiaries accept and respond to the gifts and then to change the estat...

Although wealthy philanthropists vary in their interests, backgrounds and styles of giving, some patterns emerge. Researchers for Barclays Wealth create profiles for six types of givers – privileged youth, eco givers, altruistic entrepreneurs, reactive donors, cultural inheritors and professional philanthropists – and identify each group's source o...

Meeting significant charitable goals efficiently creates a disproportionate need for the characteristics inherent in liquid, public securities. Increasing the allocation to liquid asset classes from 29% to 75% on a tax-managed basis can generate comparable returns to the endowment model after taxes while maintaining the flexibility needed to handle...

This paper provides some tips for creative giving to help donors meet the high level of need in their communities and continue to have impact even with reduced dollars available for charitable giving. While these strategies can be applied during the current economic environment, they stand the test of time and can be built upon as the economy and g...

Whether you and your family split financial responsibilities or delegate them to one person, it is critical for your family members to have access to all your financial information. Use this guidebook created by Northern Trust to detail the location of important documents, accounts, and plans. Designed as a fillable and easy-to-update resource, it ...

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. Used ...