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.

Developing Community Co-Designed Strategy

A few years ago, U.S. Bank started working on place-based investment programs. To help build out the strategy of the programs, USB partnered with the community to create design sessions that were community-led and community-focused. U.S. Bank learned a lot through this process about how to center…

New Approaches to Disaster Recovery

On December 30, 2021, the Marshall Fire burned over 1,000 homes in Boulder County, CO. As Boulder County’s trusted philanthropic partner for over 30 years, The Community Foundation Boulder County (CFBC) quickly opened a disaster fund, raising over $43 million. CFBC’s trauma-informed, people-first…

Overcoming Psychological Barriers to Giving in Family Philanthropy

The National Center for Family Philanthropy, Ideas42, and Arabella Advisors recently released a report that explores top psychological barriers to giving in family philanthropy. Reasons included too many choices, fear of uncomfortable family dynamics, and lack of urgency. The research draws on…

Lunch Plenary Session: Partnering for Resilience and Justice

How are community and place-based funders partnering with communities to build resilience?  With a commitment to righting past wrongs, responding to crises, and preparing for future challenges.  Join us as we celebrate this year’s HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic…

Partnering to Identify Overlooked Artists, Increase Visibility, and Build Community

The first step to greater investment in historically under-resourced communities is making the unknown known -- identifying who is out there and where they live and work. In 2024, two place-based funders, working in partnership with the public sector and an equity-forward researcher, created a…

Partnering with Youth Programs to Expand Impact

Solutions to challenges in our communities often require expertise and insight from many stakeholders, yet we struggle to engage with those who may be different from us, specifically intergenerationally. This session will describe a case study pairing youth with grantees to amplify voices and co-…

Philanthropy as a Force for the Frontline’s Mental and Physical Wellbeing

The goal of the philanthropic sector is to mobilize the funds that allow us to create change in the world. Layered underneath that sweeping vision are the staff and frontline fundraisers who dedicate their lives to this work. Whether they are in the trenches in conflict zones or regularly engaging…

Philanthropy, Journalism, and Bridging Divides

Last year, the Chronicle of Philanthropy launched a new project, called the Commons, that examines how the charitable sector can bring Americans together in a time of hyperpolarization. The Commons explores efforts to bridge divides through reporting, opinion, essays, resources, tools, and more. In…

Place-Based Foundations That are Stretching into New Arenas to Support Community Partners

The Minneapolis Foundation, Midwest Environmental Justice Network, NDN Collective, and RE-AMP Network lead one of the U.S. EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking programs. Over three years, they will distribute $40 million in grants to build the capacity of Tribes and…

Raising the Rural Voice in Foundation Giving

Rural America is diverse, and understanding the needs and assets of communities at a granular level is important. Bring your lived and learned experience, share your personal passion for rural funding, and discuss with other funders how philanthropy can better support rural communities. This…

Reduce Burnout and Be More Relevant by Being a Learning Organization

The speed and complexity of change are increasing exponentially. While top-down leadership may have been effective in the past, today we need to co-create our future by unlocking the collective power of our teams and communities. In this interactive workshop, foundation executives will unpack the…

DAF Punk: Donor-in-Movement Funds (DMFs) as an Alternative to Traditional DAFs

How can we inspire traditional DAF holders to move money faster to the communities that need it? Donor-in-Movement Funds (DMFs) are an alternative to traditional DAFs. This session is for those interested in aligning DAF grantmaking with social justice values and those seeking to leverage…

Responsible AI in Philanthropy

This session focuses on how foundations can responsibly adopt AI while upholding ethical standards like equity, transparency, and explainability. Designed for foundation leaders, CIOs, program officers, and strategy directors, this dynamic session will provide practical guidance on navigating AI -…

Revolutionizing Proposal Data Sharing for Funders and Changemakers

This session will introduce “Exchange” powered by the Philanthropy Data Commons (PDC), a novel application that connects proposal data submitted to individual funders and stored in siloed grant management systems and allows grantees to reuse and update their proposal data. Designed for foundation…

Small Funder Collaboration on Mission Aligned Investing

Are you a smaller funder looking to navigate the complexities of impact investing? The path can feel daunting, especially when most resources are tailored to larger foundations. Join this session to discover how smaller foundations can harness the power of collaboration, gain board support, invest…

Creating Pathways to Homeownership

Learn how a funder, a housing agency and local community builders co-created a housing solution that tangibly impacts people’s lives in rural communities. Pathways To Homeownership helps low- to middle-income residents purchase a home, and invests in small-scale housing developers to create…
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