Ask any philanthropic family about their biggest challenge or concern, and one of the answers you’re most likely to hear is “how can I better engage the next generation?

[The National Center for Family Philanthropy's] 2015 Trends Study pointed to the changing leadership of family foundations – specifically to the engagement of younger generations on foundation boards – as a major factor that will shape the future of family philanthropy. Forty-three percent of family foundations expect to add or increase the number of younger family members to the board, and this number goes up to more than half among foundations formed after 1990.

The idea of “succession” within families or on foundation boards – as illustrated by the traditional metaphor of “passing the baton” – doesn’t resonate with most next gen donors. They don’t like how it implies that the previous generation stops running when they pass the baton, giving up their roles and allowing the next gen take over. Instead, the next gen wants elders to stay involved longer; they want to work alongside, and learn from, previous generations.

Rather than a relay race, they prefer to see the family foundation or fund as a multigenerational team – one with both veterans and rookies on it, each bringing their own unique assets and contributions to the playing field.

Instead of seeing the family legacy as a burden, the next gen members of giving families, on the whole, see legacy as a gift – one that they will be responsible for stewarding.

Read the full article about what the next gen really wants in family philanthropy by Michael Moody and Sharna Goldseker at NCFP.org.