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The Decade to Deliver: A Call to Business Action
External Resource
The United Nations Global Compact-Accenture CEO Study on Sustainability offers a candid look at the perspectives of more than 1,230 CEOs across 113 countries and 21 industries on the urgent opportunities and challenges for leaders to address the climate crisis.
Goalkeepers 2019 Report
External Resource
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 2019 report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
FAOG and CF Insights Growing Pains Survey Results
Publication
Community foundation growth impacts all aspects of the operating model. Whether growth happens steadily or is the result of a large, one-time contribution, it is likely to create the need for additional capacity. Through a survey created and disseminated by the Fiscal and Administrative Officers…
Advice from the Field: Responding to Mass Casualty Events
Fundamentals
It is an unfortunate reality of our times that foundations must respond all too often to mass casualty events in their communities. There are immediate questions that need to be addressed and an ongoing crisis to manage if your foundation is going to raise and deploy philanthropic capital in…
Giving USA 2019
External Resource
Amid a complex climate for charitable giving, American individuals, bequests, foundations, and corporations gave an estimated $427.71 billion to U.S. charities in 2018, according to Giving USA 2019: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2018.
Highlights from the Report …
CECP's Giving in Numbers
External Resource
CECP’s Giving in Numbers is the unrivaled leader in benchmarking on corporate social investments. It is the premier industry survey and research, providing standard-setting criteria in a go-to guide that has defined the field and advanced the movement. CECP has the largest and most historical data…
2017 Cone Communications CSR Study
External Resource
The 2017 Cone Communications CSR Study reveals one major takeaway for companies: consumers are no longer just asking, "What do you stand for?" but also, "What do you stand up for?" In today's tumultuous society, Americans expect companies to not only improve their business practices and invest in…
Sample Documents for Scholarship Funds
Sample Document
Community foundations that award scholarships and other grants to individuals from funds with donor involvement should be sure these funds comply with the requirements of the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
The PPA prohibits grants to individuals from funds that meet the fairly broad definition of…
Our Divided Nation: Is There a Role for Philanthropy in Renewing Democracy?
Publication
American democracy faces challenges that raise difficult questions for philanthropy. Have funders done everything possible to shore up democratic values and aspirations, or pursued their own ideas of the public good and turned a blind eye to these challenges? To what extent can philanthropy’s…
Sample Board Resolution for Scholarship Funds
Sample Document
Editable Board resolution for approving scholarship policies and procedures.
This sample document is being provided for informational purposes only and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an attorney-client…
Community Foundation Scholarship Programs: From A to Z
Recording
In this month’s “Lunch with Legal Counsel” webinar, Ben McDearmon, Law Clerk and Legal Administrator with the Council, continues our March scholarship series after our discussion earlier in the month on Post-Graduation Scholarships. Ben guides attendees on an exploration of topics…
Webinar Recording: Post-Graduation Scholarships: What Are They and How Can You Use Them?
Recording
Interested in alleviating the student loan debt crisis and attracting needed talent to your community? This webinar is for you! Last year, the Workforce Development Through Post-Graduation Scholarships Act was introduced in Congress. This bill would allow charitable foundations to…
Webinar Recording: Fostering the Grassroots Leadership Capacity of Community
Recording
View the Slides
Community Foundations around the country recognize that they must deploy capital beyond financial assets to improve their regions. At the same time, our community leadership has grown frustrated by the pace of change. Most of these leaders have come to understand that…
Sample Fund Activity Policy
Sample Document
This sample fund activity policy provides language that you can either use in a stand-alone policy or incorporate into an existing donor-advised fund agreement or policy.
Sample Gift Acceptance Policy
Sample Document
Sample policies for gift acceptance, including ethical standards, who has authority to accept gifts on behalf of the foundation, types of gift assets, and more.
This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on…
Sample Gift Acknowledgement Letter for IRA Transfer
Sample Document
This document is a customizable gift acknowledgement letter for an IRA transfer.
This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an attorney-client…
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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