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.
Reimagining the Council: Focus Group Findings & Our Next Steps
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2019 HR Summit - Schedule
Schedule
This schedule is subject to change.
Wednesday, September 11
11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Wellness Experience - Healing & Self Care Practices
Location: The Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center
Human resource and talent leaders must learn healing and self-care practices, like mindfulness,…
Our Divided Nation: Is There a Role for Philanthropy in Renewing Democracy?
Publication
American democracy faces challenges that raise difficult questions for philanthropy. Have funders done everything possible to shore up democratic values and aspirations, or pursued their own ideas of the public good and turned a blind eye to these challenges? To what extent can philanthropy’s…
Washington Snapshot: House Passes Bill to Redesign the IRS; Bill Related to Opportunity Zones Reintroduced
Please note, we will take a break from publishing Washington Snapshot while Congress is on recess from April 15-26, as well as during the week of the Leading Together 2019 Conference. Our next edition is scheduled for May 9. However, if any important executive or regulatory developments occur, we…
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.
CyberGrants presents "The Seven Deadly Sins of Grantmaking"
Grantmaking tends to be a pretty virtuous endeavor. However, given the complexity of the process and endless details and data, it’s easy to fall prey to one of the many “deadly sins of grantmaking”. In this interactive session, we’ll highlight some common “sins”…
Private Philanthropy Update - April 2019
In January, we kicked off our work to Reimagine Council Membership, and since then, we’ve heard from more than 450 foundations via an open survey, an external task force, and a series of focus groups with resigned and current members of the Council.
One large and loud message we have heard…
The Value of Learning from the World
What do you do when you have a difficult and complex problem? If you’re like me, you start by trying to understand it. You think the problem through from all angles, looking at the data, talking to people in your community. You study the problem, inside out.
Now, what do you do when you're looking…
Reimagining the Council on Foundations: A Member Visioning Session with Kathleen Enright
What is the highest and best role for philanthropy? And how can the Council support our members and the field to reach our potential and address the most pressing issues of our time? Join Kathleen Enright, President and CEO of The Council on Foundations, for an interactive visioning session to…
Out @ COF: LGBTQ Funders Reception
Are you a grantmaker committed to LGBTQ issues? Did you know in 2017, grantmaking by U.S. foundations in support of organizations and programs addressing LGBTQ issues totaled $185.7 million, and the South became the most funded region with more than $22 million in funding, occupying the top…
Washington Snapshot: Possible Retirement Overhaul, Bill to Redesign the IRS Clears Committee
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot...
Preserve Charities and Houses of Worship Act Introduced
Request for Information on Opportunity Zones Regulations
At-Risk Community Index for 2020 Census
States Continue Enacting Targeted Tax Credits
The Council Hosted Public Policy Preconference in…
Reimagining Council Membership: What We've Learned So Far
Last month, we announced our work to Reimagine Council Membership and asked for feedback as we review Council membership and dues.
More than 400 individuals – representing grantmaking organizations of different types, sizes, geographies, and member status – responded to our survey and shared ideas…
"Conduit" or Can't Do it? What to Do When Your Grantee is not the Grantee
Members, View Recording
Occasionally a foundation may be asked to make a grant payable to a fiscal sponsor or fiscal agent acting on behalf of a charitable grantee. In some instances, the intended grantee may not be a legal entity or qualified 501(c)(3) public charity and a fiscal sponsor is…
Town Hall: Philanthropy Bridging Divides
No matter our political persuasion, most of us can agree that America is a divided nation. Elected officials, political parties and the media often fan the flames of division, leaving our nation more angry and our citizens more isolated from each other. What is the role of our sector during these…
Private Philanthropy Update—February 2019
The beginning of a new year is an opportunity for reflection and goal-setting, and as we move into February, I am excited about the opportunities ahead of us. At the Council, we are working amidst boxes as we prepare to move back into the heart of Washington, D.C., in mid-February. We are also…