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.
Legal Compliance Guidance
Over the last two weeks, we’ve received scores of questions from the field about how to help the Ukrainian people during the ongoing Russian invasion, including during our recent webinar with the State Department. The outpouring of support and willingness to make immediate relief funds available…
Washington Snapshot: Members of Ways and Means Committee Send Letter in Support of DAFs
What's Happening This Week...
Senate Finance Committee to Hold Hearing on Charitable Giving and Nonprofit Sector
Summary: Congress's FY2022 Government Funding Bill
Members of the Ways and Means Committee Send Letter Opposing…
Public Policy Action Network - June Update Meeting
What is the Council’s Public Policy Action Network?
The Council’s Public Policy Action Network is a 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.…
Public Policy Action Network - May Update Meeting
What is the Council’s Public Policy Action Network?
The Council’s Public Policy Action Network is a 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.…
HR Roundtable - April 2022
Join this peer-to-peer conversation with HR, Culture and Talent leaders in philanthropy to discuss best practices and new ideas related to talent management, organizational culture, and other operational functions. In partnership with the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, this informal…
Funders around the world have sprung into action to support those at risk during the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Eastern Europe. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has already resulted in more than 800,000 Ukrainians fleeing the conflict and seeking refuge abroad. As the conflict…
The Council on Foundations and the U.S. State Department hosted an urgent discussion on how philanthropy can best support the humanitarian response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feburary 24, 2022. Representatives from the State Department Office of Global Partnerships and the…
Overview
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, a humanitarian and economic disaster has rippled across the world. We will continue to update this page as the crisis unfolds and more information becomes available.
As of April 30, 2025 Candid has tracked:
7,748 grants worth $2,…
WASHINGTON, DC - The Council on Foundations announced today that it will convene a new task force in the coming months to lift up clear ethical standards for members and to underscore philanthropy’s profound responsibility to the greater good. This task force, chaired by Jamie Merisotis,…
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the philanthropic community recognized the critical need to respond with fierce urgency to support nonprofit partners. Over 800 organizations pledged to ease or eliminate restrictions on grants and reduce what is asked of grantees, aiming to support to…
2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey (GSB)
Since 1980, the Council's Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey has provided the sector with the most comprehensive data on staff composition and compensation in the United States. Grantmakers rely on this annual report to plan budgets, benchmark personnel policies and practices, determine salary…
Intergovernmental Personnel Act Philanthropy Talent Pipeline Webinar
The Council and the Partnership for Public Service have teamed up to create the IPA Philanthropy Talent Pipeline, a new opportunity for foundations to loan staff and grantee experts to federal agencies for a limited “tour of duty.” The Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) permits federal…
Public Policy Action Network - February Update Meeting
What is the Council’s Public Policy Action Network?
The Council’s Public Policy Action Network is a 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.…
Washington Snapshot: Council Launches Recommendations to Strengthen Community Philanthropy
What's Happening This Week...
Council Launches Recommendations to Strengthen Community Philanthropy
ACE Act Introduced in the House
Child Tax Credit Day of Action - February 8
IRS Issues Notices on Nonprofit Retirement Plans…
WASHINGTON, DC - On Feb. 3, 2022, Representatives Pingree (ME-1), Reed (NY-23), Khanna (CA-17) and Porter (CA-45) introduced the Accelerating Charitable Efforts Act, the House companion bill to S.1981. The following statement is attributable to Council on Foundations president and CEO Kathleen…
Strengthening Community Philanthropy: Recommendations from Your Sector Colleagues
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Last July, the Council on Foundations convened a group of community foundation leaders to develop a set of principles and policy recommendations to strengthen how community foundations use donor-advised funds (DAFs). The Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc…