Kylie, age 9, writes: Last year was such a great year. The board approved my grant request for Project HELP, and I presented a session called “Youth on Board” at the Exponent Philanthropy National Conference. I was the youngest person to present at the conference. I got to answer questions and even get interviewed afterward.... Read More
Preparing your next generation to participate in a foundation goes beyond understanding the financial responsibilities of foundation giving. Hear the following recommendations from a foundation trustee—based on his personal experience—about preparing the next generation for board service. Several years ago, my family divided our family foundation, The Jules and Doris Stein Foundation, into four equal... Read More
Here are several ways to prepare children and teens for foundation giving. Invite them to board meetings Make younger family members feel like part of the group by inviting them to see how the foundation works. Keep in mind that board meetings can be tedious for some kids, especially younger ones. They don’t necessarily have... Read More
American country music artist Barbara Mandrell sings that she was “country when country wasn’t cool.” For The McCarthy Charities, the lyrics would be this: “We were a family foundation, when family foundations weren’t cool,” or something to that effect. The Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation—America’s oldest family foundation still in existence—is only 23 years... Read More
Youth philanthropy describes diverse youth activities. Some associate youth philanthropy with young people making grants as members of junior boards to family foundations or advisors to community foundations. Others use the term to describe service learning in school or volunteering as part of a youth or religious organization. Fundraising for the benefit of another also... Read More
Five years ago, Sy Schwartz announced to his three grown children in their fifties that he wanted them to start giving money away. He would supply the family foundation with $175,000 for them to give collectively. If they did a good job and got along well, the money would increase the next year. Schwartz was... Read More