Research
The Council on Foundations conducts national research with partners on grantmaker board and staff composition and compensation, diversity and inclusion, and investment performance and practices for the benefit of the philanthropic field. The following research publications will help grantmaking organizations benchmark policies and practices against peers in the field, as well as insights into the operational and investment practices of the U.S. foundation and corporate giving program landscape.
2024 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Board Compensation Tables
Publication, Research
The 2024 Board Compensation Tables provide foundation board and staff with the tools they need to benchmark their board compensation policies and practices against peers in the field. This report contains data collected through the Council’s 2024 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey and presented…
2024 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report
Publication, Research
The 2024 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report contains the most comprehensive and up-to-date data available on U.S. philanthropic sector salaries, benefits, and demographic details, with information presented by grantmaker type, foundation type, asset size, and geographic location. The 2024…
2024 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings
Research
The 2024 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Key Findings is an illustrated, three-page document highlighting important trends shaping the philanthropic sector. Also available as a free PDF, the 2024 GSB Key Findings is just a small fraction of the expansive dataset available in the 2024 GSB…
2023 Council on Foundations - Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations (CCSF)
Publication, Research
The CCSF Study is the field’s most comprehensive and authoritative study on investment and governance policies and practices. The 2023 CCSF studies 291 private and community foundations that represent $126 billion in assets. Topics covered include:
Returns and Investment Objectives
Asset…
2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report
Publication, Research
The 2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report is updated with the most recent sector data. Information is presented by grantmaker type, foundation type, asset size, and geographic location. Additionally, 2023 report contents include:
Salary data on 10,733 full-time staff from 957…
2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings
Research
The 2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Key Findings is an illustrated, three-page document highlighting important trends shaping the philanthropic sector. Also available as a free PDF, the 2023 GSB Key Findings is a small part of the full dataset available in the 2023 GSB Report, …
2022 Council on Foundations - Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations (CCSF)
Publication, Research
The CCSF Study is the field’s most comprehensive and authoritative study on investment and governance policies and practices. The 2022 CCSF studies 277 private and community foundations that represent $206.8 billion in assets. Topics covered include:
Returns and Investment Objectives
Asset…
Assessing Community Foundation Needs and Envisioning the Future
Publication, Research
Community foundations have several attributes that, taken together, distinguish them from many of their philanthropic brethren, including a local orientation, relationships with many living donors, and a public charity tax status. This affects everything from their approach to solving problems to…
Making Informed Decisions in Uncertain Times: Helping Community Foundations during Economic Volatility
Publication, Research
To help community foundations address twin challenges of fewer resources and greater need, CF Insights conducted research by interviewing and collecting survey responses from a cross section of 73 community foundations during the month of October 2008.
Participate in the next CCSF Study of Private and Community Foundations
Publication, Research
Are you a fiduciary that oversees an endowment at a Private or Community Foundation?
The Council on Foundations is proud to partner again with the Commonfund Institute on this year's Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations (CCSF),…
2022 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings
Publication, Research
Drawing from data provided by 1,003 institutional responses, the 2022 GSB Key Findings highlights important human resource trends that are shaping the philanthropic sector. This year’s key findings feature the voices of human resources professionals and leaders from across the sector as they…
2022 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Board Compensation Tables
Publication, Research
The 2022 Board Compensation Tables provide foundation board and staff with the tools they need to benchmark their board compensation policies and practices against peers in the field. This report contains data collected through the Council’s 2022 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey and presented…
2022 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report
Publication, Research
The 2022 Grantmaker Salary and Benefit report is updated with the most recent sector data. Information is presented by grantmaker type, foundation type, asset size, and geographic location. Additionally, 2022 report contents include:
Salary data on 10,304 full-time staff from 1,003…
2021 Council on Foundations - Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations (CCSF)
Publication, Research
The CCSF Study is the field’s most comprehensive and authoritative study on investment and governance policies and practices. The 2021 CCSF studies 231 private and community foundations that represent $119.7 billion in assets. Topics covered include:
Returns and Investment Objectives
Asset…
2021 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings
Publication, Research
Drawing from data provided by 952 institutional responses, the 2021 GSB Key Findings highlights important human resource trends that are shaping the philanthropic sector. This year’s key findings feature the voices of human resources and operations leaders from community foundations,…
2021 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report
Publication, Research
The Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report (GSB) provides salary, benefits, and diversity data for full-time staff at U.S. foundations to aid in budget planning and personnel practice benchmarking. Information is presented by grantmaker type, foundation type, asset size, and geographic location.…