Community Foundations

Community foundations are grantmaking public charities that are dedicated to improving the lives of people in a defined local geographic area. They bring together the financial resources of individuals, families, and businesses to support effective nonprofits in their communities. Community foundations vary widely in asset size, ranging from less than $100,000 to more than $1.7 billion.

Community foundations play a key role in identifying and solving community problems. In 2017, they gave an estimated $5.48 billion to a variety of nonprofit activities in fields that included the arts and education, health and human services, the environment, and disaster relief. The Community Foundations National Standards Board confirms operational excellence in six key areas—mission, structure, and governance; resource development; stewardship and accountability; grantmaking and community leadership; donor relations; and communications. Foundations that comply with these standards can display the official National Standards Seal. Currently, over 500 community foundations have earned the seal.

More than 900 community foundations operate in urban and rural areas in every state in the United States; currently, approximately 350 are members of the Council on Foundations. The community foundation model also has taken hold around the world. Community foundations have participated in the growth of international giving by U.S. foundations in recent years, with international giving by community foundations more than tripling, from $103 million in 2011 to $315 million in 2015, and community foundations' share of overall international giving by U.S. foundations more than doubling, from 1.4 percent in 2011 to 3.4 percent in 2015.

You can use our Community Foundation Locator to view a list of community foundations in the United States.

Below is everything on our site for community foundations. We highly recommend that you use the navigation or our search feature to find what you're looking for on our site. Please also visit cof.org/community-foundations for curated community foundation content. 

Closing the Needs Gap

According to The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s recent Strengthening Grantees Report, there is a gap between the support foundations provide and the support nonprofits actually need, which is pervasive and challenging to overcome. Can funders support grantees’ actual needs when…

Lunch & Closing Plenary - Activating Levers of Social Change: Philanthropy, Policy, and Justice

As we work to create change within communities and within systems, we must also strengthen how we leverage political advocacy in order to be effective. In this plenary, public and private sector leaders will discuss tools, tactics, and strategies for building and wielding political power to support…

Sample Policy on Records Retention and Destruction

Sample Document
Sample formal policy on records retention and destruction for board approval. This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an attorney-client relationship,…

Sample Due Diligence Policy for Grantmaking

Sample Document
Sample internal policies and procedures for grantmaking due diligence.  This sample document is being provided for informational and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an attorney-client relationship, and the…

Sample Affiliate Fund Agreement

Sample Document
Editable sample affiliate fund agreement to establish a permanently endowed charitable fund.  This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an…

Sample Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement

Sample Document
Editable fiscal sponsorship agreement to establish restricted funds for the benefit of charitable projects run by non-charities.  This sample document is being provided for informational purposes only and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the…

Sample Donor-Initiated Fundraising Policy

Sample Document
This document is a sample donor-initiated fundraising policy for use around community foundation fundraising events like auctions, golf tournaments, raffles, etc. This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on…

Sample Nondiscrimination Policy

Sample Document
Sample nondiscrimination policy for hiring, internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, and terminations. This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations.  Use of the sample…

Sample Scholarship Fund Agreement

Sample Document
This document is an editable agreement between donors and the foundation to establish a scholarship fund. This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an…

Sample Bylaws & Articles of Incorporation

Sample Document
These sample bylaws and articles of incorporation are not a model to copy; rather, they are provided purely to illustrate what such a document might look like. Each state will have its own form or particular requirements to follow, which may differ from state to state.  For other examples and…

Sample Donor-Advised Fund Policies

Sample Document
Editable donor-advised fund policies including grant restrictions, grant recommendations, fund advisors, and more.  This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does…

Sample Donor-Advised Fund Agreement

Sample Document
Editable agreement for donor-advised funds. This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations.  Use of the sample document does not create an attorney-client relationship, and the information…

Sample Designated Fund Agreement

Sample Document
Editable sample agreement between a donor and a community foundation to establish a designated fund.  This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an…

Sample Community Foundation Confidentiality Policy

Sample Document
Editable confidentiality document specifically tailored for community foundations.  This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an attorney-client…

Sample Scholarship Policies and Procedures

Sample Document
Sample scholarship fund policies and procedures outlining selection of grantees, selection criteria, grant selection committees, and more.  This sample document is being provided for informational purposes and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of…

Sample Whistleblower Policy

Sample Document
Editable whistleblower policies that establish procedures to prevent or detect and correct improper activities; encourage each foundation director, officer, employee, and volunteer to report what he or she in good faith believes to be a material violation of law; ensure the receipt, documentation,…
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