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.
Indicates Members-Only Content
Six Greater Minnesota Leaders on their Regions’ Biggest Challenges
We asked the six presidents of the Minnesota Initiative Foundations to lay out a significant challenge their region is facing today and how their communities are trying to address it.Housing Instability Across Northwest MinnesotaBy Karen White, president, Northwest Minnesota FoundationIn northwest…
2026 UN General Assembly Philanthropic Side Events
Sunday, September 20, 20262026 Concordia Annual Summit September 20 - 23 | 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET | In-PersonPhilanthropies Represented: Novartis Foundation, AB InBev Foundation, The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, and more. Learn More Monday, September 21, 2026Ceres…
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a markup of four bills that impact the tax-exempt sector. The Council opposed three of the bills. Plus, upcoming policy and advocacy trainings at the Council, the Unified Regulatory Agenda, and more.
Latin America and Caribbean Funder Circle - August 2026
This peer-learning space brings together funders working across Latin America & the Caribbean 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…
Grants
The Council on Foundations does not provide grants to people or organizations (except in specific situations). If you're looking for funding for your work, check with the community foundation in your area.If you're looking for information about your own grantmaking, these resources may be helpful:…
Learning Across Differences Ideas Forum - Measuring Belonging
Belonging is a basic human need associated with a range of positive outcomes, but how do you know if programs or investments are meaningfully building it? Presenters in this session will spotlight nonprofit and philanthropic leaders who are piloting early efforts to measure the hard-to-measure.…
FAQ: The Public Policy and Illegality Doctrines
Legal Compliance Guidance
BackgroundBeginning in 2025, the public policy doctrine and illegality doctrine—both of which have been applied sparingly over the years—began to receive greater attention because of concerns they could be used to bring the tax-exempt sector more closely in-line with the second Trump Administration…
On June 30, a U.S. district court vacated the Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) regulations, ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in National Council of Nonprofits v. McMahon. Plus, the Religious Liberty Commission Report, the Unified Regulatory Agenda, and more!
Three Things to Know About Council Members
Have you ever wondered about the organizations that make up Council membership? The philanthropic sector is broad and diverse, and the Council on Foundations is proud to support members from every corner.More than 1,000 organizations make up Council membership. Council members:Represent all 50…
Better Disagreement Fuels Better Decisions
Foundations exist to make hard judgment calls: what matters, what works, who and what to invest in. That judgment depends on people thinking well together. And most organizations, foundations included, have a practiced set of workarounds for the disagreement that real thinking requires: the brittle…
Habitat for Humanity Builds Dignified Homes for All
“We finally have a place to truly call our own.” Frankie, a veteran and single father of three.For years, Frankie juggled rising rent and medical costs for his daughter, who has an autoimmune disease. Frankie and his family now live in Hope Springs — a development built by the Greeley-Weld, CO…
Supporting Nurses in New York
There's a reason so many people come home from a hospital stay talking about their nurses. With compassion and care, nurses help nervous patients feel better emotionally while they heal physically.But behind that care, there’s a workforce under serious strain. A 2023 study by the National Council…
Farm Aid: How Generosity Builds Family Farms
For generations, America's family farmers have fed this nation, sustained its rural communities and kept alive a way of life rooted in hard work and the land. In the early 1980s, that way of life came under threat. Plummeting land values and rising interest rates drove thousands of farms into…
Philanthropy's Response to the 2026 Earthquakes in Venezuela
OverviewTwo cataclysmic earthquakes hit northern Venezuela on June 24, 2026 - the first 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit San Felipe and the second 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck just three miles north in Yumare. The death toll has risen to over 900 people and nearly 3,000 people injured. These…
House Republicans continue to consider a potential third reconciliation package, with some members pushing for the House to take up a bill before the August recess. Plus, Advocacy Essentials for Community Foundations, Giving USA report, and more!
Training - Global Grantmaking Essentials
The Global Grantmaking Essentials course provides a thorough overview of the laws governing global grantmaking and offers practical solutions for foundation staff responsible for making grants abroad.The course is built on the Council’s more than 40 years of experience in supporting foundations who…