Showing: 11 - 20 of 71 results
Generally, there is no legal restriction against making grants to churches, synagogues, mosques or other religious institutions. But there are some things foundations interested in such grantmaking should know.
For years, private foundations and public charities have recognized religious…
With a little caution, community foundations can support the charitable activities of non-charities.
A chamber of commerce requests a grant to start a computer-training program.
A gardening club asks for money to cover a local beautification project.
A cemetery association seeks support…
This page outlines the range of purposes that qualify an organization for tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It explains how the IRS and courts interpret key terms — especially "charitable" — and how those interpretations shape eligibility.
Permissible Exempt…
Community Foundations and other public charities may engage in an insubstantial amount of lobbying as part of normal operations. But what are the rules around engaging in self-defense?
Internal Revenue Code Section 4911(d)(2)(C) provides public charities with an exception to the…
Self-Defense Exception: A legislative proposal to modify the private foundation excise tax on net investment income under IRC section 4940 would qualify as a self-defense issue, because it affects a private foundation’s duties. Private foundations may therefore communicate with the legislature, its…
Foundations have been partnering with USAID in a variety of ways to advance locally led development, and below are how some of those partnerships are being executed. For member foundations interested in working with USAID on their own locally led development initiatives, Council on Foundations…
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…
The rules of advocacy and lobbying for private foundations differ somewhat from community and public foundations.
As a private foundation, the law allows the following:
Advocacy
Lobbying
Funding Lobbying
Advocacy
Yes, private foundations may engage in advocacy activities as…
Suzanne Friday, Senior Legal Counsel and Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Council, discussed the goals and motivations driving corporate giving, with a particular focus on corporate foundations.
After a brief review of the applicable legal rules, they discuss how corporate foundations can…
The philanthropic sector has a unique opportunity to highlight the voices and concerns of the communities it serves. Nonprofit VOTE, Independent Sector, United Philanthropy Forum, and the Council on Foundations believe we should bring those voices to the forefront. By producing a toolkit to provide…