Pa. It was supported by a grant from the Lily Endowment and the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy, and includes a number of interesting historical insights into the subject. McIlnay examines accountability in terms of legislated and voluntary practices. The 30,000 foundations in the United States are required by the Tax Reform Act of 1969 to file annual 990-PF IRS returns and to make them available for public inspection in their office for 180 days after filing. For some foundations, it isn't only the 990 Pfs that are a challenge to find. Voluntary actions by foundations to let the public know of their finances and activities include participating in Foundation Center research and publications, fulfilling requests for information and issuing annual reports or other public materials.
Foundations have a poor record of responding to requests.
The other research referenced in the report recalls NCRP's 1980 study which rated foundation willingness to provide information and the quality provided. The simplest way for foundations to make themselves accountable is by publishing an annual report. Despite the Wilmer Shields Rich awards, initiated by the Council on Foundations in 1984 to motivate more foundations to produce reports, the percentage that publish materials is dropping. The type of foundation affects whether or not publishing is practiced. Many foundations themselves are confounded by the attachment to the prevailing privacy.