Council on Foundations is a membership association of more than 850 global grantmaking foundations and corporations. The council provides policy insights, legal assistance, networking, and development opportunities for members at its annual conference. ¹

The council’s mission contains a critical race theory-influenced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement that affirms diversity as one of its core values. It has also published numerous white-papers on DEI-related programs ^{2 3} and hosts DEI roundtables. ^{4 3} Council on Foundations engages with the federal government, both at the White House and agency level, to have open collaboration and communication in support of emerging initiatives and policies. ⁵

Council on Foundations has received 36 grants totaling $3,020,243 from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation from 1983 to 2022. ⁶ In 2022, Council on Foundations received a $250,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. ⁷ It has also received operating support from the Barr Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Ford Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and  Rockefeller Foundation. ⁸

History and Leadership

Council on Foundations was founded in 1949 by Edward L. Ryerson as the National Committee on Foundations and Trusts for Community Welfare. It was given office space by the Chicago Community Trust at its launch. In 1957, the group received tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as the National Council on Community Foundations. ^{9 10}

In 1964, the National Council on Community Foundations changed its name to become the Council on Foundations. ^{10 11} In September 2023, it was announced that philanthropy research organization Candid will send control of its CF Insights website and information about community foundations to the Council on Foundations. ¹²

Kathleen Enright is the president and CEO of Council on Foundations. ¹³ Previously, Enright was the president and CEO of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and the director of marketing and communications for BoardSource. ¹⁴

Activities and Funding

Council on Foundations is a nonprofit membership association of more than 850 global grantmaking foundations and corporations. The council provides policy insights, legal assistance, networking, and development opportunities for members at its annual conference. ¹⁵

The council’s mission contains a critical race theory-influenced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement that affirms diversity as one of its core values. To advance this approach, Council on Foundations hosts several DEI roundtables and a human resources (HR) summit. It has also published numerous whitepapers on DEI-related programs ^{2 3} and released a report documenting executive benefits across the nonprofit sector. ^{16 17}

The council has a government affairs team that engages in public policy advocacy for its nonprofit partners. ¹⁸ The group also publishes an advocacy toolkit to inform its members how to engage with policymakers and represent philanthropic objectives. ¹⁹ Its advocacy includes engagement with the federal executive branch at both the White House in response to Obama administration announcements that the government would be seeking partnerships with the philanthropy sector to support President Barack Obama’s social innovation agenda. ²⁰  Council on Foundations’ engagement with the federal government continues, both at the White House and executive agency level, where the council seeks to have open communication and collaboration with the executive branch to support emerging initiatives and policy developments. ⁵

Council on Foundations’ full membership directory is private. ²¹ It offers different membership types to represent community foundations, private grantmakers, corporate grantmakers, grantmaking public charities, foreign and tribal grantmakers, and non-grantmakers that can join as associate members. ²² Council on Foundations also operates the Philanthropy Exchange to facilitate peer-to-peer connections between members. ²³

The council releases guides for grantmaking practices for its members, ²⁴ maintains a “national standards” accreditation program for members, ²⁵ keeps information on community foundations operating in the United States with a value between $100,000 and $1.7 billion, ²⁶ operates a 12-month leadership program to prepare people to become better philanthropic leaders, ²⁷ and releases reports on the international giving of United States-based philanthropies. ²⁸

In 2022, Council on Foundations partnered with policymakers, journalists, and activists to release a values-aligned philanthropy guide to determine how groups it identifies as hate groups are funded. The report claims that what it calls anti-democratic extremism, hate speech, and politically motivated violence have threatened our values in civil society. ²⁹ The report’s definition of “extremism” borrows from the Anti-Defamation League’s definition of the term, and the report’s case studies for “resisting hate and extremism” included Cleveland Foundation, Community Foundation of the Ozarks, Stand Together, and Facebook. ³⁰

In 2021, Council on Foundations spent $3,102,541 on educational programs and member services impacting philanthropy and $1,495,509 on public policy advocacy in support of the organization’s objectives. ³¹ Also in 2021, Council on Foundations gave $50,000 to the Association of Black Foundation Executives and $25,000 to Kansas Association of Community Foundations. ³² In 2020, Council on Foundations gave $20,000 to the Brookings Institution. ³³

Funding

Council on Foundations receives its funding from contributions, grants, and program service revenue. In 2021, Council on Foundations reported revenue of $12,025,472 and expenses of $9,578,406. The organization reported revenue of $12,198,284 and expenses of $9,359,808 in 2020. ⁹

Council on Foundations received 36 grants totaling $3,020,243 from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation from 1983 to 2022. ⁶ In 2022, Council on Foundations received a $250,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in 2022. ⁷

Council on Foundations has received general operating support from the Barr Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Citi Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Ford Foundation, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. ⁸

It has also received program support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Community Wealth Partners, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, David and Lucille Packard Foundation, Ford Foundation, Gill Foundation, Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Walmart Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation. ⁸

Members of Council on Foundations’ Greater Good Circle include Charities Aid Foundation America, Centre Foundation, Coleman Foundation, Columbus Foundation, Dyson Foundation, Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, John Templeton Foundation, Kerr Foundation, KPMG US Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and others. ⁸

1. ^[1] “Council on Foundations.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/council-on-foundations-145/#:~:text=Created%20in%201949%2C%20the%20Council,grantmaking%20foundations%20and%20corporations%20worldwide.
2. “Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/topic/diversity-equity-inclusion.
3. “Diverse Managers” Philanthropy’s Next Hurdle.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/content/diverse-managers-philanthropys-next-hurdle.
4. ^[1] “Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/topic/diversity-equity-inclusion.
5. “Executive Branch Engagement.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://cof.org/advocacy/executive-branch-engagement.
6.  “Council on Foundations.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/council-on-foundations-145/.
7. “Council on Foundations.” William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. January 20, 2022. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://hewlett.org/grants/council-on-foundations-for-general-operating-support-18/.
8. “Our Supporters.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://cof.org/about/our-supporters.
9. “Council on Foundations Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136068327/202223119349303157/full.
10. “History of the Council on Foundations.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/History%20of%20the%20Council%20on%20Foundations.pdf.
11. “The Council on Foundations.” Alliance Magazine. September 1998. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://www.alliancemagazine.org/analysis/the-council-on-foundations/.
12. Gamboa, Glenn. “Nonprofits Candid and Council on Foundation make a rare deal the way corporations do.” Associated Press. September 5, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/nonprofit-collaboration-candid-council-foundations-202960ace4194b3475caf2c4c2ec1ca5.
13. “Kathleen Enright.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://cof.org/person/kathleen-enright.
14. “Kathleen Enright.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-enright-2252407/.
15. “Council on Foundations.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/council-on-foundations-145/#:~:text=Created%20in%201949%2C%20the%20Council,grantmaking%20foundations%20and%20corporations%20worldwide.
16. “2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://cof.org/content/2023-grantmaker-salary-and-benefits-report.
17. “2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://cof.org/content/2023-grantmaker-salary-and-benefits-report-key-findings.
18. “Advocacy.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/advocacy.
19. “Advocacy Toolkit.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/advocacy/advocacy-toolkit.
20. “Federal Partnerships.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/advocacy/federal-partnerships.
21. “Council Member Directories.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/page/council-member-directories.
22. ^[1] “Council Membership.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/membership.
23. “Peer Communities.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/peer-communities.
24. “Grants Management.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://cof.org/content/grants-management.
25. “National Standards for US Community Foundations.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 7, 2023. https://cof.org/program/national-standards-us-community-foundations%C2%AE.
26. “Community Foundations.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://cof.org/foundation-type/community-foundations.
27. Watkins, Elizabeth.  “Council on Foundations.” Learning to Give. October 5, 2023. https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/council-foundations.
28.  Innamorato, Christine. “Council on Foundations and Foundation Center Release First-Ever Report on International Giving by U.S. Community Foundations.” July 17, 2017. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://candid.org/about/press-room/releases/council-on-foundations-and-foundation-center-release-first-ever-report-on-international-giving-by-u.s.-community-foundations.
29. ^[1] Zouhir, Nidale. “Values-Aligned Philanthropy.” Council on Foundations. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://cof.org/program-initiative/values-aligned-philanthropy?_gl=1*1mg8vvt*_ga*ODM4MDQzMjE2LjE2OTYzMDA3MzI.*_ga_RY8Q6D6GZZ*MTY5NjUzNTQ4MS41LjEuMTY5NjUzODQ0NS40Ny4wLjA.
30. ^[1] “Foundations Resisting Hate and Extremism.” Council on Foundations. August 2021. Accessed October 7, 203. https://cof.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/Values-Aligned%20Philanthropy%20White%20Paper_0.pdf.
31. “Council on Foundations Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Part III. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136068327/202223119349303157/full.
32. “Council on Foundations Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136068327/202223119349303157/full.
33. “Council on Foundations Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2020. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136068327/202103149349301205/full.