How do family foundations keep the focus on family in their philanthropy?

In a January webinar, three family foundation colleagues from multiple generations joined NCFP’s president Ginny Esposito to talk about families large and small, and the shared values that hold them together over time.

One of the webinar participants, Kerry Alys Robinson, is a fourth generation family member of The Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities. The foundation, now in its 72nd year, is headquartered in Greenville, Delaware, although family members are spread across the country, even overseas. The fifth generation has now come into adulthood, and there is even one fifth-generation member serving on the board.

"Currently the foundation has 100 direct descendent relatives who are active members of the foundation. That means each one of us is responsible for making site visits, reviewing proposals, and making a decision on funding in consultation with other cousins. We are very active participants in the philanthropy."

With this massive family spread in almost every state of the U.S., Robinson said it’s the philanthropy that holds the family together. "I have access to my first cousins, second cousins, second cousins once-removed in a way I otherwise wouldn’t. There is an intimacy that has been afforded to all of us through coming together to carry out the work of the foundation. I’m not sure I would know most of my family if not for the foundation."

Read the full article about family philanthropy and The Raskob Foundation at ncfp.org.