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The Frechette Leadership and Governance Program (FLAG)

The Frechette Leadership and Governance program (FLAG) engages third-generation family members in a multi-year curriculum around philanthropic practice, board governance and grantmaking. FLAG carries on the spirit of family philanthropy that originated from its late Founders, Pat and Pete Frechette, who cared deeply about building strong relationships, trusting in leaders, and asking organizations, “what do you need?” As their grandchildren, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue this legacy with our own journey of philanthropic learning through the FLAG program.

Approach

The vision of FLAG is to lead with values that contribute to authentic partnerships based in shared and balanced learning. FLAG is teaching us trust-based practices in philanthropy that align with our grandparents and parents’ desire to keep things simple and avoid any unnecessary burden on a partner organization.

As a grantmaking program of the Frechette Family Foundation, FLAG aspires to have trusted relationships with grantee partners, and we know this calls for us to be reflective and thoughtful about the power dynamics that can exist in philanthropy which can often interfere.

The following values guide our engagement with one another and with external partners:

How We Want to Be:

Humility
Trust
Empathy & Compassion
Transparency

What We Hope to Gain:

Personal Growth
Education & Learning

What We Hope to Impact:

Equity
Community

Geography & Focus:

FLAG defined Chicago, Illinois as the place to focus our grantmaking and learning. Our family has roots in Chicago, with some of the third-generation family members still living and working there.

FLAG’s grantmaking focuses on holistic, multi-faceted supports for low-income, at-risk youth who are housing insecure or experiencing homelessness. 

FLAG grants are by invitation only.