As a benefit of membership, the Council on Foundations attorneys and legal staff provide information and education to Council members regarding a variety of topics related to foundation operations and legal compliance. All information on this website, and all publications, articles, e-mail correspondence and telephone consultations provided by Council attorneys and legal staff are intended for informational purposes only and not as part of an attorney-client relationship. Council attorneys are not licensed in every state and cannot provide legal representation.
The information is not a substitute for expert legal, tax or other professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances, and may not be relied upon for the purposes of avoiding any penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. Council members may e-mail legal@cof.org with inquiries and for more information.
Commit to acting with fierce urgency to support our nonprofit partners, as well as the people and communities hit hardest by the impacts of the pandemic.
Call us at 800-673-9036 or
202-991-2225
Email us at info@cof.org.
Council office hours are
Monday through Friday from
9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET.
1255 23rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20037
By metro, we are six blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro station on the Red Line or six blocks from the Foggy Bottom Metro station on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines.
Public parking is available in the garage directly beneath our building. Enter the alley on the right side of the building and then the garage is on the left.
For more information about membership, contact a member of our Membership Operations Team at membership@cof.org or by phone at 202-991-7653 or 800-673-9036 for those outside the United States.
If you need:
Contact us at
communications@cof.org.
The Council offices will be closed for these 2025 dates:
New Year’s Day - Wednesday, January 1
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Monday, January 20
Presidents Day – Monday, February 17
Memorial Day – 1 p.m. closure on Friday, May 23 and all day on Monday, May 26
Juneteenth – Thursday, June 19
Independence Day and Wellness Week – Monday, June 30 through Friday, July 4
Labor Day – 1 p.m. closure on Friday, August 29 and all day on Monday, September 1
Indigenous Peoples Day – Monday, October 13
Veterans Day – Tuesday, November 11
Thanksgiving Break – 1 p.m. closure on Wednesday, November 26 and all day on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28
Christmas and Winter Intermission - Wednesday, December 24 through Wednesday, December 31
New Year’s Day - Thursday, January 1, 2026
Whether you need help from a specific team member or you’re just curious who’s on the other side of that email, find who you’re looking for with our Staff Directory.
Community Foundations seek support from the public and administer funds from various donors in a defined geographic area, typically no larger than a state.
Private Grantmakers include private, independent, and family foundations, generally founded by an individual, family, or group of individuals.
Corporate Grantmakers include corporate foundations and corporate giving programs that are funded by companies as separate legal entities.
Public charities are grantmaking organizations that raise and administer funds from various individual and organizational donors.
Non-US foundations outside of the US. Tribal Grantmakers use grants to support native communities in the US and globally.
Non-grantmakers can join as associate members. This includes for-profit companies, nonprofit organizations, and sole-practitioners that provide services to support the philanthropic sector.
For more information about Council on Foundations membership, contact a member of our team at membership@cof.org or via phone at 202-991-2225 or 800-673-9036 for those outside the United States.
I can count on the Council to keep me posted on developments that we absolutely must understand to operate within the bounds of increasingly restrictive and complex regulations.
President and CEO
Global Fund for Children
The Council provides the resources and channels to stay connected and aligned and develop agendas to advance our field together.
President
Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
The Council has helped build a community of practice for philanthropy to thoughtfully and strategically connect with each other.
Senior Program Officer
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
I especially appreciate the Council’s deep legal and policy expertise as critical support for my entire staff to do their work better and advance our mission as an organization.
President & CEO
Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles
As the primary voice for foundations, the Council is well-positioned to effectively advocate for the sector and advance our ability to serve communities.
Senior Program Officer
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
The Council is a significant voice for all types of foundations in the nation. In particular, its legal services are second-to-none. Also, its presence and voice on Capitol Hill in DC is significant in educating Congress and its Staff. The Council offers a wide variety of counsel, information and documents critical to carrying out the business of any foundation.
President & CEO
Albuquerque Community Foundation
The legal team is fantastic! The Philanthropy Exchange conversations are valuable. The events create an opportunity to connect with organizations who do similar work.
Executive Director
Black Hills Area Community Foundation
We receive a great deal of value from the Council's legal services, online resources, annual salary and benefits survey, and annual conferences.
President & CEO
Community Foundation for Northern Virginia
The Council on Foundations fosters an environment where philanthropy can thrive and cultivates a community of diverse and skilled philanthropic professionals and organizations who lead with integrity, serve as ethical stewards, and advocate for progress.
A leadership program that accelerates the careers of diverse professionals in the philanthropy sector. Graduates of the program will deepen their expertise, expand their networks, and hone their leadership skills to advance the field.
The Council's award programs were established to recognize excellence in philanthropy and honor exemplary leaders for their dedication in uplifting the sector.
The Council is actively working to build connections among U.S. and global foundations that are addressing problems and advancing change around the world.
Developed in the spirit of accountability, transparency, and continuous self-improvement, National Standards for U.S. Community Foundation are philanthropy's most rigorous standards—evidence that community foundations seek excellence for their communities and donors.
Created by community foundations over 70 years ago, the Council on Foundations remains the largest network of community foundations in the country. We are proud to continue to provide a wide range of services and support to further the missions of community foundations of all shapes and sizes.
The Council has served corporate philanthropy since 1964. As a national steward of corporate philanthropy over the years, we have fostered networks of grantmakers, produced strategic resources, shared promising practices, and championed the social impact of companies throughout the philanthropic sector.
The Council has served private philanthropy since 1964, including both family and independent foundations. As a national community of grantmakers, the Council is proud to offer a variety of services and opportunities for private foundations that reflect the diversity of the field.
The Council community includes public grantmaking charities that play an important bridging role in serving both individual and institutional donors. Recognizing their unique needs, activities across the Council provide the resources, opportunities, and advice that grantmaking charities need to build trusted partnerships and expand philanthropy’s opportunities to thrive.
Rebuilding trust in institutions, including philanthropy, starts with a hard look at the words we use and the stories we tell.
Positive change doesn’t always come easily, especially in times of division and mistrust. It often requires action from a broad coalition of people and groups who sometimes disagree. The magic happens at the intersections where we can build common ground.
Executive leaders are key actors in advancing the field to be more diverse, ethical, equitable and effective. Our community of executive leaders will support you to grow personally and professionally.
When foundations invest directly in countries and communities around the world, we achieve more equitable and sustained outcomes in direct partnership with local communities and civil society.
The SDGs provide a framework for foundations to lead together with governments, civil society, and the private sector to create a better world, in the US and around the globe.
Hate-related violence has been on the rise for several years in the U.S., as have extremist groups whose work targets specific communities based on race, ethnicity, and other characteristics. Our members are actively engaged in finding ways to make sure that their values of fairness and equity are reflected in their funding practices.
Unlock your foundation's full potential with exclusive member access to resources and opportunities created by and for philanthropic staff.
In this time of extraordinary change for our nation, the stakes have never been higher for those of us working to advance the greater good.
The Giving Is Here for Good campaign highlights the people and institutions doing critical work to strengthen communities across the country — and the generosity that makes that work possible. Watch the ad and help spread the word!
The House passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in May, and now it heads to the Senate. Read our detailed summary of the tax bill, highlighting provisions that impact the charitable sector. We'll update this page with any new developments.
We invite all charitable giving organizations to join us in this effort to protect our freedom to express ourselves, to give, and to invest in our communities. Please sign on to the statement to show your support.
The Giving Is Here for Good campaign highlights the people and institutions doing critical work to strengthen communities across the country — and the generosity that makes that work possible. Watch the ad and help spread the word!
The House passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in May, and now it heads to the Senate. Read our detailed summary of the tax bill, highlighting provisions that impact the charitable sector. We'll update this page with any new developments.
We invite all charitable giving organizations to join us in this effort to protect our freedom to express ourselves, to give, and to invest in our communities. Please sign on to the statement to show your support.
Unlock your foundation's full potential with exclusive member access to resources and opportunities created by and for philanthropic staff.
