This report, the first produced by the Foundation Center’s Research Institute Initiative with support from The Wallace Foundation, sheds light on the nature and extent of activities beyond grantmaking that foundations are increasingly engaged in to further their charitable missions. Drawing on findings from a survey of more than 900 foundations, the report identifies a number of such “direct charitable activities” that seem most prevalent, including convening conferences and providing technical assistance to charities. The apparent growth in these non-grantmaking activities, according to the report, suggests that foundations are increasingly interested in promoting organizational and field effectiveness, helping advance knowledge and encouraging knowledge sharing, and promoting collaboration.