In conversation · Family Advisory and Philanthropy Services

Levitt Foundation

February 20, 2024·28 min

The conversation opens with legacy. Liz Cribs describes UBS's Family Advisory and Philanthropy Services work as a thought partner for families looking past financial management. Liz Levitt-Hirsch and Sharon Yazowski come in through the Levitt Foundation, a private family foundation focused on community impact. The episode treats philanthropy as more than generosity, but it doesn't puff it up either. Giving is tied to purpose, continuity, and the small choices families make over time. Liz's advice is practical: study the areas where you might give, learn from people already in the field, and respect the expertise inside communities. Funders are asked to back on-the-ground leadership instead of walking in with all the answers. Peer learning gets real airtime. Southern California Grantmakers is named as a local place for workshops, conferences, and resources, while the National Center for Family Philanthropy is another stop for newer philanthropists trying to learn the ropes. The harder part is self-reflection. What matters? What actually lines up with personal values? Where does a meaningful difference feel possible? Sharon then makes the idea concrete at Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles. Before the venue opened, a neighborhood restaurant owner helped form a community advisory council. Because she was both a business owner and civic leader, more stakeholders came into the process, and their input changed actual decisions around venue development, programming, and site design. The lesson lands plainly: community change works better when relationships, listening, and real local influence are built in from the start.

As heard by us

A calm philanthropy conversation about how legacy turns into community trust.

This conversation traces how philanthropic legacy takes shape in everyday choices, practical action, and patient community work. The Levitt Foundation comes through as a mid-sized private family foundation with a clear aim: strengthening the social fabric of America by bringing…

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want philanthropy turned into practical, community-level action.

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