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Private Foundation Excise Tax Rates
Legal Compliance Guidance
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) increased the excise tax rates for violations of many of the private foundation rules. In most cases, the first-tier taxes were doubled. These changes are effective for private foundations upon the foundation’s first tax year beginning after August 17, 2006…
Planning for CEO Succession
Fundamentals
Many foundations may be uncertain about what’s involved when it comes to succession planning. Some wonder why they should worry about the future at all when they have so much work to do in managing their grantmaking, community leadership and development, and administrative duties.
Succession…
Membership Dues and Self-Dealing
Legal Compliance Guidance
Question: Why do Council on Foundations membership materials and invoices state that if my foundation and corporate giving program share a membership, dues must be paid by the corporation? Is this true for other memberships as well?
Answer: IRS self-dealing rules prohibit private foundations (…
Working with the Media
Fundamentals
Working with the media should be part of your overall communications plan. Even if you don't have a written communications plan, you still need to focus some attention toward the media. Working with the media—that is, public relations—establishes a strong public presence and image for your…
Mandatory Electronic Filing for Form 990 and 990-PF
Legal Compliance Guidance
Question: Are corporate foundations required to file electronically the 2006 Form 990 or Form 990-PF? Answer: Whether or not a corporate foundation is required to file electronically depends on a number of factors. Generally, only foundations with a substantial number of employees or consultants…
Sharing Office Space
Legal Compliance Guidance
Question:
Can a company provide office space to the company foundation?
Answer:
A parent company can always provide the company foundation with office space as long as it does so free of charge. While it is even possible for the parent company and the foundation to share the cost of office space…
Handbook on Responsible Investment Across Asset Classes
External Resource
From the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, this handbook on responsible investing provides the blueprint for foundation asset managers interested in multiplying their organization’s impact on society.
Case Study: Expanding Philanthropy - Mission-Related Investing at the F.B. Heron Foundation
External Resource
Prepared by the Southern New Hampshire University's School of Community Economic Development and available through Mission Investors Exchange, this case study explores the details of the F.B. Heron Foundation's rationale, exploration, and implementation of its mission-related investment strategy,…
Compounding Impact: Mission Investing by U.S. Foundations
External Resource
This report by FSG Social Impact Advisors provides the first comprehensive analysis of mission investing by U.S. foundations and analyzes the activity of 92 U.S. foundations, which have made a combined total of $2.3 billion of mission investments.
Mission Possible: Emerging Opportunities for Mission-Connected Investment
External Resource
From the New Economics Foundation, Mission Possible considers how foundations might more effectively use a proportion of their endowment in support of the change they set out to create – their mission. Starting from the premise that paths are made by walking, it explores the potential of ‘mission-…
Engaging Donor Advised Funds in Impact Investing
Toolkit
A Toolkit for Community Foundations
“Impact investing” is the practice of investing for social and environmental impact while generating financial return. For community foundations, impact investing represents a new, complementary tool for achieving community change. Community foundations are…
How to Avoid Commingling
Legal Compliance Guidance
Question
The same company representatives serve on our company foundation board of directors and our Corporate Contributions Committee. Can we hold the meetings for both programs simultaneously?
Answer
No. While it is possible to hold the meetings for the corporate giving program and company…
Honoring Grant Commitments amid Difficult Corporate Finances
Legal Compliance Guidance
Question:
In light of current economic conditions, the corporation has asked whether the company's private foundation may honor grant commitments already made by the corporate giving program. Can the private foundation make these grants?
Answer:
Maybe. The facts and circumstances surrounding the…
Corporate Foundation Grants to Government
Legal Compliance Guidance
Question: May corporate grantmakers make grants to units of government such as public schools or local parks departments?
Answer: Yes, both corporate giving programs and corporate foundations may make grants to units of government as long as the grants are restricted to charitable purposes.
What…
Corporate Foundations and Grants to Non-Charities
Legal Compliance Guidance
Question: May our corporate foundation or corporate giving program provide a grant to an organization that is not a charity?
Answer: Yes, but the process required to make a grant to a non-charity depends on the type of corporate giving vehicle used to make the grant. Private foundations must take…
Grantmaking Options for Corporate Philanthropies
Legal Compliance Guidance
Question: We are trying to decide how to structure our grants programs between our direct-giving program and our corporate foundation. Are there any general guidelines to help us?
Answer: Many factors influence how to allocate grantmaking programs between a corporate giving program and a company…