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.

Everything You Need to Know About Impact Investing (in 1 Hour!)

  Download the Presentation Slides It seems like everyone is talking about impact investing these days… but is it right for you and your organization? In this webinar experts will elaborate upon what it is, how to decide if it’s right for your organization and explore some of the the…

Finding the Right Investment Staffing and Resources for Your Foundation

Members, Access the Recording and Slides     Foundations use a variety of models in managing their investments. But given the pursuit of higher risk-adjusted returns, many foundations are exploring different ways to access the expertise they need and to manage increasingly complex…

Memories of a thirsty childhood

This piece was originally published in the Los Angeles Times on August 16, 2015. Drought-shaming could become a popular pastime in California's driest summer. Egregious water wasters, especially the ones with massive lawns and high public profiles, are getting called out by reporters and humbled on…

Twitter Chat: Criminal Justice Reform and Philanthropy

Bipartisan consensus around criminal justice reform is growing nationally with more foundations increasing their efforts to change the way we think about prisons and public safety. As this issue continues to gain momentum, we ask how can philanthropy take a leadership role in reforming the…

Seeing Philanthropy in Action in Grand Rapids

Last week, I got to see philanthropy in action on a great trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan. After just a few days of meeting with philanthropic leaders in Western Michigan, I had new energy, new ideas, and more proof that collaboration is driving the field forward. I was grateful to have been invited…

Shrinking Space for Civil Society and Philanthropy - New Reports and Trends

Download the Presentation Slides The enabling environment for civil society and philanthropy is rapidly changing. The Council on Foundations has held several calls to bring together grantmakers to share strategies for operating in a dynamic regulatory environment, including…

The Role of Nonprofit Media in a Vibrant Civil Society

  Download the Slides   The Council on Foundations, nonprofit media organizations, foundations, journalists, academics, and other stakeholders held a conversation about the role of nonprofit media in fostering a vibrant civil society in local communities. Nonprofit media…

Global Regulation of Philanthropy

The Council develops substantive policy positions on behalf of its members; submits regulatory comments and letters to U.S. policymakers, foreign governments, and intergovernmental bodies; and advocates before domestic and international bodies that set policies impacting cross-border philanthropy…

Electronic Filing of Form 990

All 501(c)(3) charitable organizations are required to file the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 990 in accordance with the annual reporting requirements under Sec. 6033 of the Internal Revenue Code. This form asks for detailed information about the activities of the charity for the reporting…

Nonprofit Political Activity

501(c)(3) Charitable Organizations Under current law, 501(c)(3) charitable organizations are prohibited from participating in, or intervening in (including the publishing and distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office…

D5: Policies, Practices, and Programs for Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

External Resource
To support leaders in their efforts to take meaningful action to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their organizations, D5 commissioned JustPartners, Inc. to identify the most effective policies, practices, and programs to advance DEI. The Analysis of Policies, Practices, and…

Serve Those Who've Served Our Nation

On the Fourth of July, our nation comes together to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy, freedoms our service members, veterans and their families have made possible through their sacrifices. Just as Americans responded to the call to defend our liberties, our nation must respond to our call to duty –…

2015 Endowments and Financial Services Summit

Stephanie Bell-Rose, Senior Managing Director of the TIAA-CREF Institute, shares the Working Group's vision of the Endowments and Financial Services Summit. Working with some of the top professionals in philanthropy, the Council is organizing a special summit for c-suite executives who…

Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT)

Issue Under Section 512(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, nonprofits are subject to tax on gross income, minus directly connected expenses, for activities that constitute an “unrelated trade or business.” The Code offers a three-pronged test for determining whether a particular activity…

Supporting Organizations

November 15, 2017 Supporting organizations are important charitable tools that donors can use to achieve their specific philanthropic goals. Many of the Council’s members utilize supporting organizations to maximize their impact. Often, a supporting organization manages fundraising or…

106th Annual NAACP Convention Address

Delivered Monday, July 13 during the 2015 NAACP National Convention along with Senator Casey, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Chairman G.K. Butterfield and more. The full video remarks can be viewed here with Vikki Spruill starting at 1:11.  Good morning! My name is Vikki Spruill…
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