The Council on Foundations and Next Gen

The Council on Foundations is committed to providing resources and programs to support next generation philanthropic leaders and connect members to one another in meaningful ways.

In 2009, the Council created the Next Generation Task Force to provide the Council with expertise and guidance to shape programs and services to maximize the impact of and support for the next generation of philanthropists and philanthropic leaders. The members of the task force, all age 40 and under, are staff and trustees of corporate, community, family, independent, and international foundations of varying geographies and diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The following provides an overview of the programs currently offered for next generation philanthropic leaders.

Trading Power

The Council on Foundations’ Next Generation Task Force, along with our partners 21/64, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, and Resource Generation, are proud to release the publication Trading Power at the 2010 Family Philanthropy Conference. As the Council has worked both to broaden services and enhance options for Next Gen leaders, basic questions about increasing Next Gen representation in leadership positions across philanthropy surfaced again and again: Why? How? Who? When? What would it look like? Trading Power, the outgrowth of interviews with more than 15 seasoned and next generation philanthropic executives and trustees, offers candid insights worthy of action. Pick up a hard copy in the Next Gen Lounge, or go to www.cof.org/tradingpower to download a copy.

Next Gen Programming at COF Conferences – Family, Annual, and Community

The next generation task force also provides guidance and support for Council conference plenary sessions, concurrent sessions, receptions, retreats, and site visits geared toward a next gen audience. The Emerging Leaders Salon, where a notable philanthropic leader gives personal insight into philanthropy with a small group of next gen attendees, is consistently well-attended and noted for its high quality of learning.

Next Generation Leaders Facebook Group

Get Connected. Be Informed. Join the Next Generation Leaders Facebook Group!

The COF Next Generation Leaders group is a private, invitation-only discussion forum on Facebook. Its purpose is to provide you with opportunities to connect with other philanthropic leaders and engage in dialogue about issues that matter to you.

Add your thoughts, questions, and comments, about next generation philanthropy and help make this a valuable resource for you and your peers.

To join the Facebook group, please email nextgen@cof.org with your name, title, organization, and email address, or find the ‘COF Next Generation Leaders’ group on Facebook and ask to join. To learn more, go to our Facebook group FAQ page.

Next Generation Engagement Profile

The task force seeks to encourage greater participation from next generation philanthropic leaders in Council volunteer leadership. A Web-based Next Generation Engagement Profile was developed to solicit basic information from next generation representatives to match them with speaking, writing, or volunteer leadership opportunities within the Council. Examples of opportunities may include a workshop panelist at the Council’s conferences, member of a Council committee or task force, or a guest writer/blogger for a Council e-publication. Visit www.cof.org/nextgen/involvement and fill out the profile.