Public Grantmaking Charities Programs & Services

Gain access to our online member directory, where you can connect with peers, attend in-person Council events, and join our online networking platform, the Philanthropy Exchange.

• Open Exchange – Contribute, connect, and learn from peers in this member community designated for staff from all foundation types. This is the best place to get valuable perspective from a broad range of audiences.
• Communications – Engage with other philanthropic communications strategists and gain valuable resources and tools to help share your foundation’s story and convey the meaningful impact of your work.
• Finance and Admin – Learn more from your peers about the varying complexities of financial management, fund accounting, gift acceptance, and fiscal operating practices. This community is designed for foundation staff who serve in finance and administrative roles.
• Programs – As communities need change, it is essential for program professionals to have a space to ask questions and share their concerns and thoughts regarding programmatic strategy and sharing a foundation’s core mission. This community is designed for staff who deliver programs, nonprofit services, grantmaking and community impact.
• Scholarship Exchange – Learn and share scholarship policies, processes, and opportunities with peers, and discuss how to leverage tool to play a more impactful role in giving.
• Human Resources – Participate in peer-to-peer conversations with HR, Culture, and Talent leaders in philanthropy to discuss best practices and new ideas related to talent management, organizational culture, and other operational functions.  
• Global Grantmaking – Discover resources and hear from peers on topics related to effective cross-border grantmaking.
• General Legal Counsel – This community is designed for legal counsel at all member organizations. Dive deeper into the unique legal and compliance issues facing foundations.
• Policy & Advocacy – This community is designed for members interested in policy and advocacy. Share national and state policy actions, promote resources, and facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge sharing with other philanthropic policy and government affairs staff.

Take advantage of member-exclusive discounts on trainings and capacity-building programs to deepen your learning, including conferences, summits, in-person workshops, and webinars.

• Apply for  Career Pathways, an intensive leadership development program designed for mid- to senior-level career professionals committed to strengthening their practice and building connections within the sector.
• CEOs and human resources staff can consider attending our annual HR Retreat.
• Staff engaged in public policy work can consider attending our annual Public Policy Summit.
• Keep an eye on our Events page to find more opportunities to expand your knowledge.

Our extensive legal library contains many helpful resources that are relevant to public grantmaking charities of all shapes and sizes.

• Understand the rules around accepting cryptocurrency donations.
• Dive deep into the rules of global giving  through our Legal Compendium chapter, International Grantmaking: A Guide For Funders Making Grants Outside The United States.
• Explore the different types of fiscal sponsorship and how to avoid common challenges with our model.

The Council often convenes members in working groups, task forces, and committees to help inform our work and ensure that it reflects sector needs. Recent opportunities for involvement include:

• Awards Selection Committee
• Board of Directors
• Public Policy Committee

Reach out to the Engagement Team to explore ways you can volunteer your expertise. to explore ways you can volunteer your expertise.

Work with our Government Affairs team to build your capacity to advocate on behalf of nonprofits and your community and inform the Council's public policy agenda.

Remain up to date on the challenges and opportunities shaping philanthropy and share stories about your organization's impact through exclusive communications, including our members-only e-newsletters.

• Grantmaker Salary And Benefits Survey (GSB) - Since 1980, the Council's Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey has provided the sector with the most comprehensive data on staff composition and compensation in the United States. Grantmakers rely on this annual report to plan budgets, benchmark personnel policies and practices, determine salary levels for new and existing staff, and more.
• Values-Aligned Philanthropy -Anti-democratic extremism, hate speech, and politically motivated violence are on the rise. With policymakers, journalists, and activists seeking to determine how hate groups are funded, philanthropic organizations have come under a magnifying glass. Our members have been actively engaged in addressing the issue of hate funding, including by sharing their resources and asking for additional insight.
• A Guide to Advocacy, Lobbying & Election Related Activity: Navigating the Rules - This guide will help you understand the federal tax laws and regulations that govern how, when, and to what extent different types of foundations can engage with policymakers, their staff, or candidates running for public office. It also covers the distinction between what advocacy activity that you as a foundation can do, that your staff can do, and that your grantees can do with your support.