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.
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Proposed Rule: Regulation on Federal Financial Assistance
Last Updated: June 3, 2026OverviewOn May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued proposed regulations to revise the Uniform Guidance, which governs federal financial assistance across all federal agencies. OMB states that the proposal is intended to improve transparency,…
Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort Alumni Office Hours - September
Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort office hours offer cohort members a space to reflect on their learnings and ask questions about program content. This year, we're excited to open these sessions to cohort alumni. These sessions are an opportunity to reconnect with the program's themes and…
Generosity Builds
Generosity Builds is a storytelling campaign from the Council on Foundations highlighting the ways charitable foundations show up as a nonpartisan force for good in our communities — from scientific breakthroughs to community childcare, veterans support, and disaster relief.
On a Minnesota Farm, Generosity Comes First
Every fall, before the harvest is sold, Pat and Kristin Duncanson keep a promise: the first load goes to the community, not to market.The Duncansons own Highland Family Farms in Mapleton, Minnesota—a 5th-generation family farm that Pat and Kristin now run alongside two of their four children. Each…
Called to Build in Chattanooga, TN
For years, Pastor Gary Hathaway and the Greater Tucker Baptist Missionary Church wanted to use the vacant land on the church’s property to provide affordable housing for its senior community. After unsuccessful attempts to secure federal tax credits to make the units truly affordable, Pastor…
The Schools That Generosity Built and Communities Owned
In 1912, Black children across the rural South were learning in churches, homes and open fields. States and municipalities funded school buildings for white students—utilities, cleaning, transportation—and provided almost nothing for Black students. The gap wasn't accidental; it was policy. Julius…
What Scouts Gave on the Home Front
Long before most of them were old enough to serve, America's young people found their own way to contribute. In the early 1940s, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts across the country threw themselves into the home front effort—going door to door, organizing drives, and rallying their communities around a…
Washington Snapshot: Congressional Hearings with Treasury Secretary
Next week, both the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee will hold hearings with Secretary Bessent to discuss the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget for Treasury and Treasury’s priorities. Plus, updates on Southern Poverty Law Center, OMB proposed regulations on federal…
Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort Alumni Office Hours - July
Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort office hours offer cohort members a space to reflect on their learnings and ask questions about program content. This year, we're excited to open these sessions to cohort alumni. These sessions are an opportunity to reconnect with the program's themes and…
Washington Snapshot: DOJ Report on Anti-Christian Bias
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) sent letters to the legal counsels at three nonprofit organizations accused of accepting money from allies of the Chinese Communist Party. Plus, Ways and Means letters to nonprofits, Legal Basics for Community Foundations, GSB Survey…
Seattle Art Museum
Still have some time to explore? Head over to the Seattle Art Museum, the leading visual arts institution in the Pacific Northwest and a must-see while you're in the city. Show your conference badge at the ticketing desk and receive 50% off one ticket.
Grab and Go Lunch
Before you go, grab a boxed lunch to enjoy as you head home. Thank you for joining us at Building Together 2026!
Break
Take this opportunity to connect with fellow attendees, visit our partner tables, browse our bookstore, enjoy a snack, or recharge in our Brain Break room.
Plenary Session: Belonging, a Bridge to Possibility
What becomes possible when people feel seen and valued? And how can belonging be cultivated in unexpected places—both in practice, and in culture? Together, we’ll discuss what a more connected society could look like, and what kind of commitment it will take to build.Civic Science Talk: Sohad…
Ask Me Anything Breakfast Roundtables
Bring your questions to continue and deepen conversations with our partners over breakfast. Chat with The Colossian Forum, Greater Good Science Center, Othering and Belonging Institute, Over Zero, Resetting the Table, and Trust for Public Land.
Breakfast Conversation: Investing Effectively in Connection Across Difference
Join an interactive breakfast session about how to effectively invest in connection across difference at the local, regional, and national levels. Join funders who are part of the New Pluralists collaborative who will provide context from their five years of investing together in strategies that…