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.
Washington Snapshot - September 2, 2016
News from the Hill
Congressional Leaders Champion Social Investment
Representatives Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) and John Delaney (D-MD) are working to educate their colleagues on the value of social investing and the role of philanthropy in leveraging private capital to create social good. The pair have…
17 Days, 17 Goals
17 Days, 17 Goals - philanthropy's work on the Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainability. Quality education. Poverty reduction. Gender equality.
These are issues American foundations are working on every day. But this list is not uniquely American: it is global and universal. Each of these…
New Research: Foundations’ Spending in Support of Mission Holds Steady, Despite Second Year of Declining Investment Returns
Data gathered in the 2015 Council on Foundations–Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations® (CCSF) show that participating private foundations reported an average return of 0.0 percent for the 2015 fiscal year (January 1 – December 31, 2015), down from the 6…
Louisiana Floods: How Can Funders Help?
Hit by one of the largest U.S. disasters since Hurricane Sandy, residents and communities in the State of Louisiana are experiencing historic flooding and need your help. Several deaths have been attributed to the flooding, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, and thousands are…
#EFSummit's Almost Here
Stephanie Bell-Rose is the Senior Managing Director and Head of the TIAA Institute.
The Council on Foundations’ 2016 Endowments and Finance Summit is just around the corner – Sept. 28-30 – and as co-chair of the convening's working group, I strongly encourage you to register for it!
I personally…
Global Philanthropy Update - August 2016
To keep you in the know about happenings that affect foundations that fund across borders and new opportunities for learning, sharing, and collaboration, I am excited to introduce you to the Council’s new Global Philanthropy Update. Every month, we will highlight resources available through the…
Linking the SDGs to Philanthropy
Fundamentals
Why do the Sustainable Development Goals matter to philanthropy?
These broad global goals address the same problems that our field is tackling: to reduce poverty, improve livelihoods and quality of life, and create a more equitable global society. Looking at the range of issues in the SDGs, all…
Diving into the Data: Issues Specific to the Chief Executive Officer
Continuing our blog post series about the 2015 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Report (GSB), this week let’s take a look at the third chapter, “Issues Specific to the Chief Executive Officer.”
Get the Report
Members, remember that you can download the GSB for free.
You can also purchase the report…
Legal Lunch: Grantmaking for Economic Development
Promoting economic development is not, by itself, a charitable purpose. Grantmakers seeking to help people and communities achieve economic self-sufficiency must therefore find a connection between a proposed activity and one or more recognized charitable purposes. In this Legal Lunch Series,…
Washington Snapshot - July 29, 2016
Just Announced: Speakers for Upcoming Webinar
Join Philanthropy Caucus member, Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN), Adena Hill of the Southeastern Council on Foundations, and Council staff at 2pm ET on August 9th to discuss the importance of building relationships with your lawmakers.
We’ll also learn…
How Place-Based Funders Are Taking Aim at Climate Change
When I noticed late last year that the Council on Foundations’ annual conference would focus on climate change, I was delighted. For The Fund for New Jersey and other place-based funders, climate change has been a daunting challenge. We are a small foundation in a state with no coal-fired…
Universal Human Rights: What Are We Sharing Across Borders?
This post originally appeared on the International Human Rights Funders Group blog, as well as on the Alliance Magazine blog.
It was clear from the opening plenary of IHRFG’s 2016 conference that those of us working to protect human rights are increasingly feeling the impact of recent world events…
Philanthropic Career Center
The Council on Foundations Job Board
The Council on Foundations Philanthropic Career Center is the home for foundation careers and jobs in the United States and around the world. This job board is a leading recruitment site for foundations looking to hire foundation professionals.
Employers…
Washington Snapshot - July 22, 2016
News from the Hill
New Tax Leadership for Senate Finance Democrats
On Tuesday, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced a new tax leadership team for Senate Finance Committee Democrats.
Victor Fleisher, of the University of San Diego, and Tiffany Smith, currently on staff…
7 Steps Philanthropy Can Take to Bring the SDGs Home to America
This post also appeared as an op-ed in the Huffington Post on July 19, 2016.
Sustainability. Quality education. Poverty reduction. Gender equality.
If this list sounds familiar to individuals working in philanthropy or non-profits in the U.S., it should. Our sector is synonymous with these issues…
New Report Details Role of Philanthropy in Achieving U.N. Sustainable Development Goals in United States
A new report released today by the Council on Foundations highlights the critical role that U.S. philanthropy plays in helping to realize the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study, “From Global Goals to Local Impact,” outlines in detail how the new global development…