September 25, 2026

Updates from the FFI 40^th Anniversary Campaign

What’s Next?

Over the coming months, we will continue reaching out across the FFI community:

• This fall: FFI Fellows will be invited to participate in the campaign.
• October Global Conference in New York City: All attendees who have not yet pledged will be invited to join this initiative.
• Year-end: Members and friends who have not yet made a commitment will have another opportunity to participate.

Patient Capital for Innovation and Impact

Our goal is not simply to raise money. It is to create patient capital for FFI’s future—resources that allow us to invest thoughtfully in the ideas, programs, research, and initiatives that will strengthen the field for years to come.

• Innovating online education
  FFI will continue upgrading the GEN program to reflect evolving pedagogical approaches and technologies that increase rigor and deepen learning in the field. Created in 2012 as an outgrowth of the Body of Knowledge (BOK) program, GEN provides research-based online education for advisors worldwide. With more than 1,500 graduates, it has become an important vehicle for establishing professional standards and supporting multidisciplinary learning.
• Sponsoring high-impact research and publications
  The campaign will provide resources for programs and initiatives—including the Family Business Review, FFI Practitioner, FFI on Friday, and the 2086 Society, —that explore future-focused topics, maintain the profession’s relevance, and encourage research addressing the complex realities of multi-generational family companies.
• Reimagining the Annual Global Conference
  Since the late 1980s, FFI’s conferences have evolved from peer advisory gatherings into global events featuring leading voices from business, science, and the social sciences. The future calls for us to revisit the conference model, including its locations, format, and programming, so that this annual gathering continues to deliver exceptional value and influence.
• Increasing Public Awareness
  We can leverage all these platforms to further increase understanding of the contributions and challenges of multi-generational family enterprises—and their importance to local, national, regional, and global economies.

40 Years: A Pivotal Moment

As FFI celebrates its 40th anniversary, we are reaffirming a mission that has guided us for four decades:

To be the most influential global community of thought leaders in the field of family enterprise.

We foster and publish research, offer educational programs, and share knowledge to develop a professional association of multi-generational family enterprise advisors, consultants, and educators.

It is a time to honor the vision of FFI’s founders while preparing for the emerging challenges facing families and the professionals who serve them—from wealth distribution and governance models to cross-cultural dynamics and the changing nature of family enterprise itself.

FFI has been a significant force in the field for four decades. The opportunities ahead demand that we be equally ambitious about the next four.

Our 40th Anniversary Campaign is an opportunity to build on what FFI has accomplished and make its impact even more robust before we reach 50. It is an investment in patient capital—capital that gives FFI the ability to think beyond the immediate horizon, pursue promising ideas, strengthen the profession, and respond to the challenges that lie ahead.

Most importantly, it is an opportunity to leave a transformative legacy for the next generation of advisors, educators, and researchers—and to ensure that FFI continues to create lasting global impact for decades to come.