2009 Fall Conference for Community Foundations

Confirmation

After making your online registration, an instant confirmation will follow.

If you fax or mail your form, please remember to include your email address on your registration form to receive registration confirmation. Due to the high volume of registrations, the Council is unable to confirm conference registration by phone. To guarantee inclusion in the conference participant directory, the Council must receive your completed registration form by September 9.

Cancellations

Cancellations for conference registration must be submitted in writing. Fax your cancellation to 703-879-0800 or 703-879-0802; email confreg@cof.org. Cancellation fees are as follows:

Cancellation from August 1 – 31

25% of conference fees

Cancellation from August 31

No refund available

Note: Non-members should not make travel arrangements until the Council confirms eligibility.

Annual Reports

In the Council’s effort to provide a “greener” meeting, all foundations are invited to send up to 20 annual reports for display in Resource Central.

Advance shipments may start Friday, September 4, 2009. The last date for advance shipments to arrive without a surcharge is Wednesday, September 20, 2009. Please send your shipments using the following:

Foundation Name
Annual Reports Display
2009 Fall Community Conference
c/o GES Exposition Services
YRC
111 Gembler Road
San Antonio, TX 78219

Attire

Conference attire is business casual. Meeting room temperatures vary so we recommend dressing in layers.

Child Care

Contact the hotel concierge for recommendations of licensed and bonded daycare services.

Climate

Autumn temperatures in San Antonio average in the low 80s during the day and drop to the mid 60s in the evenings.

Council Contacts

Meals

Your full conference registration fee covers all conference meals, including the Sunday networking event. Monday/Tuesday registration includes the Sunday networking event and breakfast and lunch. Tuesday/Wednesday registration includes breakfast and lunch. There will be a limited amount of extra meal tickets available at the registration desk for individuals who are eligible to attend the conference

Media

Members of the media should request press credentials from the Council on Foundations’ Public Relations Department at mediarequests@cof.org.

Photo Release

If you do not wish your photo to appear on the Council website or in printed materials, please contact Chante Sedwick, director of marketing, at 703-879-0673 or chante.sedwick@cof.org at least 48 hours prior to the conference.

Registration and Exhibit Hours

We welcome trustees and staff of private, operating and community foundations, public grantmaking charities and corporate (foundations and giving programs).

Conference registration is open to all Council on Foundations members. Nonmember organizations should refer to the eligibility guidelines below. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact the Council’s Membership department at membership@cof.org or 703-879-0645.

Non-members should make travel arrangements only after the Council confirms eligibility. Submission of requested documents does not guarantee eligibility to attend the conference.

Council on Foundations No Solicitation Rule

This conference is not an opportunity for solicitation of any kind, including solicitation for business, fund management or grants. Solicitation of any kind is strictly prohibited at all Council events.

Government Agencies

The Council welcomes participants from government agencies whose purpose is to learn about philanthropy and grant making. When registering for the conference please submit a letter printed on letterhead from your agency. The letter should outline your reasons for attending the conference, what you hope to gain, and attest to your adherence to the Council no solicitation policy.

U.S.-based Community Foundations

Submit a copy of your organization’s IRS determination letter or a copy of your most recent annual report.

U.S.-based Public Foundations

The foundation’s direct grant program is a:

• Demonstration of a continuing commitment to a significant grants program
• Documentation of due diligence procedures that ensure grants are used for charitable purposes

If your foundation meets these criteria, the Council on Foundations must receive your registration form and the following information by September 1 (on-site registration will not be available):

• A copy of the latest Form 990 complete with all schedules; or
• A copy of your organization’s IRS determination letter and
• A copy of the latest annual report or a letter (signed by an officer of the organization) providing a brief history of the organization’s charitable activities, including the goals of the grantmaking program and any limitations based on geography, grant subject matter or other factors.

In your cover note, please confirm that you will respect the Council’s no-solicitation rule, which ensures an environment where grantmakers can improve their grantmaking skills and peer network free from grant or business solicitation.

Other Foundations/Corporate Giving Programs

Your organization’s listing in the Foundation Directory or Guide to U.S. Foundations may suffice. If no such listing exists, please submit the following:

• For a nonmember private, operating or company foundation, a copy of the organization’s IRS determination letter or a copy of your institution’s organizing documents which have been filed with your state (by-laws and/or articles of incorporation).
• For a nonmember corporate giving program, a copy of the latest annual report or a letter (signed by an officer of the organization) stating the goals of the grantmaking program.

Foundations Based Outside the United States

Nonmember grantmaking organizations based outside the United States should submit the following:

• A copy of the latest annual report or a letter (signed by an officer of the organization) providing a brief history of the organization’s charitable activities, including the goals of the grantmaking; or
• Complete financial statements (preferably in English) for the most recent fiscal year, establishing that the organization’s primary activity is the operation of a grant program for direct grants to multiple individuals or organizations.

Students

Students and recent graduates from accredited educational institutions may be eligible to attend our conferences for a special guest/student rate. Students should complete the conference registration form and include a letter with your area of study, anticipated graduation date, and the reason for attending the conference. Students who are affiliated with an organization that is a Council member should register through the organization.

Banks and Trust Companies

Nonmember representatives from banks, trust companies and organizations that manage trust funds are eligible to attend if they are sponsored by a foundation/corporation. Representatives who wish to register under the name of a bank, trust company or managing organization must pay the nonmember rate. To qualify for the member rate, they must register under the name of that foundation or corporation. The member must include a letter from the member organization on member letterhead noting that the registrant manages the foundations/corporation trust funds. Representatives who wish to register under the name of the bank, trust company or managing organization must pay the non-member rater.

Consultants/Legal Counsel

Foundations/corporations wishing to register active consultants/legal counsel must register them under the foundation/corporation name. Please include a letter from the sponsoring organization noting that the registrant is an active consultant of the foundation/corporation.

Media

All conference sessions are open to the media (print and web). Representatives of nonprofit organization newsletters with no general circulation or paid subscription base are not considered members of the working press and news media. For more information, please contact the Public Relations Department at 703-879-0678.

Pending Members of the Council on Foundations

Pending membership applications or applications sent with the registration form qualify for the nonmember rate. If your application is approved by December 31, 2009, the difference between the member and nonmember full conference rate will be credited to your organization’s dues payment.

Nonmembers of the Council on Foundations

Nonmembers should not make travel arrangements until the Council confirms eligibility to register. Submission of requested documents does not guarantee eligibility to attend. Please register early to allow the Council to verify your eligibility. If you pay the nonmember conference fee and your application for Council membership is approved by December 31, 2009, the difference in member versus nonmember conference fees will be credited to your organizations dues payment.

Philanthropic Advisors Network

Philanthropic Advisors Network members in good standing are eligible to register.