Search results for: limited life foundation

Illustration: Flickr user Martin FeemsterBy Tony ProscioThe idea of limiting the lifetime of a foundation has become so popular (at least in the financial media, and evidently among many newer philanthropists) that the foundation trade group Philanthropy New York recently felt it worthwhile to hold a seminar…

As The Atlantic Philanthropies began the final phases of closure, management knew that, as the largest limited life foundation to spend down its assets, it would be a model for the philanthropic sector, particularly to other foundations interested in the concept of limited life or…

Should charity go on forever? For Chuck Feeney, the answer is an emphatic no--and fellow billionaires, from newly minted Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, can learn from his example.Some people are into extreme sports, others extreme eating. You could call self-made…

The limited-life foundation–where big donors pledge to spend all their money in a certain short period of time–offers the potential for a bigger immediate impact at the expense of longevity.

Atlantic is not a “spend down” foundation, although we’re often described as such. Yes, we will complete all of our grantmaking by the end of 2016. The term “spending down,” however, suggests a slow, inexorable depletion of assets, resources and impact or perhaps a rushed…

One evening last spring, as a fierce north-easter tore through the New York region, Gara LaMarche settled in to watch The Sopranos and bake batches of muffins. The next morning, baked goodies safely stowed in Ziploc bags, he set off for the offices of The…

By Tony Proscio A while ago, we collected some thoughts from careful observers of philanthropy — people who either make decisions about how to use charitable wealth or advise those who do — on the value of time-limited giving. Specifically, we asked: Under what conditions…

How can we achieve more impact through partnerships between philanthropy and government? What does philanthropy need to do differently to better work with government groups to address the 21st century’s most pressing problems? And how can better communication play a part in achieving these goals?…

When we finally close our doors, The Atlantic Philanthropies will become the largest foundation ever to deliberately conclude grantmaking within the lifetime of its donor. We’re conscious of making every investment count – in Chuck Feeney’s words: to make the “highest and best use” of…

Since the 1990s, philanthropy has seen a growing share of foundations embrace a limited life, setting a defined endpoint for their operations. More foundations are also funding time-limited strategic initiatives. While foundations use a variety of strategies to manage their exits, little has been known about…