Three Words to Describe Community Foundations: Thoughtful. Intentional. Sustainable.

I believe the intent of community foundation offerings—from endowment building, convening, to grant making—is to be thoughtful, intentional, and sustainable in their approach to community challenges and opportunities. 

My personal experience with community philanthropy is best explained through the institution of a community foundation. They are a toolbox of sorts, offering communities an array of offerings dependent on the local needs, priorities, and aspirations. 

And they always flex to be what their communities needs them to be.

If well-endowed, they can be versatile and catalytic. If not well-endowed, it is an ever-pressing battle to be all things to everybody, sometimes taking on funds that are not administratively prudent or impact driven. Even when well-endowed, community foundations are pressed to be everything to everybody, but how?

I find myself at the Council on Foundations after eight years of leading a growing community foundation because I believe in this institution. I believe it is an intersection between the broad philanthropic sector and an extremely localized community focus.

I believe in community-based initiatives, and I adamantly defend our role as endowment builders for our communities. It is the single greatest offering we provide our donors, nonprofits, and communities—a lasting vehicle to change the world, or at least our little corner of it.

It doesn't matter whether you are a community leader or an aspiring one; the greatest philanthropist or one soon to be discovered; a passionate volunteer or experiences nonprofit leader of a local charity; inspired to lead a movement for the cause of your deepest or perhaps latest passion. It’s simple. Imagine what we can do together.

The community foundation can intersect with anyone to help make a difference. And when it needs to be thoughtful, intentional, and sustainable, an endowment should underpin anything we do to make a lasting difference. This is community philanthropy at its best.