Generations of Giving

Leadership and Continuity in Family Foundations

Kelin E. Gersick, Michele Desjardins, Katherine Grady, Howard Munson, Deanne Stone

2004, 283 pages. Lexington Books Lanham, MD, 20706

Based on a study of thirty multi-generational Canadian and U.S. family foundations, this book looks at "stages and transitions" in the lives of these foundations. It puts them into historical context, illustrates foundation development and transition, and focuses primarily on topics of governance, continuity, and how families organize themselves to reach their goals. Academic in tone, it is more an overview of how family foundations have evolved over time than a practical guide.