MCF now has 104 sub-funds. We know that in a number of these sub-funds there are several family members who are actively involved in determining funding priorities and the organisations to which grant recommendations will be made.

However, in others it is primarily an individual who made the decision to establish the sub-fund and that individual takes responsibility for making decisions regarding grantmaking priorities. Several of these donors are interested in bringing in other family members - either from the current or next generation - and there are many good reasons to do so.

Jill Reichstein, an MCF board member and Chair of the Reichstein Foundation, talks about her family's involvement with the foundation.

The foundation was set up in 1972 by my father, Lance Reichstein. He was the owner of an engineering company, which enjoyed national and international success throughout the mid seventies.

I'm not exactly sure why he set up the foundation, but I do know he wanted to give back to the community which helped create his wealth. He also wanted to create links between his company and the foundation. Several of the company directors were also trustees.

Ms Reichstein regrets she never had an opportunity to discuss with her father his vision for the foundation in the future. He knew I was heavily involved with community development around issues involving women and childcare and no doubt he felt the foundation would be an important factor in my life and thereby creatively developed.

In the many years since I first joined the board, the foundation has grown from a 'traditional cheque book foundation' to one which aspires to bring about positive social change - tackling the root causes of injustice, poverty and unemployment.

The challenge now is to link my father's grandchildren into the work of the foundation.

Lucy, my daughter, loves the foundation and has a strong sense of social justice, with which she is also actively engaged in her working life. She is a trustee and we have shared so much through the foundation, grappling with many issues.

It pushes us out of our comfort zone in so many ways that it has been a wonderful connection point around values and ideas and direction to a sense of shared purpose.

Tom, my son, immersed in his university studies and his rowing career, is more intimidated by the whole idea of getting involved. I have asked him to go on the board, hoping he might start to get engaged but he is still hesitant.

I recognise that a passion for philanthropy cannot be forced and young people need the space to sort it out for themselves, but I do ponder how I can encourage him to take an active role in this important family endeavor, alongside Lucy and myself.

Should we move to funding projects that he might relate to, such as sports scholarships, should we create a pool of funds which he can be responsible for?

From conversations I have had with MCF donors and others involved in philanthropy I know that the question of whether and how to involve the next generation in the family's grantmaking raises many issues - for both the older and younger members of the family.

We are considering whether there is sufficient interest to arrange a donor session to explore these issues further, and thought that we would raise it through the newsletter and see if it strikes a chord with some donors.

If you (and any of your family) would be interested in participating in such a session please contact Trudy Wyse at the office to let her know.