The Urban Institute has posted audio from the Nonprofit Quarterly co-sponsored “Life Spans of Charitable Foundations:  Arguments for and Against an Assumption of Perpetuity.” Click here to visit the Urban Institute’s page and download the audio file.

Speakers:
Dr. Francie Ostrower, University of Texas at Austin
“Limited Life Foundations: Motivations, Experiences and Strategies” draws on survey data on over 800 private foundations with varied longevity plans, and in-depth interviews with 31 foundations that have considered or plan termination.
http://www.urban.org/publications/411836.html.

Arthur “Buzz” Schmidt, GuideStar / F.B. Heron Foundation
Escaping the Perpetuity Mindset Trap, argues that an assumption of perpetuity may blind many charitable foundations from achieving optimal social impact. Schmidt makes a number of arguments about deployment strategies for foundation assets that may potentially have more impact over the long term.

Discussants:

• Virginia Esposito, President
National Center for Family Philanthropy

• Adam Meyerson, President
Philanthropy Roundtable