Starting a Foundation
Fundamentals
Does the Council on Foundations provide assistance with starting a foundation?
Can we join the Council before our foundation is formed?
What are the general steps in starting a foundation?
Should we set up our foundation as a trust or a corporation?
What are the costs of starting a…
Discussion Guide: Connecting Philanthropic Values and DEI Principles
Toolkit
Use this document to help initiate conversations about how your foundation's mission and values connect to integrating DEI policies and practices.
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,…
2023 UN General Assembly Philanthropic Side-Events
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Goals House UNGA
September 17 - 20 | In-Person
Philanthropies Represented: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Register now
Monday, September 18, 2023
Better Together World Congress 2023
September 18 | Hybrid
Philanthropies Represented: Better Together…
2022 UN General Assembly Philanthropic Side-Events
This page is an archived schedule of philanthropic side-events from the 2022 United Nations General Assembly. See the most recent UNGA schedule instead.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the UNGA side-events will be virtual or hybrid again. This page highlights events that may be of interest to…
2020 UN General Assembly Philanthropic Side-Events
This page is an archived schedule of philanthropic side-events from the 2020 United Nations General Assembly. See the most recent UNGA schedule instead.
This page highlights events that may be of interest to foundations and other philanthropic actors and includes links to register for each event…
How to Calculate the Public Support Test
Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
A Chapter in Mastering Foundation Law:
The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources
In the United States, organizations that qualify to receive charitable tax-deductible contributions are described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Tax Code. These organizations are divided into two main…
Sample Policies on Values-Aligned Philanthropy
Sample Document
Community Foundations
Borrego Valley Endowment Fund Sample Policy with “Do No Harm” Approach
Brooklyn Community Foundation DAF Anti-Hate Policy
Community Foundation of the Ozarks Sample Full DAF Policy and Procedures
East Bay Community Foundation Due Diligence Policy FAQ
East Bay Community…
Information on Hate Groups — Values-Aligned Philanthropy
External Resource
United States
Anti-Defamation League HEAT (Hate, Extremism, Anti-Semitism, Terrorism) Map
Center for American Progress Infographic on Islamophobia Network
Horizon Forum
Media Matters for America
Southern Poverty Law Center List of U.S. hate groups
Southern Poverty Law Center…
East Bay Community Foundation Due Diligence Policy for Grantmaking
The East Bay Community Foundation Due Diligence Policy for Grantmaking ensures that grants are made in compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of our philanthropic goals of eliminating structural barriers and transforming political, social, and economic outcomes.
Public Policy and Advocacy for Grantmakers
Publication
Government policy decisions impact communities and can drive or impede solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing the nation. Engagement in public policy advocacy is therefore crucial to the philanthropic sector's ability to achieve its greatest impact.
Public Policy and Advocacy for…
2021 UN General Assembly Virtual Philanthropic Side-Events
This page is an archived schedule of philanthropic side-events from the 2021 United Nations General Assembly. See the most recent UNGA schedule instead.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the UNGA side-events will be remote or hybrid again. This page highlights events that may be of interest to…
Impact Investing Handbook: An Implementation Guide for Practitioners
External Resource
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors published the "Impact Investing Handbook: An Implementation Guide for Practitioners"—180 pages of helping asset owners turn interest into action. Two years in the making, this practical publication features case studies and detailed guidance for individuals,…
Community Foundation Week 2024 Resources
Toolkit
Celebrating National Community Foundation Week November 12-18: Engage with Your Local Community Today!
Community Foundation Week, created in 1989 by former president George H.W. Bush, recognizes the important work of community foundations throughout America and their collaborative and innovative…
The SDG Guidebook and Toolkit: A Community Foundation Resource on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
External Resource
This resource from the Community Foundations of Canada provides useful tips and frameworks for community foundations across the world to utilize the SDGs.
2020 UN General Assembly Virtual Philanthropic Side-Events
This page is an archived schedule of philanthropic side-events from the 2020 United Nations General Assembly. See the most recent UNGA schedule instead.
This September, many parts of the United Nations General Assembly and its hundreds of side-events will be held virtually for the first time due…