Family Foundations

The Council on Foundations defines a family foundation as one whose funds are derived from members of a single family, though this is not a legal term and has no precise definition. The Council on Foundations suggests that family foundations have at least one family member serving as an officer or board member of the foundation and, as the donor, that individual (or a relative) must play a significant role in governing and/or managing the foundation. Most family foundations are run by family members who serve as trustees or directors on a voluntary basis. In many cases, second- and third-generation descendants of the original donors manage the foundation.

Family foundations make up over half of all private (family, corporate, independent, and operating) foundations, or 40,456 out of approximately 73,764 foundations (Foundation Center, 2011). Family foundations make up approximately one-third of the Council’s membership.

Family foundations range in asset size from a few hundred thousand dollars to more than $1 billion. The holdings of family foundations total approximately $294 billion, or about 44 percent of all foundation holdings of $662 billion. Despite this, three out of five family foundations hold assets of less than $1 million. Family foundations gave away approximately $21.3 billion in grants in 2011 (The Foundation Center, 2011).

Below is everything on our site for family foundations. Due to the large number of resources on our website, we highly recommend you use the site navigation or the search feature to find what you are looking for.

Ask Your Senators to Help Preserve the Charitable Deduction

On November 20, in conjunction with the Charitable Giving Coalition’s “Protect Giving Day,” Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) issued a letter in full support of the charitable deduction. This letter is a perfect example of the growing bipartisan support for preserving the full value…

A Quest for Equality: Breaking the Barriers for People with Disabilities

External Resource
From The Chicago Community Trust, this white paper challenges all of us with a set of thoughtful recommendations to realize our promise for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in our communities, our schools and our workplaces.

Thinking about an Audit? Read this First

Legal Compliance Guidance
Audits are everywhere these days. Consider: In the wake of corporate accounting scandals, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was enacted in 2002, imposing corporate governance reforms on public, for-profit companies, including provisions on how financial audits are managed and carried out by auditors.…

More than Money: Making a Difference with Assistance Beyond the Grant

External Resource
From the Center for Effective Philanthropy, most of foundations’ efforts to contribute ‘beyond the money’ have little beneficial impact on grantees. More than Money: Making a Difference with Assistance Beyond the Grant reveals that only when foundation staff provide assistance beyond the grant in…

Effective Collaborations: Recommendations for a Connected Philanthropic Infrastructure

Publication
The report explores the ways in which infrastructure organizations think about the value and the mechanics of collaboration—the drivers and barriers to collaborative work—and determine ways to encourage more effective partnerships. The publication features a framework for understanding…

Closing a Foundation: The Lucille P. Markey Charitable Trust

Publication
Closing a nonprofit charitable institution presents a range of unknowns to the grantmaking community. In this analysis, authors John Dickason and Duncan Neuhauser provide guidance to foundations considering whether to create a time-limited foundation or bring a foundation to an end. Topics include…

Addressing the Impact of Currency Fluctuations on International Grantmaking

Publication
Understanding the challenges of currency fluctuations on international grantmaking, and taking action to minimize their impact can ensure that this natural process does not become an added barrier to overseas giving. This resource focuses on some of the challenges foundations and giving programs…

Now Available Private Foundation Investment Study

Members can now download the 2012 Council on Foundations–Commonfund Study of Investments for Private Foundations through the Council store. We are making this resource available to our members at no cost (a $750 value), so be sure to get your copy today. Featured in the Wall Street Journal, the…

Member Benefits

Council members—including staff, board members, and volunteers—have access to exclusive member benefits and service including networking, professional development, legal consultation, discounts, and more.

Old membership

Welcome to the Council on Foundations! Our members are the backbone of our community and together we are committed to advancing the greater good. We are charting a course for the field where funders display high integrity, earn and maintain the public's trust, and serve as excellent stewards of…

Advocacy

Checklist for a Successful Meeting with Your Members of Congress

Fundamentals
How to Make the Most of your meeting Consider the following to ensure a productive meeting that runs smoothly. Determine Your Message Before your meeting, you will need to decide what your message will be. This is going to depend largely on the purpose and goal of your meeting, and can range…

Roles of Congressional Staff Members

Each member of Congress has staff to assist him or her during a term in office. To be most effective in communicating with Congress, it is helpful to know the titles and principal functions of key staff. Commonly used titles and job functions: Chief of staff or administrative assistant This staff…

Donor-Advised Funds

Issue Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are a unique philanthropic tool that allow donors to establish charitable accounts at institutions, such as community foundations, and remain involved in supporting the issues and causes they care about. A DAF allows the donor to remain involved and active in…

2025 Tax Reform

With numerous provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expiring at the end of 2025, Congress is working towards passing a tax package this Congress. This page serves as a landing page for key Council resources related to the forthcoming tax package. For the most up to date information, join…

Federal Partnerships

The History In 2008, incoming Obama Administration officials signaled to foundations that the Administration would be seeking partnerships with the philanthropy sector to realize the President's social innovation agenda across the federal government. In response to this outreach, and with the…
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