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.

Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (H.R. 7010)

External Resource

Bill #5 – Enacted June 5, 2020 Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide for the Charitable Sector This is a summary of the fifth bill Congress passed to help with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. This guide highlights the specific provisions of that bill that may impact the charitable…

European Philanthropy at the Nexus of Disability and the SDGs

External Resource

This publication, jointly developed by Fundación ONCE and Philea (formerly the European Foundation Centre), focuses on how the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals are serving as a framework for foundations to develop their action on disability inclusion. The publication includes key…

Washington Snapshot: The Senate passed The Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act of 2020

The Coronavirus - THE MORE YOU KNOW World Health Organization: Situation Dashboard How Philanthropy Can Respond: Center for Disaster Philanthropy Council on Foundations: COVID-19 Resource Hub List of COVID-19 Response Funds Council's Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide…

Washington Snapshot: House Passed H.R. 7010 That Would Relax Restrictions on the Paycheck Protection Program

The Coronavirus - THE MORE YOU KNOW World Health Organization: Situation Dashboard How Philanthropy Can Respond:Center for Disaster Philanthropy Council on Foundations:COVID-19 Resource Hub List of COVID-19 Response Funds Council's Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide In This Week's…

How Foundations Are Shaping Policy During COVID-19

The philanthropic sector’s ability to influence public policy has been a pathway to significant social change in the United States. Using the current global crisis as a backdrop, this session will focus on a discussion of policy engagement through a health policy lens. Featuring…

Washington Snapshot: White House Officials Expected to Release Ideas Aimed at Helping the Recovery in Distressed Areas

COVID-19: How Philanthropy Can Stand Up for Vulnerable Populations

View the Recording With COVID-19 there seem to be more questions than answers, particularly for funders who want to respond effectively and efficiently. The Council is a co-sponsor of the COVID-19 webinar series from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), which brings expert panelists together…

Washington Snapshot: The CDC Has Issued Recommendations to Guide Schools, Businesses, and Others Into the Next Phase of the Coronavirus Pandemic

Washington Snapshot: Congress and the White House are Split on the Contents of a Fourth Coronavirus Relief Legislation

COVID-19: Place-Based Grantmakers and Investing in Local Communities

Washington Snapshot: The Battle Lines are Firming Up about the Fourth Coronavirus Relief Bill

HR Leaders Peer Exchange: Considerations for Returning to Work

As organizations continue COVID-19 response efforts, HR leaders in philanthropy are thoughtfully introducing innovative practices about returning to work, while coping with new and complex challenges. Join us for a facilitated, small-group dialogue to explore the issues you are considering as you…

Strengthening Cyber Security for Foundations & Nonprofit Partners

COVID-19 has revealed the inadequacies of many foundation and nonprofit virtual strategies. Having an up-to-date cybersecurity strategy is key to ensuring your foundation’s ability to respond to this ongoing crisis while enabling and empowering your nonprofit partners to accomplish their…

Washington Snapshot: Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act passes Congress

Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, 2020 (H.R. 266)

Bill #4 – Enacted April 24, 2020 Approximate appropriation: $484 billion Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide for the Charitable Sector This is a summary of the fourth bill Congress passed to help with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. This guide highlights the specific provisions…

Making Grants to Crowdfunding Campaigns During Disasters

Legal Compliance Guidance

You may wonder whether you can make grants to GoFundMe campaigns that are supporting localized efforts during disasters. Proceed cautiously: GoFundMe and many similar crowdfunding platforms are not registered 501(c)(3) public charities, and therefore you need to examine carefully if the campaigns…

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