Rules of Advocacy & Lobbying
Legal Compliance Guidance
It is easy to get hung up on what you think you cannot do in terms of engaging with your policymakers. The good news is, you can do more than you may think!
Though the law varies somewhat between what community and public foundations are allowed to do, versus what private foundations are allowed…
How to Find Your Members of Congress
Fundamentals
Find your Representative(s)
Members of Congress are interested to learn about the work that you are doing in their communities. When identifying your representative(s), it is helpful to think—not only about the district in which your home office is located—but also the areas in which you fund. It…
Grantmaking Application Process Resource Guide: A Grantmaking Primer
Sample Document
The grantmaking application process is a big lift for foundations and nonprofits, alike. This primer takes a look at streamlining the application process from RFP to grant agreement. Found in the guide is a how-to on creating RFPs, questions to ask during the grant application review, sample…
A Guide to Advocacy, Lobbying & Election Related Activity: Navigating the Rules
Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
A Chapter in Mastering Foundation Law:
The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources
The purpose of this chapter is to help you understand the federal tax laws and regulations that govern how, when, and to what extent different types of foundations can engage with policymakers, their…
Expenditure Responsibility: Step by Step
Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
A Chapter in Mastering Foundation Law:
The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources
Expenditure responsibility is the federally mandated procedure that a private foundation—and some public charities—must follow for any grant made to an organization that is not a public charity.
This…
Mastering Foundation Law: The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources
Legal Compliance Guidance
The Council on Foundations's Compendium of Legal Resources (“Compendium”) is a comprehensive guide to foundation law for the non-lawyer. It is easy to use, self-directed, and regularly updated.
The Council developed the Compendium as a direct response to requests from our members to publish…
Hiring a New CEO Resource Guide
Toolkit
Non-profit executive searches generally take a minimum of four months, and can take as long as six to eight months. A clear sense of mission and a well understood position description for the new President and CEO will be absolutely essential for success in identifying and, more importantly,…
Effective and Emerging Approaches to Mission-Related Investing
Fundamentals
Many foundation staff members remain mystified (and enamored) with mission investing and the promise it holds for leveraging foundation resources to support their missions. However, it is clear that many foundations do not fully understand the full complement of mission investing strategies and how…
Successful Operating Endowment Campaigns
Fundamentals
Operating endowments can provide stability and long-term sustainability for community foundations. They can also provide resources that enable foundation leaders to play a stronger leadership role in the community and direct resources to the most pressing issues. Developing and executing an…
Getting Started with the Sustainable Development Goals
Fundamentals
On September 25, 2015, 193 countries formally adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the United Nations. The Council’s president at that time, Vikki Spruill, published an op-ed in the Chronicle of Philanthropy urging philanthropic organizations to partner with others to help…
Legal Resources
The Council has full-time attorneys with a breadth of experience on staff. This team serves as a valuable resource to Council members, and is available to provide information on a wide range of topics that impact foundation operations.
On a regular basis, members of our Legal Team:
Field more…
A Short Guide to Impact Investing - The Case Foundation
External Resource
This guide is intended to help bring newcomers into the game. It helps high net worth individuals, family offices, and others to know some of the questions, if not the answers, to determine what’s right for them and what to do next to move toward meaningful, measurable impact.
D5: Policies, Practices, and Programs for Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
External Resource
To support leaders in their efforts to take meaningful action to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their organizations, D5 commissioned JustPartners, Inc. to identify the most effective policies, practices, and programs to advance DEI.
The Analysis of Policies, Practices, and…
Call Summary: Challenges and Opportunites for Grantmaking in Mexico
Recording
As part of the Council’s global philanthropy program, this members-only conference call on July 1, 2015 provided an overview 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 funders of a…
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…
Expenditure Responsibility Chart for Private Foundations
Legal Compliance Guidance
This document is a tool to help you as a private foundation determine when to use expenditure responsibility for grants to public charities.