Rethinking the Operation

In looking at these foundations, we wanted to find out how they thought about their missions and structures. In what areas were their choices, driven by mission, different from those of more traditional foundations?

Some of our questions included:

What are the goals of the foundation? How was the lifespan, payout, or structure determined as a way of accomplishing those goals?
• How are grantmaking policies affected when a foundation is time-limited, or adopts some other unusual structure?
• How is the foundation's relationship with its grantees affected? Are there special responsibilities that the foundation should assume (e.g., extraordinary exit strategies for its grantees, such as endowment grants)?
• How are its commitments to its employees affected?
• What evaluation procedures does the foundation use for its work?
• What is the financial model for a foundation that is a. time limited, b. has a higher payout, c. has a flexible payout depending on opportunities, d. is both a charitable and investment operation?
• How is the investment strategy affected?
• How is governance affected?
• Are there legal or tax issues?
• How might the foundation best document its experience and its legacy?

Each of the foundations profiled here grappled with these questions. Rather than outline a comprehensive history for each, we have chosen to highlight particularly instructive lessons learned for each.

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  Resources

• Executive Summary
• Full Report
• Order Print Copies

  Report Contents

• Introduction
• Focus: The Whitaker Foundation and the Helen F. Whitaker Fund
• The Learning Curve: The Beldon Fund
• Retooling for Spend Down: The Atlantic Philanthropies
• Giving While Living: The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Foundation
• Quick Spend Down: The Haigh-Scatena Foundation
• Raising the Payout: Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
• Giving 5.5%: The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
• More than Investment Returns: The Needmor Fund
• Ramping Up: The HKH Foundation
• Using All the Models: Endswell Foundation / Renewal Partners
• A Different Strategy: Omidyar Network
• Conclusion
• Selected Bibliography
• Resources
• List of Profiled Foundations
• Acknowledgements

  Upcoming Events

• November 29
  10am - Noon
  NCG Family Philanthropy Exchange and the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society are hosting a discussion of Beyond Five Percent: The New Foundation Pay out Menu. This funders only event is free for members.
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  Supporters of
  “Beyond 5%”

• Beldon Fund
• French American Charitable Trust (FACT)
• Quixote Foundation

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