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. 

Virtual Meet-Up: Community Foundation Donor Services - October 2025

Topic: Thriving in Donor Services with a Small and Mighty Team Small team juggling big responsibilities? You’re not alone! Join fellow donor service professionals for a fun and supportive discussion on how to keep things running smoothly, even with staff turnover and limited resources. We’ll swap…

Virtual Meet-Up: Community Foundation Donor Services - August 2025

Topic: To Be Announced! Join us for an interactive Virtual Meet-Up designed for Community Foundation Donor Services staff to to connect with peers, share experiences, and discuss strategies. To learn more about how you can connect with peers in the field, we encourage you to join the…

Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Administrative Expense Tables

The Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Administrative and Program Expense Tables provide your foundation the data you need to benchmark your organization's administrative, program, service, and qualifying distribution expenses against peers in the field. Containing data collected through the…

Virtual Meet-Up: Community Foundation Donor Services - June 2025

Topic: Measuring and Communicating Impact Join this peer discussion on impact assessment and learn how to use data, analytics, and measurement tools to evaluate donor contributions and communicate results effectively. This virtual meet-up will cover best practices for demonstrating impact and…

Virtual Meet-Up: Community Foundation Donor Services - April 2025

Topic: Trust-Based Philanthropy Join us for an interactive Virtual Meet-Up designed for Community Foundation Donor Services staff to explore trust-based philanthropy. This session offers a space to connect with peers, share experiences, and discuss strategies for building stronger, more…

2025 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey (GSB)

Since 1980, the Council's Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Survey has provided the sector with the most comprehensive data on staff composition and compensation in the United States. Grantmakers rely on this annual report to plan budgets, benchmark personnel policies and practices, determine…

Washington Snapshot: What We're Tracking This Week

In this edition of Washington Snapshot, we are tracking new legislation from Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) as well as continued federal cuts and the ongoing budget reconciliation debate.

Community Philanthropy Update - February 2025

This month's Community Philanthropy Update is about the Advisory Group for the Center for Community Foundations. You can help inform the Council's work with community foundations by joining the Advisory Group! Apply by February 28.

The Advisory Group for the Center for Community Foundations: A Recap of 2024 and What’s Next in 2025

As we end our terms as co-chairs of the Council’s Advisory Group for the Center for Community Foundations, we wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on our experience.   In early 2023, the Council responded to community foundation feedback to reconvene an advisory group of leaders from…

SDG Learning Circle for Foundations - March 2025

Join us for this peer-led event dedicated specifically to foundations working on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or are open to learning more about how the SDGs can fit within their work. Connect with foundation peers to learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development…

Learning Across Differences Ideas Forum - Understanding Polarization

Philanthropy has a unique opportunity to fund, support, and protect civil society institutions that contribute to building an inclusive democracy where everyone belongs. But, as funders, our ability to do so can be hampered by the pernicious divides that threaten to tear our society apart.…

Protecting Philanthropy - Latest Updates

Our commitment to serving you in Washington has never been more important, but we can’t do it alone. We all must be united in our commitment to an independent charitable sector that ensures we can all give according to our values. Our Government Affairs and Legal Resources team is keeping an eye…

Washington Snapshot: Updated Policy Resources

In this edition of Washington Snapshot we invite members to join us for Foundations on the Hill and share our updated policy resources hub on the Council website. We also continue to monitor the President’s executive actions and their potential impact on the philanthropic sector.

Building Together 2026

Building Together is the Council on Foundation's sector-wide gathering for philanthropic professionals eager to connect and collaborate across differences. This isn’t just another conference — it’s a dynamic learning experience where you’ll build the skills, strategies, and relationships…

Member Policy Briefing: Midsize Community Foundations - June 2025

The Council is hosting a series of monthly Member Policy Briefings as a forum for philanthropic leaders to navigate the shifting landscape. This briefing is exclusively for CEOs, Presidents, or Executive Directors of midsize community foundations with Management and General Expenses (M&GE)…

Member Policy Briefing: Midsize Community Foundations - May 2025

The Council is hosting a series of monthly Member Policy Briefings as a forum for philanthropic leaders to navigate the shifting landscape. This briefing is exclusively for CEOs, Presidents, or Executive Directors of midsize community foundations with Management and General Expenses (M&GE)…
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