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.
Charitable Foundations: The Essential Guide to Giving and Compliance
My book Charitable Foundations: The Essential Guide to Giving and Compliance was published in May 2015. Since publication, a number of people have asked me what led me to write the book. The Council on Foundations has asked me to address that subject in a blog.
According to published reports there…
A Historic Step Forward for Equality
Social change transpires at a blistering pace, in both promising and discouraging trajectories. After growing up in isolation in South Dakota and cutting my teeth decades ago as an LGBTQ human rights activist, I’m gob-smacked and elated by today’s Supreme Court decision.
This decision is…
Can My Foundation Fund Legal Aid for Individuals?
Legal Compliance Guidance
Legal aid provides assistance to people who would otherwise not be able to afford legal representation or access to the court system. While it is an integral part of the American justice system, especially to the most vulnerable in our society, many legal aid programs are unsustainable or have seen…
HistPhil: A Serious Effort To Bring Our Past To Today
This week, Stan Katz, Benjamin Soskis and Maribel Morey released HistPhil, a new blog that focuses on both “the studying of history and the making of history”. The blog is a result of the co-founders insight that philanthropy as a whole has much to gain from studying its past. The founders hope…
Leading Together for Greater Impact
Building Successful Collaborations in Philanthropy
This morning, Council President and CEO Vikki Spruill helped launch a new platform on the Huffington Post that highlights important developments and leading thinkers on social innovation. The blog features thoughts from leaders such as Clara Miller…
Challenges and Opportunities for Grantmaking in Mexico
Access the Summary, Resources, and Recording
This teleconference provided an overview for foundations on policy developments in Mexico that are impacting the flow of U.S. philanthropy into the country. On the call, expert speakers delved into the implications for philanthropy of a new…
Announcing Canopy: A New Model for Place-Based Investing
While the globalization of markets has dispersed investments around the world, we’ve hatched a plan to bring capital back to our communities in a transparent, coordinated, and collaborative way. I’m excited to announce Canopy, an innovative, member-owned, for-benefit company designed to advance…
Career Pathways: The First Three Years (A Summary Evaluation Report)
Publication
The Career Pathways program focuses on increasing the number of philanthropic professionals from diverse backgrounds ready to ascend to leadership positions within foundations. Diverse leadership fosters inclusion, innovation and excellence in philanthropy. The Career Pathways program evaluation…
What is Expenditure Responsibility?
Legal Compliance Guidance
Expenditure responsibility is a five step procedure that is designed to ensure that foundation funds are used for exclusively charitable purposes.
The five basic steps that are required for completing expenditure responsibility include:
Conducting a pre-grant inquiry including a reasonable…
Washington Snapshot - June 5, 2015
Leading Together to Advance Philanthropy
Joint Letter Published in The New York Times
On Sunday, a New York Times opinion piece offered a troubling take on the state of the charitable sector. David Callahan, who writes for Inside Philanthropy, expressed his view that the sector is the “wild…
Joint Letter Published in the New York Times
On May 30, David Callahan, editor of Inside Philanthropy, published a short-sighted opinion piece on philanthropy in the New York Times. Given its reach, the Council believed that the piece warranted a strong and united response.
Working with our colleagues who understand…
Nepal 60 Days Later: What Funders Should Know
Listen to a Recording of the Webinar
On April 25, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rattled Nepal. About two weeks later, a second earthquake occurred in a nearby area that overlapped parts of the first disaster. The combined disasters killed more than 8,500 people and injured more than 18,…
2015 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Survey
The 2015 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Survey is now open. The survey collects information on benefits policies and practices, as well as compensation data for 35 positions at community, corporate, private, public, and operating foundations.
The survey will run through July 31, 2015. …
Call Summary: China's Draft Law on Management of NGOs and Foundations
On May 27, the Council on Foundations and the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) hosted a conference call on China's Draft Law on Management of Overseas NGOs and its potential impact on U.S. funders and other organizations working in and with China.
More than 130 participants…
Due Diligence that’s Built for Scale
The Social Impact Exchange exists to build a growth capital marketplace that supports scaling high-impact nonprofits in the U.S. Funders with shared interests convene in working groups (currently active in health and education) to identify and vet highly effective nonprofit initiatives primed…
Conference Call: China's Draft Law on Management of NGOs and Foundations: Impact on U.S. Funders
Check out the news release summarizing this call and listen to the full recording.
Over the past week, the Council has received many inquiries from foundations concerned about how a new draft Chinese law would impact grantmaking in China. In response to this feedback, the Council, in partnership…