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.
Philanthropy's Response to 2024 California Winter Storms
Overview
A powerful atmospheric river swept through Southern California, causing over 300 mudslides and record-breaking rainfall. With devastation to homes and buildings and nearly 150,000 people grappling with power outages, Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency in Southern…
Philanthropy's Response to the 2024 Chile Wildfires
Overview
The deadly wildfires spreading across Chile have destroyed thousands of homes and buildings in the Valparaiso and Vina del Mar regions. At least 120 people have been killed and hundreds are still missing, making this Chile's deadliest wildfire on record.
This page will continue to…
Scholarships
Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
Part of Mastering Foundation Law
Providing scholarships to individuals is a popular method of charitable giving in the U.S. But following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and the ongoing Alliance for Equal Rights v. Fearless Fund case,…
2024 Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort Application Q&A
Are you looking for a supportive community of funders to help you build constructive dialogue and understanding across differences? You’ll get just that with the Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort.
The Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort is a facilitated virtual learning experience meeting…
Global Philanthropy’s Crucial Role in Ukraine on the Second Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion
Global philanthropy generously provided initial humanitarian aid to the Ukraine crisis caused by Russia's unprovoked war, offering essential support like food, clothing, and shelter. Yet, as Putin's invasion shows no signs of ending, Ukrainians confront escalating needs. Despite reduced news…
How Philanthropy Is Investing in Belonging, Bridging, and Building Common Ground
Faced with rising social division and discord, the philanthropic sector is increasingly pursuing strategies to connect and collaborate across differences and counteract toxic polarization. In 2023, the Council, PACE, and New Pluralists teamed up to conduct a landscape scan to better…
Philanthropy is a Catalyst for Unlikely Alliances
This blog is part of the Council's Dialogue Across Difference series. In this space, we will share your viewpoints: In a time of polarization and mistrust, how can philanthropy bridge across difference?
In the 1830s Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that he was astonished by Americans’ collective…
Info Session: The Council & Independent Sector’s Amicus Brief in Support of Fearless Foundation
The Council on Foundations and Independent Sector filed an amicus brief on December 12 in support of Fearless Foundation. We filed the brief because we believe that foundations, charitable nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, and individuals have the right to exercise their views through giving…
Celebrating our 2023 Council Award Winners
As we arrive at the end of the year, it can be tempting to focus solely on what we want to do better next year. Sometimes the challenges we face are so overwhelming that we want to turn the page to a new chapter as soon as possible.
At the same time, we know that our Council community engaged in…
Global Grantmaking Essentials - October 2024
THIS TRAINING IS SOLD OUT.
Led by Council on Foundations staff with collectively decades of experience with global philanthropy, the Global Grantmaking Essentials will also feature guest speakers with deep knowledge on specific issues or countries.
Wednesday, October 9: 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET…
Digesting Proposed DAF Regulations
The Council's Government Affairs and Legal Resources team provided an overview of the IRS's proposed donor-advised fund (DAF) regulations. The proposed regulations clarify the definitions around DAFs, address excise taxes on taxable distributions made by a sponsoring organization from a…
Public Policy Action Network - Q1 2024 Meeting
The Council’s Public Policy Action Network is a members-only 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. Policymakers depend on the voices and…
Global Grantmaking Essentials - April 2024
This course is sold out. Still interested in Global Grantmaking Essentials? Join us in October.
The Global Grantmaking Essentials course provides a thorough overview of the laws governing global grantmaking and offers practical solutions for foundation staff responsible for making grants abroad.…
For Philanthropy to Bridge Differences, Trust is Key
This blog is part of the Council's Dialogue Across Difference series. In this space, we will share your viewpoints: In a time of polarization and mistrust, how can philanthropy bridge across difference? Janet N. Ekezie is part of our Bridging Differences Leadership Cohort.
Philanthropy has…
Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers - March 2024
The Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers course will help foundation staff use their resources effectively to advance public policies that support the greater good. Rather than focusing on what policies foundations should address, this training will focus on how to engage in policy…
Advancing Locally Led Development: An Overview of U.S. Foundations’ Direct Global Giving
Publication, Toolkit
Since 1997, the Council on Foundations and Candid have analyzed trends in global grantmaking by U.S. foundations. In our State of Global Giving by U.S. Foundations: 2022 Edition report, which analyzed grants made between 2016 and 2019, we found that 39% of global grants made by U.S. foundations…