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Starting a Foundation: Formation and Considerations
Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
Many people want to start foundations, but few start out knowing exactly what sort of organization they are going to create. The purpose of this e-book is to help potential donors understand the many different entities that are commonly referred to as foundations and to provide an understanding of…
An Overview of the Law Governing Community Foundations
Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
A Chapter in Mastering Foundation Law:
The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources
This chapter is intended to examine and explain those common legal characteristics shared by community foundations and to provide a comprehensive legal overview of the rules and regulations that govern…
Community Foundation Business Model Disruption in the 21st Century
Publication
With the pace of change in our world, disruption is a natural state in communities everywhere. Change is the new normal. So how do community foundations, institutions of long-standing tradition that are influential in how communities address change, adapt themselves to the new normal?…
Webinar Recording: Council Member Update: Finance & Endowment Focus
Recording
This member update focused principally on important issues related to foundation financial management and endowment performance.
Survey Results: The Operation of Women’s Funds at Community Foundations
Publication
After a request by a CF Insights member seeking information about the operation of Women's Funds at community foundation, a survey was created and administered to a subset of potential respondents. This short, eight-question survey collected some high-level information about fees pricing, revenue…
Linking the SDGs to Philanthropy
Fundamentals
Why do the Sustainable Development Goals matter to philanthropy?
These broad global goals address the same problems that our field is tackling: to reduce poverty, improve livelihoods and quality of life, and create a more equitable global society. Looking at the range of issues in the SDGs, all…
Corporate Philanthropy and the SDGs
Fundamentals
Throughout the lead up to adoption of the goals, many organizations have been working with private sector partners to establish frameworks for engagement by corporate philanthropy with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A leading coalition in this effort is Impact2030, a global…
Advocacy Toolkit
Toolkit
Sometimes the hardest part of engaging in advocacy can be figuring out where to start.
Government is the mechanism for public policy process, and elected officials and their staff are driving and creating policies. As their constituents and important stakeholders in civil society, they need to…
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…
Sample Board Resolution Authorizing a Program Related Investment
Sample Document
This template community foundation board resolution authorizes the foundation to make a loan as a program-related investment (PRI). These types of activities are generally permitted by state and federal law when they serve to advance the charitable purposes of the foundation.
The term "program-…
Call Recording: New Chinese Laws Regulating Domestic Charities and International NGOs: What do you need to know?
Recording
Download the Recording
In 2015, the Council and ICNL convened foundations to discuss how a draft Foreign NGO law in China might impact their work. The Council also submitted formal comments about concerns with this law to the Chinese government.
In mid-March 2016, China approved the long-awaited…
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…
New Examples of Permissible Program-Related Investments
Legal Compliance Guidance
On April 25, 2016, the Treasury Department officially published final regulations providing nine new examples of permissible program-related investments (PRIs). The new examples were first drafted as foundations came to sense that the existing regulations were too narrow and did not adequately…
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…
About Council Resources
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.
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