Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Launching a Family Foundation

The combination of tactical work and management-level coaching has made a difference.

Although we are usually deeply involved in our foundation clients’ grants administration work, we’re often asked to wear the hats of architects, designing and building philanthropic entities from the ground up. Such was the case when Charly and Lisa Kleissner, a Northern California-based couple, requested our assistance in establishing a family foundation.

The parameters were clearly drawn: Charly and Lisa wanted to become engaged philanthropic partners, not simply to write foundation checks. Further, they wanted to be proactive in their giving, rather than wait for opportunities to land on their doorstep. Finally, they were looking for a way to inform and involve their college-age children.

We were well-equipped to handle these situations and began to work with the couple in building their skills as donors and grantmakers. As part of that process, we convened a planning retreat for the entire family in which we plumbed the issues that most motivated them, demonstrated how to identify other issues, determine appropriate channels for activities, interact with other donors and, generally, become effective and efficient foundation stewards. From this preparatory work we developed an operating plan to guide the family through the complexities of the field and mapped out the steps involved in establishing and managing their foundation. A year later, RPA developed an operations manual for the foundation.

This combination of tactical work and management-level coaching paid off handsomely. The new foundation, The KL Felicitas Foundation, has championed a number of socially inspired projects, including the expansion of a healthcare center in a remote area of California whose population includes many immigrants in service industries who might not otherwise have access to medical care; and supporting social entrepreneurs worldwide — including the countries of Brazil and Sri Lanka — to help them reach sustainability and scalability. Charly and Lisa not only apply the foundation’s financial resources, but their time, expertise and entrepreneurial acumen to their philanthropic activities. They are in the process of creating an innovative professional development program helping social entrepreneurs accelerate and increase their social impact. This initiative is first being rolled out in India, but will eventually cover the globe.