Family Foundations

Family Foundations comprise the majority of foundations in the United States and make up 1/3 of NCG's membership. Through their existence, these organizations are able to demonstrate a commitment to something larger than the family, to leave a mark on the world, or to give back to the community that helped them succeed.

NCG recognizes that family foundations encounter a unique set of challenges due to their size and the negotiation of family dynamics. Therefore NCG provides programming specifically nuanced to meet the needs of family foundation staff and trustees.

NCG's Family Philanthropy Exchange (FPE) provides family foundation staff the opportunity to connect with their peers to learn best practices in family philanthropy. The goal of FPE is to provide consistent high-value member benefits that will enable Northern California family foundations to ensure that the future builds upon the successes of the past. Participation in the Family Philanthropy Exchange offers:

1. Access to information about best practices in family foundation governance, staffing, and management.


2. Programming that is balanced between grantmaking and program development and the issues unique to family foundations.


3. Opportunities to broaden connections with other family foundation donors, trustees, and staff.


4. Potential partnerships and joint programming with other organizations devoted to supporting family foundations, including The Foundation Incubator, the Council on Foundations, and the National Center for Family Philanthropy, among others.