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What is a charitable organization? What is a foundation? What is a private foundation? What is a public charity? Do charities pay taxes? What are some key differences between a public charity and a private foundation? What are some different kinds of private foundations? What are the…

The Council's Board of Directors released this guidance memorandum in March 2010 and strongly recommends that when reviewing and approving foundation investment policies and procedures practices, all foundations—private and public—consider these best practices in foundation investment management.

Proposals being considered in Congress often have implications for philanthropy and its effectiveness in addressing some of our most pressing challenges. In addition to educating lawmakers in Washington, D.C., communicating the impact locally is just as important. Here are some ways your…

Catalytic Transformative Investments – A form of philanthropy that incubates and supports initiatives with the potential to drive large-scale change and meet complex social challenges. Such investments become catalysts for social and business innovation and change. It is one of three approaches in…

Search by Letter A B C D E F G I J L M O P Q R S T U Certain definitions are defined by law. A 501(c)(3): Section of the Internal Revenue Code that designates an organization as charitable and tax-exempt. Organizations qualifying under this section include religious, educational, charitable,…

How to Make the Most of your meeting Consider the following to ensure a productive meeting that runs smoothly. Determine Your Message Before your meeting, you will need to decide what your message will be. This is going to depend largely on the purpose and goal of your meeting, and can range…

The following are some of the models that are used for staffing family foundations. Many families use variations on these models or a combination of them. Any of them can be effective, depending on what is important to the family. The two major considerations, and they are linked, are: how much…

Looking for the single best way to manage a family foundation? You may be looking for a long time. Because family foundations are unique within the foundation world, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to management. Each family creates its own rules and structures for its foundation, allowing for…

A family foundation's legal responsibilities for monitoring, assessing, or evaluating the grants it makes to organizations with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status are minimal. The IRS requires little in the way of detailed reporting on the outcome of specific grants—except for grants to organizations that…

Most people do not think of their family as having a “culture.” For many, it's a group of familiar people doing what they always do. Yet it is exactly this—a characteristic way of thinking, feeling, judging, and acting—that defines a culture. Both in direct and subtle ways, children are molded by…

This perspective offered by William Graustein of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund in 2013 provides useful context on creating your own foundation's mission and vision statements.  When you get down to it, the reason a charitable foundation exists is to change the world or, at least…

In 2013, Merede Graham of the Namaste Foundation offered her perspective about how generational succession shaped her family foundation. ----  My parents started our family foundation with the intent of providing their children with opportunities to build confidence and skills to serve us…

Family celebrations and holidays are prime opportunities to create philanthropic traditions (and develop philanthropic values). To honor a child’s birthday you might plant a tree. For Mother’s Day, help your children do a good deed for someone else’s mother whose children can’t be with her. Family…

The First 100 Days is not intended to be a comprehensive job description or in-depth exposé on the giving officer’s career; rather, it will help you, as a novice in this role, prioritize your activities during the early stages of your transition.