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.
Digesting Proposed DAF Regulations
The Council's Government Affairs and Legal Resources team provided an overview of the IRS's proposed donor-advised fund (DAF) regulations. The proposed regulations clarify the definitions around DAFs, address excise taxes on taxable distributions made by a sponsoring organization from a…
Public Policy Action Network - Q1 2024 Meeting
The Council’s Public Policy Action Network is a members-only group of foundation leaders committing their voices, experiences, and networks to engage and educate federal elected officials to foster a policy environment in which philanthropy can thrive. Policymakers depend on the voices and…
Global Grantmaking Essentials - April 2024
This course is sold out. Still interested in Global Grantmaking Essentials? Join us in October.
The Global Grantmaking Essentials course provides a thorough overview of the laws governing global grantmaking and offers practical solutions for foundation staff responsible for making grants abroad.…
For Philanthropy to Bridge Differences, Trust is Key
This blog is part of the Council's Dialogue Across Difference series. In this space, we will share your viewpoints: In a time of polarization and mistrust, how can philanthropy bridge across difference? Janet N. Ekezie is part of our Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort.
Philanthropy has…
Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers - March 2024
The Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers course will help foundation staff use their resources effectively to advance public policies that support the greater good. Rather than focusing on what policies foundations should address, this training will focus on how to engage in policy…
Advancing Locally Led Development: An Overview of U.S. Foundations’ Direct Global Giving
Publication, Toolkit
Since 1997, the Council on Foundations and Candid have analyzed trends in global grantmaking by U.S. foundations. In our State of Global Giving by U.S. Foundations: 2022 Edition report, which analyzed grants made between 2016 and 2019, we found that 39% of global grants made by U.S. foundations…
Legal Office Hours - November 2023
As part of our Member Week programming, Council staff counsel will host Legal Office Hours focused on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on two cases: Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and SFFA v. University of North Carolina (UNC), which have the potential to impact philanthropic…
Philanthropy Can Further Social Cohesion: One Way to Get Started
This blog is part of the Council's Dialogue Across Difference series. In this space, we will share your viewpoints: In a time of polarization and mistrust, how can philanthropy bridge across difference?
The Constitution empowers us to create “a more perfect union.” Today, toxic polarization…
Philanthropy's Response to the Israel-Hamas War 2023
Overview
Since October 7, 2023, thousands have been killed and more than a hundred thousand people have been displaced in Israel and Gaza. According to CNN, more than 1,400 Israelis were killed in the Hamas assault, and more than 240 were taken hostage, according to a count by Israeli officials.…
Philanthropy's Response to the Afghanistan Earthquake
Overview
More than 2,000 people have been killed and upwards of 11,000 affected after a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan, resulting in the deadliest earthquake to hit the region in nearly 20 years. Afghanistan’s healthcare system is heavily reliant on foreign…
Philanthropy Supporting Ukraine - November 2023
Supporting Media Coverage in Ukraine
This panel of distinguished speakers shed light on the challenges faced by Ukraine's media landscape and offered solutions to empower its resurgence and meet the needs of Ukraine's democracy. Through this discussion, participants fostered a deeper…
2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report
Publication, Research
The 2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report is updated with the most recent sector data. Information is presented by grantmaker type, foundation type, asset size, and geographic location. Additionally, 2023 report contents include:
Salary data on 10,733 full-time staff from 957…
2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings
Research
The 2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Key Findings is an illustrated, three-page document highlighting important trends shaping the philanthropic sector. Also available as a free PDF, the 2023 GSB Key Findings is a small part of the full dataset available in the 2023 GSB Report, …
Add Your Voice: Philanthropy’s Role in Bridging Divides
This blog is the first in the Council's new series, Dialogue Across Difference. In this space, we will share your viewpoints: In a time of polarization and mistrust, how can philanthropy bridge across difference?
In a staff training, the facilitators from Resetting the Table asked us to…
Leading Global Foundations Join Bilateral Donors in Commitment to Locally Led Global Development
Alongside the United States Agency for International Development at the United Nations General Assembly today, 15 global grantmakers joined with bilateral donors from around the world in endorsing a donor statement on committing to locally led development.
The statement, introduced at the 2022…
Philanthropy's Response to the Libya Flooding
Overview
Storm Daniel induced catastrophic flooding near northeast Libya, collapsing dams and sending water flowing into already inundated areas. Entire neighborhoods have been washed away, hospitals are no longer operable, and large parts of the region are inaccessible to emergency…