Public Policy

The legal staff at the David and Lucile Packard, Bill & Melinda Gates, William and Flora Hewlett, and Gordon and Betty Moore foundations have developed this free, first-of-its-kind online resource, which covers the basic legal rules around what staff are allowed to fund and engage in at a private foundation, including how lobbying laws apply to private foundations, who and what they can legally fund, the types of grants private foundations are allowed to provide and how to fund projects when advocacy and lobbying are involved.

Enacted in September 2010, the New York Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (NYPMIFA) makes important changes to the laws concerning the expenditure of charitable endowment funds. It also includes new provisions concerning the prudent management and investment of funds held by charities and the delegation of management and investment responsibilities to outside advisors, along with new protections for donors. This Guide summarizes key provisions of the Act and provides practical guidance in response to frequently asked questions.