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.
Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc Working Group Final Recommendations
The Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc Working Group, convened by the Council on Foundations, released the following recommendations on donor-advised funds (DAFs), outlining steps to improve their effective and transparent use.
Standardizing Community Foundation Inactive Funds Policy…
Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc Working Group Releases Donor-Advised Funds Recommendations
Community foundations have a long history of working locally to bring together leaders, nonprofits, donors, and others to address persistent problems and identify paths forward. The ongoing pandemic has underscored how local philanthropy, in particular, can address community needs in times of acute…
Ask the Council: Strengthening Community Philanthropy Working Group DAF Recommendations
Last July, the Council on Foundations convened a group of community foundation leaders to develop a set of principles and policy recommendations to strengthen community foundations and donor-advised funds (DAFs) long into the future. Released on February 2, 2022, these recommendations…
Washington Snapshot: New op-ed on donor-advised funds from the Council's President and CEO.
What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week...
News From the Council
Midterms and Retirements Shake Up Tax-Writing Committees
Senate Votes to Keep Voting Rights Filibuster
Opportunity Zones Come Under Scrutiny
Joint Committee on Taxation Lists Expiring Federal Tax Provisions…
2021 Year in Review
Dear Friend:
2021 was an historic year in many ways, for philanthropy and for the people and communities we care about.
It was a year of loss and heartache as families and communities continued to suffer the effects of the pandemic and many other hardships. It was a year of advocacy to advance…
Washington Snapshot: IRS Update for Tax-Exempt Organizations
What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week...
Congressional Democrats Negotiate Election Reform
Office of Management and Budget Solicits Feedback on Learning Agenda
IRS Releases Updates for Tax-Exempt Organizations
Department of Commerce Seeking Comments on New Rural Business Center…
Philanthropy's Response to 2021 Tornadoes
OVERVIEW
More than 50 tornadoes struck multiple states on December 11 and 12, causing devastation and significant loss of life. The states impacted include, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky -- with the most significant loss of life occuring in…
Global Philanthropy Update - December 2021
Today is the second day of the 2021 Summit for Democracy, and the issues at hand are too urgent to ignore. While the world faces pressing humanitarian crises like climate change, COVID-19, and racial injustice that threaten global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Summit…
Washington Snapshot: Details of a New Plan from the White House to Combat Human Trafficking
What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week...
News From the Council
Congress Addresses End-of-Year Priorities
IRS Releases Notice on ERTC Termination
White House Announces Plan to Combat Human Trafficking
Happening in the States
News from the Council
This will be the last issue of…
Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Lori O'Keefe
Lori O'Keefe, Triangle Community Foundation
Question: What drew you to the field of philanthropy?
Answer: My entire career has been in the nonprofit sector; I came to the Foundation nearly 17 years ago because I could see the power of connecting those with resources to the nonprofits doing the…
Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Mari Kuraishi
Mari Kuraishi, Jessie Ball duPont Foundation
Q: What drew you to the field of philanthropy?
A: After decades of working on the edges of philanthropy by making loans to sovereign governments and building up a crowdfunding platform, I had become intrigued by the idea that philanthropy extended…
Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Anne Vela-Wagner
Anne Vela-Wagner, Mars Wrigley Foundation
Q: What drew you to the field of philanthropy?
A: The constant challenge to improve the state of our world and the lives of others is humbling, inspiring, complex and an ongoing education. It suits me well because I’m not happy if I’m not learning and…
Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Jen Rainin
Jen Rainin, Kenneth Rainin Foundation
Question: What drew you to the field of philanthropy?
Answer: My father was an incredibly powerful force in my life. He was curious and creative. He was a great listener, which allowed him to build a medical device company that responded to the needs of…
Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Lindy Eichenbaum Lent
Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, President and CEO of the Rose Community Foundation
Question: What drew you to the field of philanthropy?
Answer: An insatiable urge to leave this world slightly better than I found it…and a series of career pivots that were unknowingly preparing me for philanthropy. Driven…
Washington Snapshot: New U.S. Census Bureau Data on the Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19
What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week...
News From the Council
The President's Democracy Summit: December 9-10
Congress Set to Keep Government Open Until February
Yellen and Powell Testify on Economic Recovery
U.S. Census Bureau Data on the Effects of COVID-19 on American…
Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Teresa Miller
Teresa Miller, President and CEO of the Kansas Health Foundation
Question: What drew you to the field of philanthropy?
Answer: After years of working for state and federal governments, philanthropy was appealing because of the opportunity to take a long-term view of addressing problems. While…