Blog // Category Archives: private foundation

Part of a series on trends in philanthropy, ecosystem grantmaking is an emerging trend amongst Canadian funders. This is one case study.

A private foundation is more than just an entity that allows you to make donations to qualified donees. It is a legal structure and an operating corporation. Having a formal structure around your giving, like a private foundation, is just like having a business. The motivations for setting up these types of organizations range from purely altruistic to more technical as part of a tax planning solution. When looking at it from an altruistic perspective, it might be established as a tool to bring family members together, an entity to strengthen a corporate or family brand in a community or a financing solution to a complex social problem. This blog post explores the pitfalls of private foundations.