The Headwaters staff provides a wealth of expertise to families committed to sharing their resources through a family foundation.

Whether a multi-million dollar institution with a large staff making grants on a national or international basis or a modestly endowed local funder managed by family members, we can help you create giving programs that reflect your values while achieving meaningful impact. We understand the importance of confidentiality, and we cultivate long-term relationships grounded in trust and support. We can help you:

• Establish a foundation
• Clarify family philanthropic values and foundation mission
• Create a focus and criteria for giving
• Facilitate "next generation" transitions
• Facilitate family retreats
• Orient and train new board members
• Develop guidelines
• Structure effective and inclusive decision-making processes
• Manage grants
• Identify options for leveraging resources
• Develop internal operating systems
• Evaluate programming
• Facilitate consensus-building
• Foster communications skill building and storytelling

We bring expertise in family foundation development and grantmaking through program research and planning, grant management, organizational effectiveness and evaluation.