Often independent foundations begin as family foundations. Also private foundations in legal terms, operating foundations use most of their resources to provide charitable services or run programs of their own. Often, they do not make any grants. Because they are supported by an endowment, they rarely raise funds or seek public financial support. A corporate foundation is a private foundation that is supported by contributions from a profit-making business.
Corporate foundations are separate legal organizations, sometimes with an endowment.
Corporate giving programs, by contrast, are programs established and administered within a profit-making company. Grant money comes directly from the corporation's budget.