Foundation groups join forces

October 15, 2008

The Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and the Council on Foundations are forming an alliance to offer educational programs for foundations and donors across the U.S.

The forum, a network of philanthropic organizations, serves more than 4,000 grantmakers through 32 local and regional hubs.

The council is a membership association of more than 2,100 grantmaking foundations and corporations nationwide.

"This alliance builds on the complementary strengths of both organizations - the sector-wide leadership of the council and diversity of membership and powerful local and regional relationships of the regional associations," Ralph Smith, the council's board chair, says in a statement.

Though the forum plans to relocate in January 2009 to Arlington, Va., where the Council on Foundations is based, the organizations will remain separate entities, says Monica Wroblewski, spokeswoman for the council.

Both organizations plan to retain their present staff, says Ernie Gutierrez, spokesman for the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers.

The alliance aims to begin forming a unified education system at a joint meeting of leadership volunteers Oct. 21.

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