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.
Walking the walk...
Anyone who has had the responsibility of putting together a team has wrestled with the challenge of determining who will be the best match for the positions that need to be filled. At the recently completed NFL draft, teams approached these decisions from one…
Washington Snapshot: Treasury Pushes Ahead with Priority Guidance Despite Backlog from Tax Reform
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot…
Another House Ways & Means Member Departs Congress
Bill Introduced to Increase Charitable Driver Mileage Rate
Treasury Solicits Input for Priority Guidance Amid Rollout of Tax Reform Regulations
In the States: Pay Equity, Employment Law Changes Advance…
Three Legged Stool: Evaluation, Monitoring, and Feedback
Members, View the Recording
Almost all foundations and nonprofits want a better understanding of how their funding, services and products are (or are not) making a difference in real people’s lives and how they might be improved.
This webinar introduces a new framework for measurement in the social…
Washington Snapshot: Senate Finance Committee Holds Hearing Ahead of Recess
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot…
JCT Releases New Estimates in Advance of Senate Finance Hearing
Council Call Highlights Public-Philanthropic Partnerships
Council Raises Concerns About FARA
In the States: Kentucky Preserves Charitable Incentive in Tax Reform, Maryland Passes Law Mirroring…
Top 10 Questions from the Council's First Legal Matters Workshop
Recording
Miss our Legal Matters for Community Foundations Workshop in Dallas, or did you attend, but really want to hone in on some of the bigger questions that arose from the convening? Workshop hosts Suzanne Friday and Brad Ward will walk you through some of the biggest and most prevelant…
Excellence in Public-Philanthropic Partnerships Exchange Discussion with HUD Award Winner
Members, Listen to the Recording
On April 24th from 1:00-2:00 p.m.ET, the Excellence in Public-Philanthropic Partnerships Exchange held its first interactive learning opportunity—a panel via phone call with former Secretary's Awards Winners:
Denise Spencer, President and CEO,…
We’re Listening.
“You get nothing done if you don’t listen to each other.” -Barbara Bush
Listening to the remembrances of the late First Lady Barbara Bush this week, I was struck by her sense of humor, and by her uncanny talent for cutting to the heart of the matter. Mrs. Bush may not have been the…
Washington Snapshot: Council Hosts Inaugural Policy Summit, Congress Tackles IRS Reform
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot…
Council Hosts Inaugural Public Policy Summit in Philadelphia
Disagreement Over Rescissions Bill Persists in Congress
Package of Bills to Reform IRS Advances Out of Committee
Treasury Announces First Wave of “Opportunity Zones”
Agreement Reached Between…
2018 Public Policy Summit - Recap
Summit Recap
Over the course of three days from April 11–13, 2018, the Council convened over 200 leaders in Philadelphia to participate in our inaugural Public Policy Summit. Attendees engaged in thoughtful discussions around trending issues and the cutting-edge, innovative strategies that…
Leadership in a Changing World
As we consider the road ahead for the Council on Foundations, “leadership” is a word that comes up over and over again. The question is how the Council can continue to serve the broader philanthropic field while also helping to define issues and bring our members together around solutions and…
Leading Together 2019 Conference
It's a Wrap!
Leading Together 2019 was a gathering of leaders in philanthropy and other influencers in business, government, and academia. For three days, the field came together to connect, learn, and share with one another.
We also used Leading Together 2019 as an opportunity to…
Private Philanthropy Newsletter—April 2018
By now you have heard the news that Vikki Spruill has accepted a position at the New England Aquarium and in June will return to the ocean conservation community, where she has deep roots. Our board president, Javier Soto, is leading the Outreach Committee, which will gather input from the…
Washington Snapshot: President, Congressional Leaders Eye Spending Reductions
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot…
President, Congressional Leaders Eye Spending Reductions
Trump to Nominate Muzinich for Deputy Treasury Secretary
Updates to IRS Publication 526 Regarding Giving for Natural Disasters
In the States: SALT Workaround Enacted in New York, Oklahoma Preserves…
Shifting the Power: Applying Community Philanthropy to Durable Development, Here and Abroad
While slogans like “think globally, act locally” have been around for decades, still so much decision-making about philanthropy and development aid happens by stakeholders outside communities. Even those funders that care deeply about championing local leadership and initiatives often struggle with…
Where and How is the Global Environment for Philanthropy Changing?
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The Council on Foundations and many of our partners around the world are watching the changing environment for philanthropy across the globe, as the enabling environment for giving within countries and across borders is improving in some places and at the same…
The New Power of Philanthropy
Members, View the Recording
Why do some leap ahead while others fall behind in today’s chaotic, connected world? In NEW POWER, Henry Timms (CEO of 92nd Street Y and founder of #GivingTuesday) and his co-author Jeremy Heimans (CEO of Purpose) confront the biggest stories of our age and reveal…