As part of the Aspen Institute Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation’s research initiative, “Advancing Knowledge and Practice about Foundation Spend-Down,” a grant was awarded to the Foundation Center and the Council on Foundations to conduct a large-scale study of the lifespan plans of family foundations. The study “Perpetuity or Limited Lifespan: How Do Family Foundations Decide?” was released on April 30, 2009 and finds that more than one third of family foundations are unsure about their lifespan or have decided on a limited lifespan. The full report can be downloaded from the Foundation Center website.
For more information, see the Foundation Center’s press release.