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.
2021 Annual Member Meeting
Thank you to all who joined us for the Council's Annual Member Meeting. The virtual Member Meeting included:
Keynote remarks from Tara McKenzie Sandercock of the Greensboro Community Foundation, winner of the Distinguished Service Award
Remarks and updates from the Board regarding our…
Reports on Values-Aligned Philanthropy
External Resource
Anti-Defamation League: Extremist and Hate Groups May be Abusing NonProfit Status
Anti-Defamation League: Funding Hate — How White Supremacists Raise Their Money
Horizon Forum: The Hate Speech Debate: Implications for the Philanthropic Community
SPLC: Bankrolling Bigotry: An Overview of the…
501(c)(3)s and Public Policy Violation: A Fresh Look at Doctrine
Bob Jones University recently announced that it will regain its tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status on March 1, 2017. The University lost its tax exemption more than 30 years ago in a landmark Supreme Court case, Bob Jones University v. United States, 461 U.S. 574 (1983), due…
GlobalGiving: Trump Is Right-And Wrong-About Section 230
Dive into Section 230 of the United States Communications Decency Act with GlobalGiving CEO Alix Guerrier, and discover why it matters to a nonprofit on a mission to accelerate community-led change—and you.
GlobalGiving: A Journey Into The Neutrality Paradox
When and how should digital platforms—designed to be open and democratic—take responsibility for the content they host, and when should they take a stance—departing from a position of neutrality? GlobalGiving is on a journey to explore these issues, and is inviting you to join the exploration.
Resources on the Rise of Hate Funding — Values-Aligned Philanthropy
External Resource
Atlanta Daily World: Major charity distances itself from donations to controversial groups
Fidelity and Schwab Ban Gifts From Donor-Advised Funds to NRA-Affiliated Charities
‘Hate Groups’ Received Millions From 351 Charities and Foundations, Chronicle Review Finds
Opinion: How Philanthropy Can…
Resources on Neutrality Paradox, Free Speech, and Related Issues — Values-Aligned Philanthropy
External Resource
501(c)(3)s and Public Policy Violation: A Fresh Look at Doctrine
Alliance Magazine: Should corporate philanthropy be neutral?
GlobalGiving: A Journey Into The Neutrality Paradox
GlobalGiving: Trump Is Right—And Wrong—About Section 230
Horizon Forum: What Do the Experts Say: The Free…
‘You Get Proud by Practicing’: The Path to Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy
Workplaces across the globe are in flux—and many are changing for the better. With more remote offerings, flexibility, and accommodations, we face a generational opportunity to codify accessibility and inclusion in institutions that have been exclusive for far too long.
Despite these changes, our…
Further Reading — Values-Aligned Philanthropy
External Resource
U.S. Academic Centers for the Study of Hate and Extremism
Bard College Center for the Study of Hate
California State University, San Bernardino, Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism
Gonzaga University Institute for Hate Studies
The International Network for Hate Studies
Career Pathways 2022 Program Information Session
The Career Pathways program is a highly selective pipeline expansion opportunity open to individuals from diverse backgrounds who are currently employed in philanthropic institutions. This leadership preparation course is designed for mid-career professionals and was developed in…
Global Philanthropy Update - September 2021
With the UN General Assembly (UNGA) just a few weeks away, there is no shortage of challenges that will hinder the world’s capacity to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. From the IPCC’s recent devastating climate report and natural disasters in every corner of the…
The Future of Philanthropy is Local
As we continue to navigate a new normal amid a global pandemic, philanthropy has a moral obligation to create spaces for everyone’s voice to be heard, valued, and represented in building common ground to achieve more together. How do we advance the greater good in our community? How do we build…
Philanthropy's Response to 2021 Hurricane Ida
OVERVIEW
Hurricane Ida struck the southern coast of Louisiana on the afternoon of August 29, 2021, as an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane and its remnants have since caused major flooding throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
As updates about the impact of this disaster are known as…
Public Policy and Advocacy for Grantmakers
Publication
Government policy decisions impact communities and can drive or impede solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing the nation. Engagement in public policy advocacy is therefore crucial to the philanthropic sector's ability to achieve its greatest impact.
Public Policy and Advocacy for…
Values-Aligned Philanthropy: Foundations Resisting Hate and Extremism
With extremism on the rise, philanthropy’s responsibility to avoid funding hate has been in the spotlight. While individual foundations have worked to address the issue, there has not been significant analysis of the sector’s activities when it comes to finding solutions to hate funding—until…