A private foundation is like a special piggy bank that some people create to help other people. Usually, these people have a lot of money and they want to give some of it to causes they care about, like helping sick people or protecting the environment.
When they create a private foundation, they put their money into it and then use that money to help different organizations or projects. The people who created the foundation get to decide how the money is used and which causes or groups get the money.
However, there are some rules that people have to follow when they create a private foundation. For example, they have to give away a certain amount of money every year to actually help people. Also, they cannot use the foundation's money for things that only benefit themselves or their family.
Overall, a private foundation is a special way for people with lots of money to give back to the world and help people who need it.