Come to San Diego
General Information About The Annual Conference
Registration and Housing
Costs for going to the Annual Confernce
Who can go?
Times and Dates and Places
Multi-media CD-ROM that includes both the audio recording plus the PowerPoint/handout presentation material, a complete list of exhibitors and important information from COF.
Important documents to help you
information on how to exhibit and sponsorship opportunities
Contact Council staff
Travel info to California

Registration Eligibility

Registration Requirements for Non-Members

Non-member organizations should refer to the eligibility guidelines below. If you are unsure about your eligibility to attend, please contact Anita Marsh by e-mail at membership@cof.org or by telephone at 202/467-0463.

U.S.-Based Public Foundations

Non-members are eligible to attend only if they meet the following criteria:

  • The foundation’s direct grant program is at least $60,000 per year,
  • at least 50 percent of the total organization budget is for direct grants to multiple individuals or organizations (not just to subsidiary chapters or organizations and/or to pre-selected grantee organizations, as in federated funds) and
  • funding is predominantly private rather than public (governmental).

If your foundation meets these criteria, your registration form and the following must be received by March 18, 2005 (on-site registration not available): a copy of the latest Form 990 complete with all schedules; a copy of your organization’s IRS determination letter; and a copy of the latest annual report or a letter (signed by an officer of the organization), providing a brief history of the organization’s charitable activities, including the goals of the grantmaking program and any limitations based on geography, grant subject matter or other factors.

In your cover note, please confirm that you will respect the Council’s no-solicitation rule, which ensures an environment where grantmakers can improve their grantmaking skills and peer network free from grant or business solicitation.

U.S.-Based Community Foundations

Submit a copy of the organization’s IRS determination letter and most recent Form 990 along with a copy of the most recent annual report or a letter describing the goals of the grantmaking program, including any limitations based on geography, grant subject matter or other factors. The following criteria must also be met: the building of an endowment is central to the nature of the foundation. It serves a specific geographic area. Within that geographic area, its grants affect a broad range of community life. It has public charity status, and is primarily a service to donors.

Other Foundations/Corporate Giving Programs

Your organization’s listing in the Foundation Directory or Guide to U.S. Foundations may suffice. If no such listing exists, please submit the following:

For a non-member private, operating or company foundation, provide a copy of the organization’s IRS determination letter.

For a non-member corporate giving program, submit a copy of the latest annual report or a letter (signed by an officer of the organization), providing the goals of the grantmaking program, including any limitations based on geography, office location, grant subject matter or other factors, plus the name, address and phone number of the contact for grant information.

Foundations Based Outside the United States

Non-member grantmaking organizations based outside the United States should submit the following:

A copy of the latest annual report or a letter (signed by an officer of the organization), providing a brief history of the organization’s charitable activities, including the goals of the grantmaking program and any limitations based on geography, grant subject matter or other factors; and

Complete financial statements (preferably the English translation) for the most recent fiscal year, establishing that the organization’s primary activity is

  1. the operation of a grant program for direct grants to multiple individuals or organizations (typically defined as a grant program that is at least 40 percent of the total organizational budget and at least U.S. $25,000 per year),
  2. not relevant to corporate giving programs, and
  3. funding is predominantly from nongovernmental sources.

Banks and Trust Companies

Non-member representatives from banks, trust companies and organizations that manage trust funds are eligible to attend if they are sponsored by a member foundation/corporation. To qualify for the member rate, they must register under that foundation/corporation. Representatives who wish to register under the name of a bank, trust company or managing organization must pay the non-member rate.

Consultants/Legal Counsel

Foundations/corporations wishing to register active consultants/legal counsel must register them under the foundation/corporation name. In addition, they must include a letter from the sponsoring organization, noting that the registrant is an active consultant of the foundation/corporation.

Media

All conference sessions are open to the news media. Representatives of nonprofit organization newsletters with no general circulation or paid subscription base are not considered members of the working press and news media. For more information, please contact Jeff Martin, the Council’s director of media relations, at 202/467-0265.

Federal Government Officials

Federal government officials whose primary responsibilities are grantmaking programs may attend. You must include a letter or printed material explaining the nature of the grantmaking activities.

Non-Member Fees

If you are not a member of the Council on Foundations, you must pay the non-member conference fee. Pending applications or applications sent with the registration form do not guarantee membership with the Council on Foundations and do not qualify you for the member conference fee. If you pay the non-member conference fee and your application for Council membership is approved by December 31, 2005, the difference in member versus non-member conference fees will be credited to your organization’s dues payment. For further information on conference eligibility, please contact Anita Marsh at 202/467-0463 or marsA@cof.org.

New Foundations

The Annual Conference is an important meeting ground for foundations, and we want to hear the voices of new foundations. As part of our “Building Strong and Ethical Foundations: Doing It Right” program, we’re offering a special half-price registration and half-price membership dues rate to new, non-member foundations. For specific eligibility information and more details, please contact the Council’s membership department at membership@cof.org or 202/467-0291.

Not eligible to register but still want to be part of the Council on Foundations’ 2005 Annual Conference? Consider being an exhibitor, advertiser or sponsor. Whether you choose one or more of these options, the conference will provide you and your company broad exposure to grantmaking executives. These key decision makers are constantly seeking additional resources, new ideas and services, as well as professional consulting assistance to enhance and strengthen their grantmaking efforts.

To find out more, contact Paul Ust at 202/467-0388 ustp@cof.org.

About the Council

The Council on Foundations is a membership organization of more than 2,000 grantmaking foundations and giving programs worldwide. We provide leadership expertise, legal services and networking opportunities—among other services—to our members and to the general public.

Council on Foundations No Solicitation Rule

This conference is not intended to be an opportunity for solicitation of any kind, including solicitation for business, fund management or grants.