Private Foundations
Private foundations make grants based on charitable endowments. The endowment funds come from one or a small handful of sources -- an individual, a family or a corporation. Because of their endowments, they are focused primarily on grantmaking and generally do not raise funds or seek public financial support the way public charities (like community foundations) must.
“Private foundation” is the umbrella term that includes corporate, independent, family, and operating foundations. As of 2011, there were 73,764 private foundations in the United States (Foundation Center, 2011).
In 2011, private foundations held more than $604 billion in assets and gave away more than $45 billion (Foundation Center, 2011).
Below is everything on our site for private 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.
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Washington Snapshot: Update on Public Policy Doctrine Regulations
The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has finished its review of proposed regulations applying the public policy doctrine to tax-exempt organizations. It is unclear which activities and which types of exempt organizations the regulations will cover. Plus, the Federal Tax…
Preserving Black History in Indiana
Halle Heather shares how the Stan Cox fund through Central Indiana Community Foundation is preserving historic African American sites across the region.
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2025 Council on Foundations - Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations (CCSF)
Publication, Research
The CCSF Study is the field’s most comprehensive and authoritative study on investment and governance policies and practices, and the 2025 CCSF studies 285 private and community foundations representing $126.9 billion in assets. Topics covered include:Returns and Investment ObjectivesAsset…
Philanthropy's Response to the 2026 Earthquake in Colombia
OverviewA powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, 2026 causing widespread destruction across critical infrastructure. The earthquake killed over 200 people, with 4,000 missing and nearly 2,000 injured. Recovery efforts from complex humanitarian emergencies will be…
Supporting Workers in Western North Carolina
Megan Nichols shares the impact of The Industrial Commons, a nonprofit in Morganton, North Carolina.
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Asia-Pacific Funder Circle - August 2026
This peer-learning space brings together funders working across the Asia-Pacific region and is designed to be an informal, peer-led conversation where participants can share experiences and learn from one another as legal, regulatory, and security dynamics continue to shift across the region. ICNL…
Responding to the Wildfires in California
Caitlin and Tiptoe the tortoise show how organizations in their community are helping rebuild after the 2025 California Wildfires.
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Training - Self-Dealing Basics for Corporate and Private Foundations
Join the Council’s Legal Resources team for an in-depth look at the self-dealing rules applicable to private foundations under section 4941 of the Internal Revenue Code.This workshop will provide an in-depth review of the rules against self-dealing, where they come from and what they involve.…
Training - Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers
The updated Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers training will help foundation staff use their resources effectively to advance public policies that support the greater good. This training is designed for private foundation staff with a basic understanding of policy but also serves as a…
Training - Building a Culture of Dialogue Across Differences
Join us for this half-day interactive workshop for an introduction to Resetting the Table’s celebrated approach to building a culture of productive dialogue on charged issues, even in the face of strong differences. You'll exchange your perspectives and experiences with your peers, while developing…
This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee introduced a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government at current levels through December 11. The CR also includes a provision that would prevent the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from implementing revisions or rewrites of the…
Philanthropy's Response to 2026 Washington Wildfires
OverviewWildfires forced the evacuation of more than 60,000 people within the city limits of Spokane, WA. The fire is the largest of 15 burning across the state, destroying more than 700 buildings and over 7,000 acres. It is considered the worst disaster in Spokane's history.As updates about the…
For 250 Years, Philanthropy Helped Build America. Now It Must Stand Up for It
Milestone birthdays call for both celebration and honest reflection, and America’s 250th is no exception.As the world’s oldest democracy, we find ourselves at a complicated moment. Many of the institutions we have long depended on are facing growing skepticism and strain. Too many people are…
How Minnesota Became a National Model for Investing in Rural Communities
On their 40th anniversary, it’s worth looking at what the Minnesota Initiative Foundations have built in greater Minnesota — and why they still matter.A billboard on Interstate 35 in the early 1980s said: “Will the last one leaving Duluth please turn out the light?” By then, rural Minnesota…
Recording
Our facilitators draw on real experience — including the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country’s response to the July 2025 Kerr County floods, along with lessons from Uvalde, Texas, the Maine and California wildfires, and the Baltimore Key bridge collapse.Facilitators walk through a…