Council on Foundations

What Council on Foundations does

The Council on Foundations is a nonprofit membership association headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that serves as the national trade body for the U.S. philanthropic sector. Founded in 1949, the organization represents approximately 1,000 member institutions spanning private foundations, corporate giving programs, community foundations, and public grantmaking charities. Its core product surface includes the Philanthropy Exchange online peer platform (a Higher Logic-based community), the Mastering Foundation Law legal compendium, the annual Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey (since 1980), the CCSF investment study produced jointly with Commonfund, the Community Foundations National Standards accreditation program, and a slate of peer communities, training workshops, and conferences. Governance rests with a Board of Directors, and the organization is led by President and CEO Kathleen Enright.

The Council's revenue model rests on tiered annual membership dues scaled to member assets or grantmaking volume. Private grantmaker dues range from $1,000 (under $1M in assets) to $45,000 ($10B+ in assets), while corporate grantmaker dues range from $3,000 to $25,000 based on annual grantmaking. Revenue is supplemented by fee-based training programs (e.g., Legal Matters workshops at $385 for members, Self-Dealing Basics at $180), publications, and event sponsorships. Distribution is direct-to-member through cof.org, the Philanthropy Exchange platform, and a global footprint spanning U.S., Africa, Americas, Asia & Oceania, Europe, and regional Funder Circles in Latin America/Caribbean and Asia-Pacific. An active public policy function monitors Congressional action, IRS compliance, and executive orders affecting the sector.

Recent strategic activity includes the June 2025 launch of the "Generosity Builds" campaign — a defensive public positioning effort in response to political scrutiny of major foundations — and the 2025 introduction of the CF Leadership Coalition, a paid membership add-on for community foundations. Partnerships with Commonfund, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law anchor its research, advocacy, and global programming work.

Name

Council on Foundations

Legal name

Council on Foundations

Website

https://cof.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Council on Foundations is a nonprofit membership association serving approximately 1,000 U.S. philanthropic institutions — private, corporate, community, and public grantmaking charities — via tiered annual dues, delivering legal resources, peer networking, benchmarking research, training, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy Membership Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Philanthropy membership services
• Foundation legal resources
• Grantmaker compensation surveys
• Nonprofit policy advocacy
• Philanthropy peer learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Private Grantmaker Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from private grantmakers (private, independent, family foundations, operating private foundations, grantmaking LLCs, and private health-conversion foundations) based on total assets reported. Dues range from $1,000 to $45,000 annually depending on foundation size.
2. Corporate Grantmaker Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from corporate foundations and corporate giving programs based on annual grantmaking amounts. Dues range from $3,000 to $25,000 annually.
3. Training and Event Fees: Fee-based training programs and workshops for members and non-members, such as Legal Matters workshops ($385 for members), Self-Dealing Basics ($180 for members), and other capacity-building programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Council on Foundations is a national nonprofit membership association serving approximately 1,000 philanthropic organizations, including private foundations, community foundations, corporate foundations and giving programs, and public grantmaking charities. It sells annual membership subscriptions (tiered by foundation assets or annual grantmaking amounts), paid training workshops and conferences, an online peer community platform (Philanthropy Exchange), accreditation programs, benchmarking research, and a comprehensive legal resources compendium. Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues and paid professional development programming for institutional grantmakers.

Product overview

The Council on Foundations is a membership organization serving approximately 1,000 nonprofits and foundations. Its product portfolio consists of a member-only online community platform (Philanthropy Exchange), comprehensive legal resources (Mastering Foundation Law Compendium), annual benchmarking research (Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey, CCSF Study with Commonfund), professional development programs (Career Pathways, Legal Matters training), peer networking communities (Public Policy Action Network, Funder Circles for Asia-Pacific and Latin America), and advocacy initiatives (Values-Aligned Philanthropy, Working Across Differences, Locally Led Development, SDG Initiative). The Council also produces publications including the Navigating Disasters and Crises playbook, guidance on immigration interactions, and mergers & acquisitions guidance for corporate philanthropy. These offerings are delivered through conferences, webinars, workshops, and the online exchange platform, serving corporate grantmakers, private foundations, community foundations, and public charities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Philanthropy Exchange A peer-to-peer networking platform that connects Council members through shared interests, topics, and resources. The platform enables members to ask questions, share resources, and collaborate with peers across the philanthropic sector.
• Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey (GSB) Annual survey conducted since 1980 providing the most comprehensive data on staff composition and compensation in the United States. Grantmakers use this report to plan budgets, benchmark personnel policies and practices, and determine salary levels.
• Mastering Foundation Law: The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources A comprehensive legal compendium providing guidance on foundation law, including chapters on disaster assistance, international grantmaking, fiscal sponsorship, self-dealing rules, expenditure responsibility, and other legal topics relevant to foundations.
• Community Foundations National Standards A program providing standards and accreditation for U.S. community foundations, ensuring they meet rigorous operational and ethical benchmarks for community leadership and donor stewardship.
• 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 philanthropy sector.
• Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments (CCSF) The field's most comprehensive study on investment and governance policies and practices, examining hundreds of private and community foundations representing over $100 billion in assets, covering returns, asset allocation, responsible investing, and governance.
• Legal Matters Training Series Legal training workshops tailored to meet the needs of different foundation types, addressing topics like self-dealing, community foundation administration, and corporate giving programs. Includes both virtual and in-person sessions.
• Global Grantmaking Essentials A training course providing a thorough overview of the laws governing global grantmaking, offering practical solutions for foundation staff responsible for making grants abroad.
• Leading Locally Conference An annual conference focused on place-based philanthropy, bringing together funders who find joy and purpose in community-focused grantmaking. Next scheduled: May 4-6, 2027 in Los Angeles.
• Council Awards An annual awards program recognizing excellence and achievement in the philanthropy sector.
• CF Leadership Coalition A policy and communications membership add-on designed to advance shared policy priorities, respond to emerging challenges, and strengthen the field of community foundations.
• Public Policy Action Network A members-only group of foundation leaders committing their voices, experiences, and networks to engage and educate federal elected officials to foster a policy environment in which philanthropy can thrive.
• Corporate Social Impact Staff Network A bi-monthly peer space for non-executive staff at corporate foundations and giving programs to strengthen connections, discuss issues, and engage in collaborative troubleshooting in a trusted environment.
• Asia-Pacific Funder Circle A peer-learning space for funders working across Asia-Pacific to share insights and discuss emerging legal, regulatory, and operating shifts affecting philanthropy in the region.
• Latin America and Caribbean Funder Circle A peer-learning space for funders working across Latin America and the Caribbean to share experiences and discuss legal, regulatory, and security dynamics affecting philanthropy in the region.
• SDG Learning Circle for Foundations A peer-led community for foundations working on advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals or seeking to learn how SDGs can fit within their work, with focus on US implementation.
• Better Stories, Better Language A three-part communications workshop series teaching foundation staff how to tell more complex, robust stories about the charitable sector and their work, aimed at rebuilding trust in philanthropy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2024 CCSF Study covered $104.9 billion in foundation assets from hundreds of foundations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• CommonfundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Commonfund to produce the annual Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study (CCSF) examining investment performance and practices at private and community foundations' endowments. The 2024 study examined hundreds of foundations representing $104.9 billion in total assets.
• Conrad N. Hilton FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2023Conrad N. Hilton Foundation co-chairs the Leadership Circle on Locally Led Development with the Council on Foundations and David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Committed to giving at least 25% of international grantmaking directly to local organizations.
• David and Lucile Packard FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2023David and Lucile Packard Foundation co-chairs the Leadership Circle on Locally Led Development with the Council on Foundations and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Committed to partner with philanthropy and governments to meet or exceed the 25% commitment for direct funding to local organizations.
• Additional 15 Foundations (Donor Statement Signatories)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 202315 global grantmakers including Fundación Avina, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, Ford Foundation, GHR Foundation, Humanity United, Imaginable Futures, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, McKnight Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Segal Family Foundation, Skoll Foundation, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation signed the Donor Statement on Supporting Locally Led Development at UN General Assembly.
• International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICNL co-hosts regional Funder Circles (Latin America & Caribbean, Asia-Pacific) with the Council to discuss emerging legal, regulatory, and operating shifts affecting philanthropy in different regions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers: National network of regional philanthropy serving associations that complements the Council on Foundations at the regional level and serves overlapping foundation members with peer networking and advocacy.
• Independent Sector: National membership organization that convenes and advocates for nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs — directly comparable to the Council on Foundations in mission, membership model, and policy advocacy role.
• National Council of Nonprofits: Network of state and regional nonprofit associations that advocates on behalf of the charitable sector, sharing the Council's combination of member services, policy advocacy, and convening function.
• BoardSource: National membership organization focused on nonprofit board governance and leadership, with a comparable membership-association model serving the broader nonprofit and foundation ecosystem.
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO): Membership community of philanthropic foundations focused on effectiveness and equity, offering peer learning, publications, and grantmaker convening — directly comparable mission and membership model.
• National Center for Family Philanthropy: Membership association serving family foundations and family philanthropic advisors with education, peer networks, and resources — a direct peer in the foundation-services membership space, though narrower in scope.
• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP): Professional membership association for fundraising professionals — comparable in membership dues model, certification programs, and chapter network, though focused on fundraising rather than grantmaking.
• Exponent Philanthropy: Membership association specifically for foundations with few or no staff and lean operations, offering peer learning, resources, and advocacy — directly comparable in membership-association model and foundation-services focus.

Emerging players

• Aspen Institute Philanthropy & Society: Program within the Aspen Institute that convenes philanthropic leaders, conducts research, and shapes policy discourse on philanthropy — comparable in thought-leadership and convening role though not a pure membership model.
• Candid: Provider of philanthropic data and research (formed from Foundation Center + GuideStar) that competes with the Council's data and information products while serving similar foundation and nonprofit audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/COF_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CouncilOnFoundations
• Facebookfacebook.com/CouncilonFoundations
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-on-foundations
• Instagraminstagram.com/councilonfoundations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Council on Foundations