September 19, 2002 | Read Time: 1 minute
Splendid Legacy: the Guide to Creating Your Family Foundation, edited by Virginia M. Esposito, provides a plan for families establishing foundations, as well as advice and personal anecdotes from families that have already created them. The first part of the publication covers the basics: how to craft a mission statement, select staff members to run the foundation, and recruit trustees; and how to develop a communications strategy that includes annual reports, press releases, and Internet resources. It also points out issues to be considered when establishing a grant-making program, and outlines how family members in different locations and with diverse interests can nevertheless shape effective giving strategies. Advice and anecdotes are also offered through personal stories, such as one by Bill Gates, who explains in an interview how the foundation he and his wife, Melinda, created developed its mission, focus, and structure.
Publisher: National Center for Family Philanthropy, 1818 N Street, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20036; (202) 293-3424; fax (202) 293-3395; andy@ncfp.org; http://www.ncfp.org; 258 pages; $75.
