A case study of the Lumpkin Family Foundation's youth engagement strategies. Although it was founded in 1953, The Lumpkin Family Foundation truly established their professional presence in 1994. As the three family lines of the 4th and 5th generation began working together through the Foundation, they realized the potential of their children's contributions. This led the 6th generation, children ages 5+, to participate in a character education curriculum during the annual family reunion. During these gatherings, the whole family participates in a community service or nonprofit site visits, as well as a cross-generational team building experience. To incorporate grantmaking experiences into the annual meeting, the 6th Generation Grant Committee was formed for those ages 10 to 21, in which youth nominate a nonprofit of their choice and share the knowledge that they have accumulated. Shortly thereafter, the committee votes with poker chips, which add up to $100 per person, for the nominated nonprofits that they would like to support. The grants and amounts are then shared with the entire family during the reunion.
- Start small and build your youth philanthropy efforts based on what works for your family culture and the ages of your youth.
- Be flexible and evolve your efforts based on youth interest and participation.
- Make use of older cousins who can be a great influence on younger ones. Support them in facilitating the grant meetings on their own.
- Involve parents, but above all, treat each child as an individual with his or her own identity distinct from those of their parents.
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- Copyright 2013 by National Center for Family Philanthropy. All rights reserved.