… [Read more...] about 101 Ways to Do Family Philanthropy: Lessons From Nearly Two Dozen Foundations
Family Philanthropy Series
Inside the Roundhouse Foundation’s Growth into a Rural Funding Powerhouse
Inside the Max and Marjorie Fisher Foundation’s Multigenerational Giving
How the Laughing Gull Foundation Backs Progressive Work in the Deep South
Bainum: How a Youth-Focused Family Philanthropy Has Evolved Over Five Decades
The Blank Family Foundation Reflects on the Past, Plans the Next Generation of Giving
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on March 26, 2024. The enormous wealth created by Home Depot, the country’s largest home improvement retailer, looms large in the chain’s home base of Georgia and beyond. It’s also yielded … [Read more...] about The Blank Family Foundation Reflects on the Past, Plans the Next Generation of Giving
Grand Finale: A Family Foundation Focused on Free Concerts Announces its Spend Down
How Multiple Generations of the Disney Family Come Together to Fund Social Justice in LA and Beyond
It all began at Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in October 1923. Here, bright young cartoonist Walt Disney and his older brother Roy O. Disney established the upstart studio in Hollywood, California. Walt arrived in Los Angeles from the Midwest after … [Read more...] about How Multiple Generations of the Disney Family Come Together to Fund Social Justice in LA and Beyond
After 35 Years, the Tow Foundation Reflects on the Past and Looks to the Future
Founded by Leonard and Claire Tow, the Tow Foundation recently held a 35th anniversary event called “Past Informed, Future Focused,” which nicely sums up this unique moment in time for the Connecticut-based family foundation. In addition to a major … [Read more...] about After 35 Years, the Tow Foundation Reflects on the Past and Looks to the Future
The Kendeda Fund is Writing its Last Checks — and the Last Chapter of a 30-Year Story of Giving
About 30 years ago, Diana Blank began to ramp up her philanthropy through what became known as the Kendeda Fund, drawing the name from her three children, Kenny, Dena and Danielle. Tapping into wealth derived from the Home Depot empire, which was … [Read more...] about The Kendeda Fund is Writing its Last Checks — and the Last Chapter of a 30-Year Story of Giving
What It Looks Like When a Multigenerational Family Foundation Makes All Voices Equal
Therma-Tru Corporation was a family-owned business whose bread and butter was manufacturing exterior and entry doors. The Midwestern company traces its roots to the 1960s, when David Welles, a retired Owens Corning executive, purchased a bankrupt … [Read more...] about What It Looks Like When a Multigenerational Family Foundation Makes All Voices Equal
The Evolution of the Woodcock Foundation: A Progressive Family Funder Branches Out
Polly W. Guth was an heir to one of the founders of the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. She was also an active philanthropist, heavily involved in groups like Planned Parenthood of New York City and Asia Society. In 1996, Guth founded the … [Read more...] about The Evolution of the Woodcock Foundation: A Progressive Family Funder Branches Out
“Miami Is Our City.” How Two Generations of the Billionaire Pérez Family Give
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on March 21, 2023. Back in the late 1970s, Argentina-raised Jorge Pérez linked up with Stephen Ross and his affiliated Related Companies, the developer of New York City’s Hudson Yards. The Related … [Read more...] about “Miami Is Our City.” How Two Generations of the Billionaire Pérez Family Give
This Foundation Keeps a Huge Extended Family United While Helping Other Families Thrive
I first heard about Cleveland-based William J. and Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation in an unusual way. I was on a solo road trip from Texas to L.A. and nearly ran out of gas in the desert, when a service station arose from the dirt and tumbleweeds like … [Read more...] about This Foundation Keeps a Huge Extended Family United While Helping Other Families Thrive
The Intergenerational Philanthropy of the Eisner Foundation
If there were a Disney film about family philanthropy, it might open with a scene from Michael Eisner’s childhood. The L.A.-based philanthropist, former chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company and former head of Paramount Studios before that, … [Read more...] about The Intergenerational Philanthropy of the Eisner Foundation
Passing the Torch: A Family Foundation Empowers Dozens of Young Philanthropists
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Newport Beach, California, Tarsadia Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that provide educational opportunities for the underserved, support health and wellbeing of the community, and help people find … [Read more...] about Passing the Torch: A Family Foundation Empowers Dozens of Young Philanthropists
How a Connecticut Family Foundation Evolved to Support Youth-Led Social Change
The origins of the Perrin Family Foundation are similar to many other grantmakers rooted in the wealth of successful American executives. Charles Perrin started his career at General Foods in the late 1960s. The Trinity College and Columbia Business … [Read more...] about How a Connecticut Family Foundation Evolved to Support Youth-Led Social Change
Here’s How a Longtime Family Foundation Fractured, and Shifted Gears for a Meaningful Final Act
In 1894, Missouri native William H. Danforth founded what would become Ralston Purina Company as a balanced food production company for animals. The company revolutionized the feed business with the introduction of pelletized animal feeds. By the … [Read more...] about Here’s How a Longtime Family Foundation Fractured, and Shifted Gears for a Meaningful Final Act
How the Family Behind a Sportswear Behemoth Is Expanding Its Philanthropy for Rural Communities
In 1937, Paul Lamfrom fled Nazi Germany and later founded Columbia Hat Company, a modest hat manufacturer in Portland, Oregon. When Paul passed away, the company’s reins were handed over to his son-in-law, Neal Boyle, who’d been working for him. … [Read more...] about How the Family Behind a Sportswear Behemoth Is Expanding Its Philanthropy for Rural Communities
The Personal and the Collective: How Three Generations of the Billionaire Sobrato Family Give
The Sobrato Organization in Silicon Valley has developed more than 21 million square feet of office space, R&D and multi-family projects since the 1960s. Today, the company’s real estate portfolio includes over 7.5 million square feet of office … [Read more...] about The Personal and the Collective: How Three Generations of the Billionaire Sobrato Family Give
How Billionaire Couple Tegan and Brian Acton Are Giving in the Bay Area and Beyond
Brian and Tegan Acton, in their 40s and worth some $3 billion, are among a new cohort of Silicon Valley donors engaging in major philanthropy. Stanford computer science graduate Brian Acton worked at Yahoo! with Jan Koum, where the two would link up … [Read more...] about How Billionaire Couple Tegan and Brian Acton Are Giving in the Bay Area and Beyond
