Editor’s Note: As our Summer 2017 Intern Class wraps up, we asked Communications Intern Meghan Ervine to track down past interns and see where they are now and what they gained from the Council internship experience. Details on the Council’s Fall 2017 internship opportunities and how to apply can…

This spring I traveled to Japan, where I had the opportunity to visit the Hosoo textile company in Kyoto. The company was founded in 1688 and has been passed down through 12 generations of the same family, still sitting on the same site. Formerly focused on textiles for traditional garments used in…

Recently, Council staff traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico to join more than 50 funders to discuss how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are relevant to local challenges facing communities across the Southwest. The gathering was the sixth city in a series of national conversations about the…

At the Citi Foundation, we believe that success is a combination of the impact we can generate directly through our grant making and the influence we can have on others by amplifying what works (or what isn’t working)—and most importantly why success matters. Earlier this year, on behalf of Citi…

First, a bit of exciting personal news: my family is anticipating the arrival of our second child any day now—thus, I will eventually be on paternity leave until early September. During this time, I will have an away message with an array of ways for you to connect with the right person. We are…

Say hello to Armature, the new technical software designed specifically to collect data for program accreditation. As I uploaded my foundation documents and data to apply for accreditation, I couldn’t help but to smile due to the ease of entering data and uploading documents to the system. As a…

The Council and the San Diego Grantmakers are teaming up to support the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange by co-hosting a mid-year convening in San Diego on November 29 and 30. The Veterans Philanthropy Exchange is a network of grantmakers that support nonprofits providing services and resources to…

By Meghan Irvine It is truly mind boggling to think that my time at the Council is wrapping up. It seemed like just yesterday, or six short weeks ago to be exact, that I was nervously entering a new internship in an unfamiliar city, with little knowledge about foundations and having no idea what…

Editor's Note: This was first published on Philanthropy News Digest's PhilanTopic blog. The philanthropic sector has taken steps to address the lack of inclusion of women and people of color in its talent pool. But newly released research from the Council on Foundations reveals that…

Award Nominations The Council is currently accepting nominations for the 2017 Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking. Nominate a courageous leader and innovative grantmaker today. Learn More The Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking honors grantmakers who, with a…

As we make our way through summer, I know a lot of you are beginning to turn your attention to fall and making plans for the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, beginning in September. This can be an effective time to launch new global initiatives, form new partnerships…

In May, I invited the Council on Foundations' private foundation members to participate in a survey to help me gather information that will shape future Council programming tailored to private foundations. The results of the survey identified several areas of interest and need. Participants…

Since I joined the Council in early 2016, I have fielded many requests from community foundations (CFs) seeking support and guidance in facilitating international grants, often due to growing interest from members of their community in supporting causes overseas. At the Council, we’ve witnessed…

As we hit the midpoint of 2017, community and economic development are shrinking in many places. A number of our community foundation members are deploying more resources to stop this decline in their communities. For example, this recent article was food for thought on the topic of employment and…

Editor's Note: This month the Council is focusing on Leading Together through strong partnerships. Director of Community Philanthropy Brad Ward kicks off the month with the following reflection. We live in the age of partnerships, and nowhere is this more apparent to the Council than through the…

Editor's Note: This reflection is also published on NGOsource's website.  In April I attended the Council on Foundations’ 2017 annual conference, “Leading Together,” in Dallas, Texas. On the second night, attendees were invited to a reception at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The…