Grantmakers Information Technology Survey Report 

IV. Snapshots by Foundation Type 

C. Family Foundations Snapshot 

Up to date Technology Plan (n = 54)

Consistent with the other foundation types, the amount family foundations are spending 

on technology and the corresponding percentage of the annual operating budget that 

comprises technology expenditures varies greatly. Family foundations reported spending 

as little as less than $1,000 per year to more than $1 million.  

Annual IT Spending Amount (n = 53)

Eighteen percent of grantmakers reported that they did not know the percentage of the 

annual operating budgets spent on technology (Table A 5). For those that do know, the 

percentage of the annual operating budget spent on technology ranged from less than 1 

percent to greater than 8 percent. However, more than half (52%) of family foundations 

spend less than 1 percent of their annual budget on technology each year. This percentage 

is consistent with that of corporate foundations but significantly less than what most 

community and independent foundations spend on technology as a percentage of their 

total budget. The technology costs include staff salaries, consulting expenses, hardware, 

software and equipment costs, maintenance fees, telecommunications and research and 

software development costs. 

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