Philanthropically Speaking

I’ve just returned from the SECF Family Foundations Forum in Charleston, South Carolina. It was an incredibly rich and meaningful time together, complete with ample opportunities for foundation networking and much sharing of great grantmaking resources. Once again, I was impressed with the level of engagement among the 70 trustees and staff who attended. Their commitment to their foundations and communities, and their sincere desire to continually learn how to do their great work even better, is truly inspirational.

One saying popped up a few times during this meeting, “If you’ve seen one family foundation, you’ve seen one family foundation.” That’s very true. Family foundations are in essence extensions of the families that steward them, and are every bit as diverse. It spawned some great discussions and exchanges of ideas.

One topic that generated discussion was that of politics and philanthropy and, specifically, the relationship between our field and government in light of the new administration. To me, it underscored the point that the jury is still out on whether a deeper level of engagement from government will be a plus or minus for our field.

Some of the discussion centered around last week’s article in the Wall Street Journal about the very palpable mutual admiration between foundations and the current administration at the Council on Foundations meeting. But I was at that meeting, as well as other philanthropy conferences, and I've also heard a different view. Many were still feeling the sting of the proposed cap on charitable deductions in 2009, which was beaten back with bipartisan opposition, but has reappeared in the President’s 2011 budget.

Then there’s also the question of the Social Innovation Fund.  Many applaud it, and it will no doubt have a significant impact on some terrific organizations. There’s another perspective, however, that the White House, in creating this fund and the bureaucracy to support it, essentially is saying they think the government can affect change and invest this money better than foundations.

It’s still too early to tell. I believe that the real litmus test for the Obama Administration and its embrace of philanthropy and supportive philanthropy policy may not come until we see what happens when and if tax reform arrives on the front burner.

But there’s one key observation that comes from being among our family foundation members this week. Legislation and policy have alternatively targeted or all but ignored philanthropy for generations. And for generations, families with charitable values have found a way to keep the foundation fires burning.