Skip to main content

Give Across
Generations

Family Philanthropy Resource Center

Lay the foundation for your family’s legacy. Our team and tools help you and your loved ones come together to craft a giving strategy that feels impactful—not transactional.

The Experience

COLLABORATIVE GIVING

Our Philanthropic Advisors are seasoned at facilitating meetings for families of all ages and stages of life. Our unique toolkit includes a workbook of exercises, practical tips, and family activities.

NAVIGATING CHANGE

Manage complex family transitions such as marriage, retirement, births, or deaths. We’ll help you transform tricky conversations about money into opportunities to explore family values and give through generations.

STRATEGIC PLANS

We’ll guide you in determining budgets, roles, and responsibilities to keep your giving plans on track. We also offer intensive, tailored support for private foundations.

Our Approach

Our flexible, hands-on approach allows you to tailor a plan that works for your family. We focus on four key areas of charitable giving:

Who

would you like to join at your giving table?

Why

do you give?

What

are your charitable goals?

How

do you want to make an impact?

“By sitting down with a Philanthropic Advisor, we were really able to figure out, what are the areas we’re both really passionate about?”
–Peter and Karen Gabler
Read their story
“We don’t just write checks. We like to get involved, going on site visits, and getting to know the leaders of an organization, and the Minneapolis Foundation allowed us to do that.”
–Katie Fratzke
Read their story
“The foundation has made us smarter, more intentional, and more effective donors.”
–Ben Whitney

Frequently Asked Questions

  • My kids are very young—can you suggest ways to include them in my family’s giving?

    Yes! We work with many young families and provide tools and activities to share the value of generosity with your children. We’d love to connect you with age-appropriate resources.

  • My spouse and I have a family foundation. Can you help us with succession planning?

    Yes. We are experienced at helping families have these conversations. We have worked with many parents and grandparents to help their children build skills as philanthropists. We also help family foundations develop transition plans that can range from opening a companion Donor Advised Fund for the next generation to making the conversion to a Signature Fund. Take a look at our comparison chart for more details.

  • I have a nontraditional family. Is that a problem?

    That’s great! We cherish the diversity of our donor families, and we know that loved ones aren’t always blood relatives. However you define “family,” we’re excited to work with you.

  • My family doesn’t agree on a variety of topics and I’m worried we won’t be able to agree on charitable causes. Can you help?

    We’ve worked with many families who aren’t completely aligned in their charitable giving goals or who have other barriers such as geographic distance that make group giving a challenge. (Believe us: This is very common!) Our Philanthropic Advisors are experienced at connecting families across generations, geographic locations, political orientations, and more.

Start the Conversation

Christine Headshot

We’d love to hear about your family’s charitable goals. Contact Christine Empanger if you have any questions.

Christine Empanger
Manager, Family Philanthropy Resource Center