Press Releases

FAMILY PHILANTHROPY'S NEW VOICE

Washington, D.C.- Estimates show that over $41 trillion in family wealth will change hands in the next 50 years. How will next generation philanthropists direct these resources? What strategies will they use? What impact will these have on the future of philanthropy? The nonprofit Resource Generation addresses these questions in Creating Change Through Family Philanthropy: The Next Generation by Alison Goldberg and Karen Pittelman.

Creating Change Through Family Philanthropy: The Next Generation is a seminal book that examines how young people are seeking to transform their family funds and the larger field of philanthropy to support social justice. The authors argue that to address urgent social and economic needs and to truly incorporate the priorities of young philanthropists, wealthy families need to question some of the most fundamental assumptions on which their giving is based.

"Goldberg and Pittelman make a compelling case for the need to understand the concerns of these young philanthropists and to provide them with tools they can use so family funds are used with social responsibility in mind," says Mary M. Lassen, interim director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP).

Although news of large donations and new approaches to philanthropy are helping sustain interest and growth in the charitable sector, reports rarely look at the impact of younger funders. Whether the next generation is able to transform their funds will have profound implications on the future of family philanthropy, their role in addressing inequality, and getting resources to those who need them the most.

"In a world where inequality is a crisis threatening the well-being of all of us, we must find a way to distribute resources and power more equitably. This book tells us how," adds Susan Ostrander, author and professor of sociology at Tufts University.

This book, available in February 2007 through Soft Skull Press, provides information on difficult issues like understanding the grantmaking process, researching social change, and developing a payout plan. Financial and philanthropic advisors and nonprofit fundraisers will also find this a useful reference as they try to guide and connect with young donors.

NCRP is Resource Generation's distributing partner for Creating Change Through Family Philanthropy: The Next Generation. For more information or to place your advance order, please visit www.ncrp.org or www.changephilanthropy.org.

NCRP is a national watchdog, research and advocacy organization that promotes public accountability and accessibility among foundations, corporate grantmakers, individual donors and workplace giving programs. For more information on NCRP or to join, visit www.ncrp.org or call (202) 387-9177.