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 - May 13, 2016
News from the Hill
Corporate Tax Integration and Philanthropy: What Does it Mean?
There has been a lot of buzz recently around the topic of corporate integration—prompted primarily by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch’s (R-UT) intent to release a corporate integration proposal by the…
Optimizing Technology-Based Learning for Increased Organizational Effectiveness
Download the Presentation Slides
Sharing knowledge with stakeholders is an important part of many nonprofit programs, but what does this look like? To answer this question, the Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation and NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network surveyed nonprofits and…
Call Recording: New Chinese Laws Regulating Domestic Charities and International NGOs: What do you need to know?
Recording
Download the Recording
In 2015, the Council and ICNL convened foundations to discuss how a draft Foreign NGO law in China might impact their work. The Council also submitted formal comments about concerns with this law to the Chinese government.
In mid-March 2016, China approved the long-awaited…
Five Tips to Enhance Your Use of the Exchange
When we face a new challenge, one of our first instincts is to reach out to someone for advice. By collaborating, sharing resources, and discussing common challenges, you and your peers multiply your impact and advance the common good.
The Philanthropy Exchange is an online platform devoted to…
Grantmaking Application Process Resource Guide: A Grantmaking Primer
Sample Document
The grantmaking application process is a big lift for foundations and nonprofits, alike. This primer takes a look at streamlining the application process from RFP to grant agreement. Found in the guide is a how-to on creating RFPs, questions to ask during the grant application review, sample…
Washington Snapshot - May 6, 2016
Since Congress is out of session this week, today’s edition of Washington Snapshot will be slightly abbreviated. Congress will return next week!
News from the Hill
Ways and Means Making Progress on Tax Reform Plan
Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) recently indicated that a tax reform…
White House ConnectALL Initiative: Philanthropy's Role in Increasing Digital Inclusion
Download the Presentation Slides
Connectivity is a path to greater opportunity. In today's world, having access to broadband and fluency with technology fuel economic growth, provides access to the better paying jobs, promotes skill development, and builds stronger and more connected communities.…
Washington Snapshot - April 29, 2016
News from the Hill
Chairman Hatch Continues Discussions on Corporate Integration
As our readers know, Senate Finance Committee Chairman, Orrin Hatch (R-UT) has been talking for some time about releasing a proposal for corporate integration tax reform.
Though the specifics of Hatch’s forthcoming…
Live from the Georgetown Tax-Exempt Conference
This is the Council on Foundations team reporting from the 33rd Annual Representing and Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations Conference. This conference is the best-attended EO conference in the United States, and we are thrilled to see so many of our members and colleagues here.
The first day of…
FAQs: Corporate Integration Tax Reform and Philanthropy
What is corporate integration?
Corporate integration is a way of addressing the issue of “double taxation” on corporate income. Under our current system, corporate income is taxed at two levels: the level of corporate profits and the level of shareholder dividends.
A common solution…
Council on Foundations Announces New Members of Its Board of Directors
The Council on Foundations is pleased to announce the four new members of its board of directors, each of whom will serve for three years. Elected at the Council’s 2016 annual conference on April 11, Tonya Allen, the president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation, Jamie Merisotis, the…
D.C. Central Kitchen: An Act of Elevation
I have attended a lot of conferences over the years and have always felt driven to go to as many sessions as possible, to gather information and knowledge to bring back to my colleagues at the Maine Community Foundation. This time around was no different: I set out to get the latest on National…
Funders “Crowdsource” a Conversation about the Future of a Movement
A year and a half before the historic US Supreme Court ruling ended discrimination in civil marriage rights for same-sex couples, foundations and nonprofit leaders of the LGBTQ movement came together to address a concern: While many activists anticipated the legal victory, many also worried that…
New Chinese Laws Regulating Domestic Charities and International NGOs: What do you need to know?
Members, Access the Recording
Last year, the Council and ICNL convened foundations to discuss how a draft Foreign NGO law in China might impact their work. The Council also submitted formal comments about concerns with this law to the Chinese government.
In mid-March 2016, China…
Washington Snapshot - April 22, 2016
Executive & Regulatory News
New PRI Regulations Released by Treasury
As our readers well know, last summer the Treasury Department announced their intention to finalize new regulations for program-related investments (PRIs). This week, it published nine new examples of permissible PRIs.…
New Examples of Permissible Program-Related Investments
Legal Compliance Guidance
On April 25, 2016, the Treasury Department officially published final regulations providing nine new examples of permissible program-related investments (PRIs). The new examples were first drafted as foundations came to sense that the existing regulations were too narrow and did not adequately…