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.

2019 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey Demo

Interested in the Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report? Join Council staff for a demonstration of the survey process and learn how you can participate in this important resource for the field.

Big Data for Proactive Philanthropy

Urban Institute will feature three cases of innovative tools designed to make big data more easily accessible to decision makers: 1) Public Good Projects' Social Media data tool for the Opioid Crisis; 2) Urban Institute Education Data Portal; and National Center on Charitable…

PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson's Disease

Genetic information is a powerful tool used to help us uncover key mechanisms responsible for slowing or stopping the progression of Parkinson’s disease, ultimately improving care and speeding development of new treatments. Join Parkinson’s Foundation’s Chief Scientific Officer…

The New Balance: Philanthropy, Power, and Possibility

Experience an art-filled interactive discussion around our new research series on changing practices and structures in response to shifting notions of power in philanthropy. We will share early research results on questions like: What practices help to ensure equitable grantmaking outcomes? What…

Best Practices in Charity Due Diligence

Getting to know and trust a grantee that is thousands of miles away and operates in a foreign legal context can be daunting. Join this session to learn about: understanding what tools you have at your disposal for conducting due diligence on your grantees, identifying any red flags during that due…

Toolkit for Cross-Border Giving

Want to support causes around the world? Join this session to get practical tips on: starting an international grantmaking program, understanding how to make cross-border grants, deciding on what type of beneficiaries you want to support, and choosing between Expenditure Responsibility (ER) or…

Brazil Giving 2019

An overview of charitable giving in Brazil as of 2019.

Opportunity Zones

What are Opportunity Zones? Created by changes to the tax code in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017, Opportunity Zones are state-nominated, economically depressed communities that are in need of new investment. These investments could, under certain circumstances, be eligable for…

Leading Together 2019 Conference - Additional Programming

Additional Programming Leading Together 2019 is more than just plenary and concurrent sessions, networking, and track-specific programming. Learn more about our unique Deep Dives, Invitation-Only Sessions, and Board Meetings that took place alongside our programming.   Deep Dive…

Building Resilient, Inclusive, and Agile Economic Ecosystems

Public and private sector organizations, anchor institutions like community colleges and universities, and philanthropy all play a vital role in strengthening local economies. Together, they can serve as powerful drivers for building inclusive and equitable communities. Leadership and action are…

Leading Together 2019 Conference - Learning Labs

Learning Labs & Tech Bars Your conference experience won’t be complete without taking in a Learning Lab or Tech Bar session. You can develop your skills while engaging with your peers and learning from the experts. The Learning Labs are presented in 45-minute learning segments and are…

Celebrating the Council on Foundations' 70th Anniversary

Celebrate the Council’s 70th birthday in true Miami beach style! Attendees will be immersed in the tropical essences and pulsing energy of South Beach, as we celebrate with the very best music, fine cuisine, and entertainment South Beach has to offer.

Webinar Recording: Preventing and Ending Homelessness by Removing Legal Barriers: A Partnership Taking Best Practice to Scale

  Download the Slides While housing, employment and other supportive services are critical to prevent and end homelessness, the reality is legal barriers such as bad credit, unpaid child support, unpaid fines and tickets, outstanding warrants and criminal records present a hard stop that…

Post-Graduation Scholarships: What Are They and How Can You Use Them?

Members, View the Recording Interested in alleviating the student loan debt crisis and attracting needed talent to your community? Then this webinar is for you! Last year, the Workforce Development Through Post-Graduation Scholarships Act was introduced in Congress. This bill would allow charitable…

Reimagining Council Membership

A New Way Forward It is an important time for the Council on Foundations. We are reflecting on our role in the changing landscape of philanthropy and the road ahead of us. Above all, we are committed to thinking creatively and responsively about how we best serve Council members. A first step…

Sample Fund Activity Policy

Sample Document
This sample fund activity policy provides language that you can either use in a stand-alone policy or incorporate into an existing donor-advised fund agreement or policy. 
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