Abstract:
This nonprofit management case describes the evolution of a small, Washington DC-based family foundation from its origins in the 1920s, when it served mainly as the vehicle for the personal giving of its founder and namesake, to its situation some eight decades later, when its endowment had grown substantially and it was making dozens of grants annually to community organizations in the Washington area. The case explores the issue of donor intent, focusing on the original mission of the foundation as prescribed by its founder (to help students in need pursue higher education) and the ways in which that mission has been both preserved and changed over time. It describes key turning points in the foundation's governance, especially the role of the founder's grandson and the interpretation of donor intent he has helped to implement, as well as the relative role of family members and non-family members and questions about how far the foundation can justifiably vary from the stated intent of the founder.
Learning Objectives:
Implicitly, the case raises questions about the Strong Foundation's future as it contemplates another leadership transition.
