Resource Hub

Featured content for prospective donors, established private foundations, corporations, and professional advisors.

Getting to Know Foundation Source

You Supply the Vision; We Provide Everything Else

Whether you plan to create a new private foundation, or have already established one, your philanthropy can be more effective and efficient when you have a team of experts to support the operations of your foundation, assist with compliance and nurture your legacy.

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Report on Private Foundations – Endowments
2021 Report on Private Foundations – Endowments

Proprietary Insights into Private Foundation Activity

Our 2021 Report on Private Foundations – Endowments analyzes the endowment activities of more than 1,000 private and family foundations.

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Calculating the Minimum Distribution Requirement

A Guide for Private Foundation Distribution Rules

Learn how to calculate the foundation’s minimum distribution requirement.

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10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do with Your Foundation

Limitless Philanthropic Capabilities

Learn about the many creative options to reach your philanthropic goals that are only available through a private family foundation.

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Grants to Individuals

Using a Private Foundation to Give Directly to People in Need

Discover how a foundation can give directly to individuals and families in need.

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The Top 10 Advantages of Having a Private Foundation

Get More from Your Giving

Discover the advantages of giving through a private foundation instead of giving as an individual donor.

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Questions About Private Foundations
Frequently Asked Questions About Private Foundations

Investments, Governance, and Compliance

Get answers to common questions about private foundations.

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private foundation and donor-advised fund
Private Foundations & Donor-Advised Funds

A Side-By-Side Comparison

Compare the tax advantages, philanthropic options, and operational differences of the two charitable vehicles.

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A Guide to Naming Your Foundation

Choosing a Name That Reflects Your Intent

Choose a name that reflects your intent.

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20 Years: Foundation Source by the Numbers

For more than two decades Foundation Source has brought unparalleled knowledge and expertise to private foundations nationwide. Here are some […]

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Foundation Source Online

Total Control at Your Fingertips

Learn how our web-based command center simplifies control, communication, and collaboration among private foundation members.

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Detailed Description of Services

The Trusted Partner Behind America’s Foundations

Discover all the services Foundation Source provides for private foundation administration, compliance, tax, and philanthropic advisory.

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Foundation Source In Brief

A Guide to What We Can Do for You

Everything you need to keep a private foundation running efficiently, effectively, and compliantly.

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Your Unique Foundation, Our Individualized Service

Tailored Solutions for Your Specific Needs

Tailored Solutions for Your Specific Needs.

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Foundation Source Online

Private Foundation Management Technology

Test drive our web-based command center to help foundations with grantmaking, grants management, charity research, and collaboration.

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The Benefits of Working with Foundation Source

A Complete Outsourced Solution for Private Foundations

Get all the benefits of a foundation along with ease and simplicity.

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Getting Started with Foundation Source ATTY

A Guide for Attorneys

Learn how Foundation Source works with attorneys to help them serve their private foundation clients.

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Family Philanthropy & Foundation Source

Foundation Source Clients Discuss the Importance of Philanthropy In Their Lives.

Hear directly from Foundation Source clients and their financial advisors about the benefits of having a family foundation and how Foundation Source can help.

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How to Help Families Make the Most of Their Philanthropy

Philanthropy is much more than making donations—it’s an effective way of sharing values across generations and illustrating personal and family […]

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How to Incorporate Philanthropy Into Your Practice

Best practices for wealth managers on engaging with charitable clients

We recently hosted a panel discussion with two talented wealth advisors who regularly assist their high-net-worth clients—mostly family offices and […]

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5 Tips to Maximize Year-End Giving

Good Tidings to Make Your Charitable Contributions Go Further

Giving to charity is now easier than ever—especially during the holidays. Whether writing a check, opting to “round up” at […]

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Evaluate a Nonprofit
Every Dollar Counts: How to Evaluate a Nonprofit

10 Questions to Ask Before Making a Donation

Donating to charity is an act of faith in the possibility of a better world—that’s why every dollar counts. And […]

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Philanthropy in Transition

Navigating the Shifting Tax Landscape

In September 2021, we sat down with leading experts in tax exempt organizations and philanthropy to have a timely conversation […]

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2021 REPORT ON PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS – GRANTMAKING
2021 Report on Private Foundations – Grantmaking

Proprietary Insights into Private Foundation Activity

Read our proprietary report on clients’ grantmaking behavior.

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Foundation Source Infographic - Foundations Answered the Call
Infographic: Foundations Answered the Call

A look into where Private Foundations focused their giving in 2020

See our proprietary insights on clients’ grantmaking behavior.

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INFOGRAPHIC: 2020 GIVING BY THE NUMBERS
Infographic: 2020 Giving by the Numbers

See where private foundations focused their giving in 2020

See our proprietary insights on clients’ grantmaking behavior.

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Video: 2021 Report on Private Foundations

Foundation Source's CEO & President Sunil Garga Announces New Report

Hear Foundation Source's CEO & President Sunil Garga's commentary on the report.

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Where Experts Go For Expertise

Philanthropic specialists to help foster holistic client relationships

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Why Charitable Expertise Should Be Part of Your Practice

If you feel like helping clients give their money away is counterintuitive–or counterproductive–to the value you can provide as a […]

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Help Your Clients Change the World

Philanthropic expertise for holistic client relationships

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Driving Change

A Guide to Entrepreneurial Philanthropy

Apply business-like thinking and get more from your giving.

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Engaging the Family In Your Philanthropy

Creative Strategies and Practical Approaches to Involving the Next Generation

Discover proven techniques for getting the next generation interested and involved.

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Is a Private Foundation Right for You?

Benefits and Considerations Beyond the Tax Savings

Understand the critical differences between a private foundation and a donor-advised fund.

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21st Century Private Foundations: Outsourcing for Impact

10 Benefits of Outsourcing for Family Offices

Learn how family offices can free up resources by hiring a third-party administrator for the family foundation.

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Foundation Planning Guide

Help Your Clients Reduce Tax Obligations and Advance Their Charitable Giving

Identify scenarios where a private foundation can be useful for wealth planning, tax planning, and estate planning, while giving back to society.

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Tax Benefits of a Private Foundation

Reduced Income Tax Is Just the Beginning

Explore the financial advantages of establishing a private foundation.

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Corporate Philanthropy Services

Outsourced Support Services to Simplify Your Company’s Charitable Giving

Discover outsourced support services for CSR, corporate giving programs, and corporate foundations.

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Getting Started with Foundation Source PWM

A Guide for Wealth Advisors

Learn how Foundation Source works with wealth managers and financial advisors to help them serve their private foundation clients.

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Strategic Philanthropy

Five Approaches to Making a Difference

Explore checkbook, responsive, entrepreneurial, venture philanthropy as well as collective impact.

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When Business Meets Purpose

Peter Thum, Ethos Water founder

Ethos Water founder Peter Thum talks about the characteristics that drive effective social entrepreneurs

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Client Case Studies

Bringing Philanthropic Visions to Life

Learn how Foundation Source clients bring their philanthropic visions to life.

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The Best of All Possible Worlds – Private Foundations and Donor-Advised Funds

Combine a private foundation with a donor-advised fund for philanthropic and financial synergy.

When families and their advisors contemplate establishing a charitable vehicle, they often compare and contrast the advantages of private foundations […]

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Client Case Study: Direct Charitable Activities

Accomplishing Mission, Cutting Costs

Discover how Foundation Source helped a client achieve his philanthropic goals while preserving more capital for mission.

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Client Case Study: Building a Legacy to Last

Using Scholarships to Cement Community Ties

Explore how a Foundation Source client used her foundation to award scholarships, cementing ties to her home community and building an enduring family legacy.

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Client Case Study: Literacy Partnership

Connecting a Foundation to an Opportunity

Learn how Foundation Source connected a client to a unique opportunity to advance childhood literacy.

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Client Case Study: Donating Real Estate for Charitable Use

Preserving an Architecturally Significant Home

Discover how the philanthropic capabilities of a private foundation helped one client save an architecturally significant house.

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Client Case Study: Awards Programs

Ensuring a Compliant Program for STEM Students

Discover how a corporate foundation leveraged Foundation Source to design a cash awards program that incentivized STEM students and steered clear of compliance issues.

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Client Case Study: Matching Gift Program

Keeping a Family Tradition Alive

Explore a custom solution for a family foundation’s complex, high-volume, gift-matching program.

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Client Case Study: Supporting Shelter Volunteers

Offering Financial Support

Learn how Foundation Source enabled its client to support a nonprofit’s dedicated volunteers.

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Client Case Study: Organizing and Informing Giving

The Advantages of Using an Online Platform

Discover how Foundation Source’s research tools transformed the way our client makes her grants.

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Client Case Study: Preserving Anonymity

Protecting a Family's Privacy While Giving

Learn how an innovative solution from Foundation Source helped a client protect their family’s privacy while bringing comfort to those who grieve.

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Client Case Study: Reducing a Corporate Foundation’s Workload

Taming a High-Volume Grant Program

Learn how Foundation Source’s online grants management solution streamlined the entire process.

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Client Case Study: Spreading Cultural Awareness

Taking Advantage of Direct Charitable Activities

Learn how a Foundation Source client funded a documentary through their private foundation.

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Raising A Generous Generation

How to Engage Your Children

Tips on using a family foundation to teach empathy and inspire generosity.

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Entrepreneurial Philanthropy

How to Drive Change

Revolutionize your giving and maximize impact by applying the totality of your skills, experience, and social network.

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Insuring a Private Foundation’s Financial Future

A Life Insurance Policy Can Extend Funding Beyond the Donor’s Lifetime

Learn how a life insurance policy can extend funding of a private foundation beyond the donor's lifetime.

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My Father’s Shadow

Author Christina Lewis Halpern

Author Christina Lewis Halpern shares her struggles and ultimate triumph to emerge from her famous father's shadow

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The Foundation Source Portal

A Guided Tour

Take a guided tour of The Foundation Source Portal, which connects our clients to helpful philanthropic resources and to a secure network of their Foundation Source peers.

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Succession Happens

Mary Galeti

Mary Galeti shares how the family foundation became a tool for legacy and personal discovery

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IRS Rules & Compliance Procedures

Presentation to the San Francisco Estate Planning Council

Excerpts from Jeff Haskell's presentation to the San Francisco Estate Planning Council.

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Introduction to the Client Portal

Where Clients Learn, Share, Connect

Foundation Source provides the service and tools clients need to get more from their giving.

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State Filing Requirements for Private Foundations

Choosing a State of Incorporation

Get guidance around the considerations.

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One Foundation Multiple Time Zones

How to Meet the Challenge of Geographical Dispersion

Keep the foundation going when family members move away.

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One Entrepreneur’s Fearless Approach to Sparking Social Change

Internet pioneer Jean Case

Internet pioneer Jean Case talks about being fearless when taking an entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy

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Limitations on Charitable Deductions

Private Foundations and Donor-Advised Funds

Compare the tax deductibility of private foundations and donor-advised funds.

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10 Rules Every Foundation Should Know About Compliance

A Guide to Issues and Potential Pitfalls

Foundation Source IRS regulations are often complicated and sometimes gray. Learn 10 basic rules on foundation compliance.

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Amplify Your Impact Through Passion, Networks, & Risk

Foundation Source client Carrie Morgridge, author and Vice President of the Morgridge Family Foundation

Carrie Morgridge reveals her personal philanthropic journey and how she embraces risk and learns from mistakes

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Advanced Grantmaking & Compliance

For Attorneys Advising Private Foundations

Learn about all the advanced grantmaking options available to a private foundation and special IRS compliance considerations.

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2019 Foundation Source Annual Report on Private Foundations

2019

Read our proprietary report on clients’ grantmaking behavior and investment performance.

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Next Gen Leads Family Foundation Transition

Katherine Lorenz, Emerging philanthropist of The Giving Pledge

Katherine Lorenz is an emerging philanthropist making change in distinctive and innovative ways

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The Foundation of a Philanthropic Family

Make Giving Back a Family Enterprise

Creating an internal mission for your foundation can help you build family unity while giving back to society.

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Succession Without Tears

Create a Plan for Leadership Transition

Plan for a transition of foundation leadership.

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Junior Board Helps Young Philanthropist Soar

Sarina Dayal, Tarsadia Foundation’s Junior Board Member

Sarina Dayal relates how serving on the foundation’s junior board imparts leadership skills

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The White House on Racial Equality & Philanthropy

Michael Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of Cabinet Affairs for My Brother’s Keeper

Michael Smith discusses his work at My Brother's Keeper and the initiative's progress

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Foundation Source Results

You Made the Grant—But Did You Make a Difference?

Automate the process of collecting follow-up information from grantees to monitor performance and track the impact of your foundation's grants.

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Where Mission Meets Money

Formulating a Foundation Spending Plan

Learn how to budget for each area of interest to narrow the universe of funding possibilities

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Next Gen Donors: Respecting Legacy, Revolutionizing Philanthropy

Researcher Michael Moody, PhD

Michael Moody PhD reveals key research findings on these high capacity donors and how they are changing philanthropy

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From Founder-Led to Family-Centered Foundation

Navigating a Critical Phase of Foundation Transition

Learn how to navigate the transition from founder-led private foundation to one that includes other family members and the next generation.

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The Secret to Passing on Your Philanthropic Legacy

Philanthropist Sharna Goldseker

Sharna Goldseker shares how personal narratives can impact your personal identity and your philanthropy

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Selling A Major Business Asset

And Achieving Philanthropic Objectives at the Same Time

Read three case studies to help financial advisors understand the potential opportunity to help their clients achieve their philanthropic objectives when selling a family business

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Foundation Source Premier Services

Our Highest Level of Support

Customized service and support for private foundations with larger endowments and sophisticated grantmaking

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Philanthropic Advisory Services

Philanthropic Guidance When and How You Need It

Get expert philanthropic guidance for private foundations on mission development, grantmaking strategies, and improving family dynamics.

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How to Raise Compassionate Kids

Susan Crites Price, family philanthropy expert and author

Susan Crites Price explains how to use real-world and digital tools to inspire compassion and teach the fundamentals of philanthropy

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Women in Philanthropy

Jacki Zehner, Chief Engagement Officer of Women Moving Millions and President of The Jacqueline and Gregory Zehner Foundation, and Dr. Debra Mesch, Director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute

A discussion about gender difference in giving and their significance as more women take the help to effect social change

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The 990-PF: How to Reap Savings and Avoid Pitfalls

Instructions for IRS Form 990-PF

Learn the common mistakes made when filing an IRS 990-PF tax return for a private foundation as well as opportunities for tax savings.

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Advanced Tax Strategies for Private Foundations

Tips for reducing tax liability and preserving endowment value

Discover advanced tax strategies to help private foundations reduce taxes and preserve endowments.

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Increase Your Impact by 95%!

Kristin Hull, signatory of the Divest Invest Philanthropy Pledge

Kristen Hull offers advice on how next-generation trustees can introduce impact investing to their family foundations

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Foundation Source Requests

Streamline Your Grants Management Process

An online solution to help private foundations accept, review, and manage requests for grants

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Considering Converting Your Foundation to a Donor-Advised Fund?

7 Points to Consider

Make sure you understand all the implications before you make an irrevocable choice.

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8 Questions to Consider Before Making a Donation

How to Evaluate a Nonprofit

Asking the right questions can help you make an informed decision about where to donate.

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private foundation and donor-advised fund
Private Foundations and Donor-Advised Funds

Critical Differences That May Matter to Your Clients

Review these important distinctions before making a recommendation.

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Services for Corporate Giving Programs

Simplify the Management of Your Corporate Giving Program

Explore our award-winning technology platform and expert guidance to help you manage your company's corporate giving program.

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Just Say No

The Art of the Grant Request Turndown

Learn the constructive approach to rejecting errant grant requests.

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Direct Charitable Activities

A Foundation Can Run Its Own Programs

Learn how private foundations can run their own charitable programs.

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Creating A Mission Statement

When Is the Time Right?

Learn why you should create a mission statement—but not necessarily right away.

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Raising Children amid Privilege & Wealth

Author and nationally recognized wealth advisor Coventry Edwards-Pitt

Guidance and real-world examples to help parents of means bring up their children to be happy, healthy, and generous adults

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Form 1023: Proceed with Caution

This Filing Is a Potential Trap for the Unwary

Understand the potential pitfalls when completing Form 1023 for exempt status.

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Donating Real Estate

When It Makes Sense for Both Donor and Foundation

Learn the specific circumstances when it makes sense to donate real estate to a private foundation and when it doesn't.

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Program-Related Equity Investments

Furthering Your Charitable Purpose by Investing in For-Profit Entities

Further your charitable purpose by investing in for-profit entities and earning a return on that investment.

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Program-Related Investments

An Overview of Grant Alternatives

Use loans, loan guarantees, and equity investments to advance a private foundation's charitable mission.

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Program-Related Investment Loan Guarantees

Extend Credit to a Grantee

Learn how loan guarantees allow a private foundation to extend its credit to a grantee without disbursing cash.

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Discretionary Grantmaking

Should Your Foundation Let Members Go Solo?

Consider giving foundation members a portion of funds to donate as individuals.

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Comparing Operating and Non-Operating Foundations

Make the Right Choice to Achieve Your Goals

Understand which type of private foundation would be best suited to accomplish your charitable mission.

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Built to Last: A 4th Generation Foundation Still Going Strong

Peter Haas, a fellow of the Haas family’s William Penn Foundation

Learn what it takes to keep a foundation vital and effective for more than four generations

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Comparing Public Charities and Private Foundations

Understanding the Differences

Understand the essential differences between public charities and private foundations.

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Conducting Your Annual Review

Look Back to Move Forward

Learn why conducting a full and thoughtful review of your foundation's past grantmaking and social impact can help craft meaningful goals for moving forward.

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The Conduit Election

Get Public Charity Tax Treatment for Private Foundation Contributions

Learn how to get public charity tax treatment for contributions to a private foundation.

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Corporate Foundation Services

Simplify Management of Your Corporate Foundation

Simplify management of a corporate foundation.

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Privately Held Stock within a Private Foundation

Considerations When Investing in or Funding a Foundation with Privately Held Stock

Bear these key points in mind when a foundation’s portfolio includes investments in privately held stock.

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How Expenses Can Increase Philanthropic Impact

Consider Them an Investment in More Strategic Grantmaking

Learn why cutting foundation expenses to the bone may result in less effective grantmaking.

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Stretching Family Control Over Charitable Interests

A Private Foundation Is the Key

Learn how CRTs and CLTs can be used in conjunction with a private foundation to extend family control over these charitable giving vehicles.

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Global Grantmaking

Using a Private Foundation to Give Beyond Borders

Learn the many options for giving to organizations outside of the United States.

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Your Foundation, Only Better

10 Ways Outsourcing Can Help You Create a Better Foundation

Learn how outsourcing private foundation administration and management can improve foundation operations and reduce risk of compliance issues.

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The Advantages of Set-Asides

Funding Projects That Require Long-Term Support

Learn how private foundation set-asides can be used to fund ambitious projects that require long-term support.

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Site Visit Basics

When and How to Take a Closer Look at a Potential Grantee

Learn how to conduct a fact-finding visit to a potential grantee.

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Options for Managing a Private Foundation

Make the Best Choice for Your Needs

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of six options for managing your private foundation.

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Turning Philanthropy Inside Out

David Callahan, founder and editor of Inside Philanthropy

Inside Philanthropy founder David Callahan analyzes current philanthropic trends and shares recommendations to achieve impact

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Contributions to Private Foundations of Tangible Personal Property

The Helicopter Story

Explore the benefits and considerations around donating artwork, jewelry, cars, and other personal property to a private foundation.

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Foundation Payroll Services

Discover a turnkey, cost-efficient solution for paying employees and independent contractors.

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Involving Non-Family Members in the Foundation

Whether and How to Include Outsiders

Learn the benefits and considerations of including non-family members on a family foundation board.

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Growing Pains and Possibilities

Planning for Growth in Your Family Foundation

Understand and prepare for the challenges that accompany a sudden significant increase in foundation assets.

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Reducing the Tax Liability of Appreciated Assets

How to Save with a Private Foundation

Recognize the circumstances when donating highly appreciated assets to a private foundation can benefit both entities.

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Keeping Your Corporate Foundation Compliant

Five Common Compliance Pitfalls

Learn the five common compliance pitfalls for corporate foundations and how to avoid them.

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Investing in Hedge Funds

Guidance for Private Foundations

Hedge funds can be a beneficial addition to a foundation portfolio, but they come with special considerations.

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Benefits of Offering Private Foundation Services

Wealth Managers Have Much to Gain When Engaging Their Clients Around Their Choice of Charitable Vehicle

Discover the benefits of providing private foundation services to your charitable clients.

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Impact Investing by Private Foundations

Putting Assets in Service of Mission

Learn how to use both private foundation endowments and grant budgets to generate positive social impact.

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Foundation Transitions

Guidance and Discussion Points for Weathering Change

Prepare for common inflection points, including bringing in the next generation, an increase of assets, change in leadership or staff, and dispersal of family members.

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Foundation Compliance Monitoring

Oversight at the Point of Transaction

Help ensure private foundation clients remain in compliance with oversight at the point of transaction.

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Establishing Your Private Foundation

A Fast and Proven Service for Starting New Foundations

Get fast, experienced help to set up your private foundation.

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The Foundation Source First Annual Report on Private Foundations

2012

Survey of actual transaction data from private foundations that are Foundation Source clients.

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2013 Foundation Source Annual Report on Private Foundations

2013

Read our proprietary report on clients’ grantmaking behavior and investment performance.

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2014 Foundation Source Annual Report on Private Foundations

2014

Read our proprietary report on clients’ grantmaking behavior and investment performance.

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2015 Foundation Source Annual Report on Private Foundations

2015

Read our proprietary report on clients’ grantmaking behavior and investment performance.

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Trends in Private Foundation Investment

Read our proprietary report on clients’ investment performance.

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Foundation Source Report on Grantmaking

2017

Read our proprietary report on clients’ grantmaking behavior.

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Private Foundation Investment Performance Report

2017

Read our proprietary report on clients’ grantmaking behavior and investment performance.

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2018 Foundation Source Annual Report on Private Foundations

2018

Read our proprietary report on clients’ grantmaking behavior and investment performance.

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Good Works, Better Business

Wealth Managers on Charitable Giving Planning

Read our survey of financial advisors about how charitable planning impacts their business.

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Family Engagement Survey

Findings from a 2016 Foundation Source Client Survey

Read our survey about cultivating family engagement with a private foundation.

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Soliciting Funding from Family Foundations

Findings from a 2019 Foundation Source Client Survey

Read our survey that reveals specialized strategies needed to approach this largely untapped source of funding.

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Foundation Source Client Philanthropy Survey

Findings from a 2013 Foundation Source Client Survey

How financial advisors can add value to client relationships by offering philanthropic advice.

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Survey: Seeking Philanthropic Advice from Financial Advisors

Findings from a 2015 Foundation Source Client Survey

Read how donors engage (or fail to engage) their financial advisors around philanthropy.

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Preserving Donor Intent

Prevent Mission Drift but Retain Adaptability

Strike the right balance between too much and too little control.

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7 Steps to Selecting an Ideal Nonprofit Partner

Lay the Groundwork for a Long-Term, High-Impact Relationship

Discover how corporations can lay the groundwork for a successful philanthropic partnership.

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10 Exciting Capabilities of Corporate Foundations

Grants Are Just the Beginning

Expand the range of philanthropic options with a corporate foundation.

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Employer-Related Scholarships

Making Education More Affordable for Employees and Their Families

Learn how a corporate foundation can be used to award scholarships to employees and their children.

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The Benefits of Strategic Partnership

Achieve Philanthropic and Corporate Objectives with Nonprofit Partners

Learn how to advance corporate giving objectives by forming long-term strategic partnerships with nonprofits.

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Expanding Your Reach

Foundation Agents Can Be Your “Boots on the Ground”

Expand your foundation’s geographic reach and get “boots on the ground” by appointing agents.

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Pitfalls of Personal Pledges

A Foundation Can Make a Grant but Can’t Cover a Pledge

Understand the distinction between a personal pledge and a pledge made on behalf of the foundation.

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Tips for the Talk

Productive Client Conversations Around Philanthropy

Improve your client conversations around philanthropy with these valuable tips.

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Your Foundation’s Financials

An Explanation of Our Process and Practices

Understand our process and practices for handling a private foundation’s financials.

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Charitable Vehicle Guide

Five Approaches to Charitable Giving

Compare five methods of charitable giving and discover which approach might be best suited to your clients’ financial and philanthropic goals.

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Family Foundations: Getting Started

Complete Support Services to Establish and Help Manage Your Family Foundation

Establish and manage your family foundation with our comprehensive services.

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Build A Better Family with a Private Foundation

Helping Others is Just the Beginning

Explore the ways in which a private foundation can help you build a better family today and for generations to come.

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Compensating Foundation Insiders

Ensuring Pay Is Both “Reasonable and Necessary”

Know the rules around paying insiders for their work on the foundation.

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Tickets, Tables, and (Possible) Trouble

Avoiding the Compliance Pitfalls of Fundraisers and Galas

Enjoy galas and fundraisers but steer clear of these compliance pitfalls.

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Foundation Forever?

How to Decide Between Sunset and Perpetuity

Get guidance around whether your foundation should exist in perpetuity or sunset after a set period.

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Validating the Tax Status of Grantees

Why, When, and How to Do It

Understand the requirement and how to fulfill it.

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Starting a Private Foundation

Get the Foundation You Want with Speed, Convenience, and Simplicity

Discover how the “charitable vehicle of choice” can also be extremely easy to operate.

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Corporate Foundations: Getting Started

The Benefits of Establishing a Corporate Foundation

Learn how a corporate foundation can improve the impact and focus of a company's charitable activities.

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Our Clients’ Foundations Are Fully Staffed, Day One (Infographic)

We Serve as Your Virtual Staff

Our clients’ foundations are “fully staffed” day one.

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Impact Investing and Private Foundations

Findings from a 2019 Foundation Source Client Survey

Learn how private foundations create investment strategies that create social and environmental impact while also generating a financial return.

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The Secret to Joyful Giving

Tips for Cultivating Genuine Enjoyment

Make giving more joyful, personal, and tangible with these tips from Foundation Source.

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Getting Started with Your Corporate Foundation

A Guide to Corporate Foundation Operations

Learn about the full benefits of a corporate foundation and their operational requirements.

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Foundation Source Fundamental

Everything Your Foundation Needs and Nothing More

Learn how to calculate the foundation’s minimum distribution requirement.

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Your Law Firm and Foundation Source

Partnering to Help Your Clients Establish and Run Their Private Foundations

Discover how we work with law firms.

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Your Family Office and Foundation Source

Outsourced Services that Help You Support the Family’s Private Foundation

Discover how we work with Family Offices

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Your CPA Practice and Foundation Source

Partnering to Help Your Clients Run Their Private Foundations

Discover how we work with CPAs.

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Grant Agreements

Protecting Your Philanthropic Goals When Making a Major Gift

Make sure a major gift is used according to your wishes.

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Capacity Building

How to Maximize Your Grantees’ Effectiveness

Maximize your grantee’s effectiveness by strengthening their organization.

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Getting to Know Foundation Source

You Supply the Vision; We Provide Everything Else

Whether you plan to create a new private foundation, or have already established one, your philanthropy can be more effective and efficient when you have a team of experts to support the operations of your foundation, assist with compliance and nurture your legacy.

Read the Brochure
Foundation Management

Do It Yourself vs. Outsourcing

Foundation Source revolutionized the private foundation as a giving vehicle by developing award-winning technology and efficient processes that dramatically streamline foundation creation and ongoing administration.

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Top 5 Ways Private Foundations Can Get In Trouble

And How to Avoid Them

Recognize five common pitfalls.

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The Top Five Benefits of Private Foundations for Families

Help Build a Stronger Family

Learn how a private foundation can help forge a stronger family.

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Corporation or Trust?

Choosing the Right Structure for Your Foundation

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of two possible structures for your private foundation.

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Succession Planning for Foundation Boards

Challenge, Opportunity, and a Path Forward

Make a plan for a change in board leadership.

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Corporate Foundation Pitchbook – Advisors

07-07-20

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Personal Fulfillment

A Private Foundation Can Improve Families as Well as Help Others

Hear how a private foundation can instill a sense of personal fulfillment.

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Advisors Talk About Private Foundations

The Value of Private Foundations for Deepening Client Relationships

Watch financial advisors talk about the value of private foundations for deepening client relationships and how Foundation Source can help.

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Giving in the Time of COVID-19

Considerations for Responding to the Current Crisis

Respond effectively to the demands of an altered landscape.

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Scholarships: Funding Tomorrow’s Heroes

Awarding Scholarships Lifts Individuals for the Benefit of All

Award scholarships to lift individuals and entire communities.

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Donating Tangible Assets

Alternatives to Selling Art and Collectibles

Consider the benefits of donating a collection of art or other personal property to your own private foundation.

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Bringing Family Together

Uniting Families Through Philanthropy

Discover how a private foundation brings families together and bridges multiple generations.

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Foundation Source Online

Clients Discuss Managing Their Foundations with Our Technology Platform

See how our clients use our award-winning technology platform—built specifically for the needs of managing a private foundation.

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Benefits of a Private Foundation

Benefits that Derive from a Private Foundation

View our clients discussing the personal and societal benefits of a private foundation.

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Developing Relationships with Client Families

Developing Relationships With a Client's Family

Watch Diana DiLanni, Managing Director, Merrill Lynch, discuss how a private foundation helps forge enduring ties to a client’s entire family.

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Challenge, Meet Solution: A Guide for Financial Advisors

Tax, Estate, and Other Wealth-Planning Challenges

Discover how a private foundation may be the key to unlocking a host of important benefits for your clients.

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Challenge, Meet Solution

Philanthropic and Personal Challenges

In this guide, you'll learn how a private foundation may be the key to unlocking a host of important benefits to expand your philanthropy.

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Meet This Moment and Those To Come

Expand Your Foundation’s Capacity, Secure Its Future

Realize 10 important benefits when you outsource foundation management.

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The Better Bequest

Why Your Estate Plan Should Include a Private Foundation

Discover why, when planning your estate, you might want to contribute to your own private foundation instead of leaving a bequest to nonprofit organizations.

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Building a Successful Foundation: Part 1

Foundation Source & Family Business Magazine

Watch a recorded conversation with Foundation Source Senior Philanthropic Director Robyn Hullihan and Family Business Magazine.

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Building a Successful Foundation: Part 2

Foundation Source & Family Business Magazine

Watch a recorded conversation with Foundation Source Senior Philanthropic Director Robyn Hullihan and Family Business Magazine.

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Building Philanthropy Strategically

A Foundation Source Workshop

Join Foundation Source’s Philanthropic Directory team as they present a workshop on how to strategically build philanthropy.

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2020 Client Survey – The Year That Changed Everything

How Private Foundations Met this Moment

Read how Foundation Source clients evolved their grantmaking to meet a year of unprecedented challenge.

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Grant Processing

Learn how Foundation Source takes care of the myriad compliance, processing, and reporting details for each and every grant.

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Private Foundations vs. Donor-Advised Funds

A Forbes Top Advisor Discussion at the 2020 Virtual Top Advisors Summit

Watch as Josh Stamer, Foundation Source Senior Managing Director, and Zach Stagg, Hollencrest VP of Private Client Services, discuss the critical differences between private foundations and donor-advised funds.

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Estate Planning with a Private Foundation

If you are charitably minded, but would like more control over your charitable contributions and want your charitable impact to extend past your death, setting up a private foundation can be an important part of your estate planning.

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Client Survey on Philanthropic Advice

October 2015

This new survey from Foundation Source shows how donors engage (or fail to engage) their financial advisors around philanthropy.

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