Eligibility Policy

Conference registration is open to all Council on Foundations members. Nonmember 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

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.

U.S.-Based Community Foundations

Submit a copy of your 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 foundation must also meet the following criteria:

The building of an endowment is central to the nature of the foundation
It serves a specific geographic area
Within the geographic area, its grants affect a broad range of community life
It has public charity status; and
It is primarily a service to donors.

U.S.-Based Public Foundations

Nonmembers 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, the Council on Foundations must receive your registration form along with the following information by September 2, 2005 (on-site registration will not be 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.

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 nonmember private, operating or company foundation, a copy of the organization’s IRS determination letter.
For a nonmember corporate giving program, 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

Nonmember 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
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)
not relevant to corporate giving programs, and
funding is predominantly from nongovernmental sources.

Banks and Trust Companies

Nonmember 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 nonmember 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, Director, 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.

Nonmembers of the Council on Foundations

If you’re 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 Fall Conference for Community Foundations 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 at membership@cof.org or 202/467-0291.