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.
Celebrating ADA: It’s Time to Add a Disability Lens to Our Philanthropy
This article originally appeared on the D5 coalition blog, on 18 June 2015. The original article can be found here.
Darren Walker, bold leader of the Ford Foundation, just made a dramatic announcement. The Ford Foundation’s work, which is deep and rich with eight decades of positive practices…
The Thread of Mental Health
The fabric of Foundations funding human services forms a rich mosaic with themes as diverse as housing, education, employment, social justice issues, physical and public health. The thread that interconnects with all of these is the mental health of the individuals and communities who are…
HistPhil: A Serious Effort To Bring Our Past To Today
This week, Stan Katz, Benjamin Soskis and Maribel Morey released HistPhil, a new blog that focuses on both “the studying of history and the making of history”. The blog is a result of the co-founders insight that philanthropy as a whole has much to gain from studying its past. The founders hope…
Leading Together for Greater Impact
Building Successful Collaborations in Philanthropy
This morning, Council President and CEO Vikki Spruill helped launch a new platform on the Huffington Post that highlights important developments and leading thinkers on social innovation. The blog features thoughts from leaders such as Clara Miller…
Challenges and Opportunities for Grantmaking in Mexico
Access the Summary, Resources, and Recording
This teleconference provided an overview for foundations on policy developments in Mexico that are impacting the flow of U.S. philanthropy into the country. On the call, expert speakers delved into the implications for philanthropy of a new…
Announcing Canopy: A New Model for Place-Based Investing
While the globalization of markets has dispersed investments around the world, we’ve hatched a plan to bring capital back to our communities in a transparent, coordinated, and collaborative way. I’m excited to announce Canopy, an innovative, member-owned, for-benefit company designed to advance…
Career Pathways: The First Three Years (A Summary Evaluation Report)
Publication
The Career Pathways program focuses on increasing the number of philanthropic professionals from diverse backgrounds ready to ascend to leadership positions within foundations. Diverse leadership fosters inclusion, innovation and excellence in philanthropy. The Career Pathways program evaluation…
What is Expenditure Responsibility?
Legal Compliance Guidance
Expenditure responsibility is a five step procedure that is designed to ensure that foundation funds are used for exclusively charitable purposes.
The five basic steps that are required for completing expenditure responsibility include:
Conducting a pre-grant inquiry including a reasonable…
Washington Snapshot - June 5, 2015
Leading Together to Advance Philanthropy
Joint Letter Published in The New York Times
On Sunday, a New York Times opinion piece offered a troubling take on the state of the charitable sector. David Callahan, who writes for Inside Philanthropy, expressed his view that the sector is the “wild…
Expenditure Responsibility Chart for Private Foundations
Legal Compliance Guidance
This document is a tool to help you as a private foundation determine when to use expenditure responsibility for grants to public charities.
Joint Letter Published in the New York Times
On May 30, David Callahan, editor of Inside Philanthropy, published a short-sighted opinion piece on philanthropy in the New York Times. Given its reach, the Council believed that the piece warranted a strong and united response.
Working with our colleagues who understand…
Nepal 60 Days Later: What Funders Should Know
Listen to a Recording of the Webinar
On April 25, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rattled Nepal. About two weeks later, a second earthquake occurred in a nearby area that overlapped parts of the first disaster. The combined disasters killed more than 8,500 people and injured more than 18,…
2015 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Survey
The 2015 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Survey is now open. The survey collects information on benefits policies and practices, as well as compensation data for 35 positions at community, corporate, private, public, and operating foundations.
The survey will run through July 31, 2015. …
Call Summary: China's Draft Law on Management of NGOs and Foundations
On May 27, the Council on Foundations and the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) hosted a conference call on China's Draft Law on Management of Overseas NGOs and its potential impact on U.S. funders and other organizations working in and with China.
More than 130 participants…
Due Diligence that’s Built for Scale
The Social Impact Exchange exists to build a growth capital marketplace that supports scaling high-impact nonprofits in the U.S. Funders with shared interests convene in working groups (currently active in health and education) to identify and vet highly effective nonprofit initiatives primed…
Miles to Go on the Path to Full Equality and Dignity for LGBTQ People
Amidst all the joyous celebrations of same-sex couples finally able to participate in the legal benefits of marriage; and amidst all the exciting, visible cultural offerings, like the Amazon series, Transparent; there is the continuing drumbeat of LGBTQ stories that have not gained a similar level…