The general rule is this: Certain insiders known as disqualified persons are prohibited from engaging in a specific list of transactions with a private foundation, unless exists a stated exception exists. If you are a board member, officer, or substantial contributor to a private foundation, you, your family members, and entities controlled by you must... Read More
Less than one-quarter of 1% of all tax returns filed by private foundations are examined by the Internal Revenue Service. Yet, certain states have seen an increase in attorney general inquiries (i.e., audits) into the operations of private foundations and components of the Form 990-PF, which usually accompanies a state filing. Attorney general audits can... Read More
Foundations may undergo three types of audits: independent audits (those elected by your foundation); Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits; and state-level audits. An independent audit happens when a foundation hires an outside auditor to assess its finances and show that it has internal controls and built-in checks and balances. Independent audits ensure that your foundation’s... Read More
As a first step toward determining if your foundation will benefit from a grants management system, discuss your priorities and parameters: What does your foundation want to track? Exponent Philanthropy members tend to track some or all of the following: Contact information for grant applicants and recipients (organizational and individual) Basic application information (e.g., amount... Read More
The Rockwell Fund, Inc., a private foundation in Houston, TX, recognized the significant infrastructure needs of local zip code assistance ministries, organizations named for the restrictions they placed on themselves to serve only those within their adjacent zip codes. Although these organizations were providing excellent direct services to the communities, many were lacking the support... Read More
“There’s almost no strictly ‘local’ philanthropy anymore,” says Exponent Philanthropy member Betty Curtis of the Atkinson Foundation in California. “As we become aware of how totally and globally our economic, social, and political lives are intertwined, we have the opportunity to design our grantmaking accordingly.” Even modest grants can have significant reach in developing countries.... Read More