Navigating IRS rules can feel overwhelming, but understanding the excise taxes that apply to private foundations is essential for staying compliant and protecting your charitable resources. These taxes exist to prevent misuse of assets, ensure funds serve the public good, and discourage activities that could compromise your mission. Whether you’re new to foundation management or... Read More
Legal insights provided by Arnold & Porter On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed a new tax bill into law, informally referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). Although several proposals were dropped from the legislation, the Tax Act contains a number of provisions relating to charitable giving and tax-exempt... Read More
Philanthropy has always operated in a contested political space. From the early 20th century to today, regulation of charitable activity has often reflected political reactions to social change rather than neutral tax policy. Foundations, especially those with few or no staff, often find themselves navigating that tension: balancing a mission to strengthen communities with evolving interpretations of what counts as “charitable.” ... Read More
On September 25, 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order addressing domestic terrorism and organized political violence. On December 4, 2025, the Attorney General issued a memorandum that “reshapes how domestic terrorism will be defined, investigated, charged, and resourced across the federal government.” Taken together, these developments prompted many funders to consider their possible... Read More
Most foundations don’t set out to break the rules. In fact, many self-dealing violations occur in situations that seem entirely reasonable: saving money, supporting a grantee, or simply making things easier to manage. But when it comes to private foundations, the rules around self-dealing are intentionally strict, and often counterintuitive. As Exponent Philanthropy’s How to... Read More
The self-dealing rules for private foundations can—and do—trip up even the most seasoned and well-intentioned funders. Do you make it a point to review the self-dealing rules each year and seek out expert advice? The general rule is this: Certain insiders known as “disqualified persons” are prohibited from engaging in a specific list of transactions... Read More
