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.
Washington Snapshot: Foundations on the Hill
Foundations on the Hill 2026 arrives at a pivotal moment for the philanthropic sector. Plus, new legislation targeting nonprofits, federal government funding, and more.
Better Stories, Better Language: A Communications Workshop Series 2026
After a year of research, the Council and the University of Florida’s Center for Public Interest Communications released “Philanthropy’s New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language" in April 2024. As the largest study of narratives in philanthropy, it offers science-backed…
Publication
Coming Together, Not Apart: Building the Hearts, Minds, and Skills for Leading Across Differences is the third of three Council on Foundations publications exploring philanthropy's involvement in developing the heartset, mindset, and skillset to lead collaboratively across differences. It discusses…
Reimagining Democracy in New Jersey
Learn how the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation partnered with the Participatory Budgeting Project to create the conditions that allow innovative democratic practices to emerge. The session will focus on how this catalytic investment gave grassroots practitioners the tools they need to connect with…
Harness Your Convening Power as a Funder to Reduce Polarization
Many foundations want to act as conveners to bridge divides but don’t know where to start. Participants in this session will learn how funders can spark bold partnerships, increase social cohesion and reduce polarization. Through case studies, participants will learn how to combine dialogue and…
From Transactional to Relational: Centering Indigenous Values in Philanthropy
This session explores how Native-led and national funders are moving beyond transactional grantmaking toward trust, reciprocity, and long-term partnership. Through examples from Hawaiʻi and national partners, participants will learn relational, Indigenous-informed funding approaches and apply them…
Cultivating a Student-Driven Culture of Curious Disagreement in College
This session introduces a fresh approach to dialogue in higher ed: a peer-led fellowship that equips student club leaders to adopt dialogue as a tool to reach club goals. Participants will engage in an interactive case study, then explore a funding perspective on campus discourse--why it matters,…
Collaborative Giving, Common Ground
Join three collaborative-fund leaders working across environment, democracy, and narrative change as they share data-driven insights and real-world examples of projects they are funding that bring together philanthropy, NGOs, grassroots organizations, government partners, and diverse community…
When Campus Crises Become Collaborative Possibility
Crises don't have to pull people apart; they can also be a turning point for collaboration and connection. In this interactive session, attendees will walk through real case studies and try out a scenario role play to explore constructive, pluralistic responses during tense moments. Attendees will…
Building Stronger Communities Through Reflection, Rigor, and Shared Language
Community building is complex, and metrics are hard to get to. Try out a new tool built with and for community builders to take stock of progress and set course for what’s next. This bilingual reflection tool brings added rigor, shared language, and real-world examples. Participants will have…
Bridging with Unconventional Tools
In an era of polarization, declining civic trust, and complex social challenges, traditional grantmaking alone cannot create systemic change. This session explores how foundations are fostering social cohesion through innovative approaches like shifting narratives, building community power, and…
Bridgebuilding Evaluation: Attitude, Behavior, or Both?
All social change efforts rely on attitude and ultimately behavior change for impact. Informed by social psychology and on-the-ground practice, top evaluators in the bridgebuilding field will help participants think through their projects and portfolios in real time. Participants will leave with…
Asset-Based Rural Solutions
Learn how Rural Development Hubs bridge divides by pairing capital with trust, cultural grounding, and local leadership. This interactive session offers funders a framework to invest in ways that deepen belonging, shift narratives, and build civic and economic power in rural communities.What to…
Understanding Values, Beliefs, and Identities to Expand Reach and Impact
Funders achieve greater impact when they can look beyond demographics to truly understand their beneficiaries. A “people-centered lens” starts with exploring the values, beliefs, and identities that shape how we think. Uncovering this, funders can see what motivates views and discover new paths for…
The Importance of Being an In-Group Moderate
At a time when extreme voices dominate our echo chambers, “in-group moderates” are more important than ever. This session features faith and philanthropic leaders from across the political spectrum, talking about how they navigate toxic polarization as in-group moderates, including practical tools…
Proven Approaches for Building and Measuring Trust through Community Libraries
This session explores how funders are supporting libraries to build bridges across differences. Attendees will learn about discoveries and recommendations from recently completed pilot projects with libraries to test new social trust measurement tools and different bridge building approaches.…