Embracing Better Ways of Operating
Comparing Grantmaking Strategies for Community Foundations
Fundamentals
Most community foundations operate a competitive grantmaking program that is responsive to their community—meaning they make grants in response to requests from those seeking grants. At times, however, you may ask: Is this approach the most effective use of our philanthropic dollars?
Some…
Building a Successful CEO-Board Chair Relationship
Fundamentals
Both the board and CEO advance each foundation’s mission. They hold different responsibilities, but they need to support and balance each other.
The board chair-CEO partnership is crucial to your foundation’s effectiveness, as well as to your success as a CEO. As one CEO said, “To have a…
Annual Reports
Fundamentals
An annual report is your foundation's report to the community—a year-end summary of your activities, a record of grants and issues funded, and a description of donor contributions. The annual report is likely your community foundation's most important public relations tool and part of your larger…
Are We Missing the Impact of Feminine Gender Norms on Girls and STEM?
Science, technology, engineering, and math—the “STEM” subjects—are an important focus of philanthropic institutions trying to address educational and economic disparities between girls and boys.
STEM-related fields account for an increasing number of new, and high-paying, positions being created in…
Attracting Contributions from Private Foundations
Legal Compliance Guidance
The legal and tax implications for community foundations accepting donations from private foundations, and qualifying distributions of taxable expenditures. Additional insight into converting a private foundation into a supporting organization of a community foundation.
Grants From Private Foundations to Supporting Organizations
Legal Compliance Guidance
Aligning private foundation grantmaking procedures with PPA requirements
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) brought many changes to the charitable sector. The most significant changes for private foundations are the rules for making grants to certain kinds of supporting organizations. While…
Multi-Year Grants: To Commit or Not to Commit
Legal Compliance Guidance
Can we back out of a multiyear commitment we made in a prior year because our foundation’s assets have declined?
The answer in many cases is “no.” That is, unless your grantee is willing to release your foundation from its obligation.
Generally, an unconditional, multiyear grant is considered a…
Discretionary Grants
Legal Compliance Guidance
Family foundations use discretionary grantmaking to achieve a variety of purposes. Discretionary grantmaking allows some foundations to avoid strife by giving each branch of the extended family a sum of money that it can think of as its own to control. For others, a discretionary fund provides…
Understanding Fiscal Sponsorship
Legal Compliance Guidance
Everything you need to know to stay out of trouble with third-party representatives.
Does hearing the sentence "Just make that grant check payable to my fiscal agent" stop you in your tracks? It should. If your potential grantees are washing your grant funds through an accommodating charity that…
Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan
Sample Document
Community foundations have proven themselves to be cornerstones of support to the community, especially in times of need and disaster. When emergencies or disasters strike, the Foundation must be well-prepared to quickly and effectively help itself in order to be able to help others.
This plan…
Grants to Government
Legal Compliance Guidance
The private foundation executive director was concerned. Members of her board were going to make grants to promote public housing and economic development but none of the groups involved were the typical 501(c)(3)s to which the foundation normally made grants. One possibility seemed to be making a…
Council-Endorsed D&O Insurance Program
Legal Compliance Guidance
Directors & Officers liability insurance provides financial protection for a foundation and its directors, officers, employees, and volunteers in the event of a lawsuit.
Does your foundation need D&O insurance?
A foundation doesn't have to be in the wrong to be sued. D&O insurance…
Guide to Directors and Officers Liability Insurance
Fundamentals
For boards of directors, trustees, and foundation managers, there are few areas of operation that cause more confusion and uncertainty than indemnification and the purchase of directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance. And it is no wonder. Mixing the often impenetrable statutory language…
Guidance on Closing a Private Foundation
Legal Compliance Guidance
There's more to closing down a private foundation than packing up and turning off the utilities. Here are some questions, considerations, and IRS directions.
Sometimes it is time for a private foundation to disappear—assets may have dwindled significantly or family members no longer share a…
Developing a Travel Policy
Fundamentals
Under the rules applicable to private foundations, directors or trustees and staff members may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in connection with the foundation's charitable activities. Such expenditures fall under the heading of administrative costs and will generally…
Executive Compensation Best Practices
Legal Compliance Guidance
The Internal Revenue Code provides excise tax penalties that can be imposed by the Internal Revenue Service whenever unreasonable or excessive compensation is paid to high-level employees of charitable organizations.
Over and above any legal requirements or public scrutiny, good stewards of…
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