Insights Blog

Balancing Purpose, Payout, and Permanence: A Strategy Guide for Foundations

Written by Commonfund Institute | Sep 9, 2020 1:22:37 PM

In partnership with the Council on Foundations, the National Center for Family Philanthropy has released Balancing Purpose, Payout, and Permanence: A Strategy Guide. Commonfund Institute is very happy to contribute to this very important resource for private, community, and family foundations. Commonfund Institute Director of Research, George Suttles, is among several contributors who helped to put this guide together.

How much should we spend? This is an essential question for foundations, and one of the most complex, particularly in moments of change or turmoil. This Strategy Guide invites you to reflect more deeply on how your foundation chooses to balance four factors—purpose, conditions and trends, time horizons, and assets for mission—especially in times of greater crisis or opportunity. It leaves the final decision to you, without judgment for your payout amount, lifespan, or mission.

Download the Strategy Guide here.

Download the Discussion Guide here.