February marks the observance of National African American History Month, a commemoration with origins dating back to 1926 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson instituted a week-long celebration to raise awareness of African Americans’ contributions to history. 50 years later, as part of the United States…

Happy new year! In the last few months, I’ve reached out to many of you to introduce myself, learn more about your foundations, and discuss ways that we can work together through your membership with the Council. After each of these discussions, I have come away not only impressed, but genuinely…

Did you march with the millions of women in cities around the world last week? Or watch President Trump’s inauguration last Friday? Here in D.C., it’s been a crowded and hectic start to 2017. At the Council, we are busy preparing for our Annual Conference in April and have launched several new…

Our field is of course focused first and foremost on impact. That’s the reason we get up and do the work we do every day. But for me, the trends to watch this year are all related to capital—and specifically, how the sector can put more of it to work better, faster, and cheaper. Here’s what we see…

My wife and I met as Peace Corps volunteers in Sierra Leone in 1987. Three decades later, we were living on the East Coast, both enjoying fulfilling work in social sector careers. Last year, an unexpected opportunity arose to serve as the Walton Family Foundation’s executive director – the third in…

In both 2015 and 2016, the Council on Foundations worked closely with a global nonprofit coalition to advocate for changes to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Since 9/11, more than 140 governments have passed counter-terrorism legislation. In many countries, governments have framed civil…

As the nation approaches the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States, our society remains conflicted on our ability to be united as a people. We find ourselves seeking relief from the divisiveness brought about by several events of the prior year: the civil unrest in many of our…

Monday, January 16, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day), a federal holiday in the U.S. The fact that a federal holiday was designated to commemorate the birthdate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is significant - only two other figures have national holidays in the U.S. honoring them: George…

Happy 2017! I’m kicking off the new year sharing updates and resources to help you as you prepare and plan for what lies ahead. Find out about trends that will affect philanthropy, learn how best to stay up to date on important policy developments in Washington, D.C., and don’t miss out on great…

Giving days have exploded in popularity in recent years, helping the foundations that organize them reach new donors and become more digitally focused themselves. But some foundations are weighing whether to continue these online fundraising campaigns. On January 25, Knight Foundation and the…

Greetings Community Foundation Colleagues I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and are looking to the new year with abundant optimism for what you and your community foundation can achieve. Check out a quick sample of 2017 Happenings and Highlights from 2016 As the Council looks ahead…

It’s hard to believe 2016 is almost over. With the U.S. election, Brexit, the crisis in Syria, and historic meetings for the international community like the World Humanitarian Summit, it’s been an eventful year to say the least. It’s unclear what exactly 2017 will hold, but we are preparing…

2017 will be a year of change, as orthodoxies in the field get tested and philanthropy steps up and into a more prominent national role. This post is part of our inaugural Trendspotting Series profiling important ideas that will be shaping some major fields of interest in 2017. Each…

Happy holidays! May this month be filled with year-end giving and exciting developments to propel you into 2017! As always, the Council is here for you, and I’m writing to share a few resources for you to consider as the year comes to an end. First, the most recent developments in the Oakland…

In early December 2016, the Chinese government released the official and final version of their new Guidelines on Organizational Registration and Temporary Activities Reporting. These guidelines provide needed information for compliance with the 2016 Law of the People’s Republic of China on…

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) shows President-elect Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, the Speaker's Balcony at the U.S. Capitol on November 10, 2016. (Photo credit - Zach Gibson/Getty Images) This post is part of our inaugural Trendspotting Series profiling important ideas that…