Public Foundations
Public foundations are grantmaking public charities that gain their funds from a variety of sources, which may include foundations, individuals, corporations, or public entities. Public foundations may engage in fundraising, and may seek broad public financial support. They may or may not have endowments. There is no legal definition of a public foundation, but most dedicate a significant portion of their annual budgets to grantmaking. Most community foundations are also grantmaking public charities.
Since public foundations may be defined in different ways, and there is no official IRS or legal definition of public foundations, it is difficult to arrive at statistics that are fully representative of the field.
Below is everything on our site for public foundations. We strongly recommend that you use the navigation or our search feature to find what you're looking for on our site. Please also visit cof.org/programs-services/public-grantmaking-charities for curated public foundation content.
Washington Snapshot - April 11, 2014
We are thrilled that spring has finally arrived here in Washington, D.C.! The cherry blossoms are in bloom, and tourist season has begun!
Since next Friday is Good Friday, we will be sending you Snapshot on Thursday afternoon.
Ways and Means Hearing on Tax Extenders
Last week we brought you up to…
Washington Snapshot - April 4, 2014
IRA Charitable Rollover Included in Senate Extenders Bill
The Council’s Public Policy team has been closely tracking a flurry of activity on the Hill this week, as the Senate Finance Committee considered which of the 55 expired “tax extenders” to extend for another two years. The IRA charitable…
Statement on Retirement of Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp
Vikki Spruill, President and CEO, Council on Foundations:
On behalf of the Council on Foundations, I would like to thank Chairman Camp for his decades of public service to the people of Michigan and to the U.S. House of Representatives. We wish him the very best in months and years ahead. We are…
More than just a window to the web - Apps and extensions for your browser
Do you know more about apps for your phone than apps for your browser? Many are unaware that apps and other add-ons are available for their browsers, are often free, and can provide unique tools to make their online experience better. So if you are a busy philanthropic professional, what apps might…
Council on Foundations Board of Directors - Official Notice
Board of Directors Official Notice
The Council on Foundations Governance Committee has nominated the following individuals to serve on the Council’s Board of Directors:
Class of 2017
Ken M. Jones, II*
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Baltimore
Ann M. Cramer…
Washington Snapshot - March 28, 2014
Council Releases Summary of Camp Bill
For the past few weeks, we’ve working to analyze Chairman Camp’s tax reform bill, assess its potential impact on philanthropic and charitable organizations, coordinate with our colleagues in the field, and most importantly determine how to best represent the…
Washington Snapshot - March 21, 2014
Council to Senate: Preserve & Expand IRA Rollover
As our members know, the Council has long supported a permanent extension of the IRA charitable rollover, and an expanding the rollover by eliminating the $100,000 cap, allowing donors to make rollovers beginning at age 59 ½, and permitting…
NCG's 2014 New Grantmakers Institute
Register Today
Are you new to philanthropy and unsure about the due diligence process for making a successful grant? Have you been in the field for several years, but are still unclear on the legal aspects of grantmaking or how to spot red flags in grantee financial statements? If you answered "yes…
Leading Forward: Innovations in Philanthropy Webinar Series
Next month, the Council on Foundations and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are kicking off a new webinar series on issues affecting philanthropy at a national level. Titled Leading Forward: Innovations in Philanthropy, the webinars will focus on three topics that are contributing to the…
Washington Snapshot - March 14, 2014
Camp Bill Sets Critical Precedent
Stakeholders in every sector—including the Council—continue to delve into House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp’s (R-MI-4) Tax Reform Act of 2014 to get to the bottom of its wide-reaching implications.
As we’ve been commenting since the bill’s…
Approaches to Place-Based Philanthropy
Communities across the country are experiencing rapid demographic shifts, and foundations that use place-based giving strategies must adapt their grantmaking to recognize these changes. Join us in a discussion about the multiple ways foundations define place-based philanthropy, its potential…
Blurred Lines and New Approaches to Working with Business, Nonprofits, and Government
As communities are being asked to address growing social challenges with diminishing resources, the field of philanthropy is placing increasing emphasis on collaboration with businesses, nonprofits, and government in its work for the common good. The webinar will examine the dynamic role of…
Speaker Highlights
Speaker Highlights
Kate Ahern, Vice President of Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Ahern oversees a portfolio of activities, including the foundation’s impact investing work and its Be Fearless initiative. She also oversees corporate pro bono campaign A Billion + Change. In addition, she…
Washington Snapshot - March 7, 2014
Philanthropy Leaders Converge on D.C. for Philanthropy Week
This was an eventful week at the intersection of philanthropy and public policy! Over 200 philanthropic leaders gathered in D.C. for the first annual Philanthropy Week in Washington, President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2015 Budget…
3 Ways to Bring Philanthropy Week to Your Community
Right now, over 200 leaders from across the philanthropic sector are uniting in Washington, D.C. to tell their lawmakers that thriving philanthropy builds thriving communities. As lawmakers contemplate comprehensive tax reform, individual changes to the tax code and the President’s FY2015 budget,…
President's Budget Proposes Key Domestic Investments
President Obama unveiled his Fiscal Year 2015 Budget yesterday, which sets forth the Administration’s spending and policy priorities for the coming year. The Budget presents a fiscal plan oriented around three White House priorities: accelerating economic growth, expanding opportunity for all…