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FEATURED EVENT
Practice and Purpose of Policy
A Training for Community Foundation Leaders
July 30 and August 6, 2024 | 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET
Virtual
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.
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 different…
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…
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…
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…
Tax Changes Affecting Foundations
Issue
Each year, Congress and the Department of Treasury considers tax changes that can directly affect tax-exempt organizations including foundations and the broad nonprofit sector.
Council Position
The Council supports a policy environment that ensures philanthropic institutions have the…
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…
The Urban Institute Community Platform: Tools for Building Civic and Nonprofit Capacity
This webinar shows how 10 states are implementing a web-based platform to help foundations and other community organizations respond effectively to civic challenges.
The Urban Institute's system includes tools community foundations can use to:
map nonprofit organizations and areas of need within…
Public Policy Webinar: Effective Communications to Congress in the Age of Social Media
This webinar covered effective ways of communicating with members of Congress using the Internet and social media.
Featured Speakers:
Bradford Fitch, President and CEO, Congressional Management Foundation
Susie Gorden, Vice President, Congressional Management Foundation
Andrew Schulz, Former…
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