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. 

Philanthropy's Response to the 2023 Sudan Conflict

Overview On April 15, conflict broke out in Sudan initiated by two opposing military factions. While the majority of fighting remains in the country's capital, Khartoum, and attempts at peace talks are underway, the conflict has already resulted in the deaths of more than 500 civilians, upwards of…

Executive Leadership

Executive Leaders (CEOs, Presidents, and Executive Directors) are key levers of change in their philanthropic organizations and are well-positioned to foster change in their communities and the sector. The Council knows that executive leaders are key actors in advancing the field to be more diverse…

Better Stories, Better Language

Philanthropy is supporting incredible work for the greater good. But in the ways we talk about that work, we could do better. Even as we evolve to meet the compounding challenges that society faces, trust in institutions, including philanthropy, is falling. Rebuilding that trust starts with a hard…

SDG Learning Community for Foundations May 2023 Meeting

Join us for the May meeting of our Peer Learning Circle 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…

Council & CEONet | Community Foundation CEO Roundtable - June 2023

Forward-thinking Strategies to Retain Local Community Wealth Community foundations play a unique role in cultivating and retaining local community wealth, all while navigating the challenges of the transfer of wealth and an evolving philanthropic environment. This conversation, in partnership…

What Americans Think About Philanthropy and Nonprofits

The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy recently completed a study on American attitudes and knowledge about philanthropy. The findings, in short: Americans have favorable impressions of charitable giving and nonprofits, but many are unfamiliar with the sector itself,…

Participate in the next CCSF Study of Private and Community Foundations

Publication, Research
Are you a fiduciary that oversees an endowment at a Private or Community Foundation? The Council on Foundations is proud to partner again with the Commonfund Institute on this year's Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations (CCSF),…

New Executive Leaders Roundtable - April 2023

Building Common Ground in Community Philanthropy Foundation leaders are key levers of change: uniquely positioned to advance change in their organizations, their communities and the broader field. The Council is excited to offer this program to provide support to leaders who are relatively…

Legal Matters for Community Foundations - Virtual - August 2023

Led by the Council on Foundations Legal Team, this workshop is flexibly organized to ensure that your broad legal questions for administering funds, grants, and community foundation activities are addressed. The legal team will provide technical and practical understanding of complex rules and…

Philanthropy's Response to 2023 Spring Tornadoes

Overview Severe storms and tornadoes ripped through the Southeast causing dozens of injuries and at least 26 deaths in late March, and in early April, continued to wreck devastation across a broad swath of the country from Arkansas to Delaware. To date, more than 50 people have lost…

Public Policy Action Network - June 2023 Meeting

The Council’s Public Policy Action Network is a members-only group of foundation leaders committing their voices, experiences, and networks to engage and educate federal elected officials to foster a policy environment in which philanthropy can thrive. Policymakers depend on the voices and…

SDG Learning Community for Foundations April 2023 Meeting

Join us for the April meeting of our Peer Learning Circle 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. Guest Speaker Caitlin Augustin, Ph.D. Vice President, Product…

CEONet Pre-Conference Retreat: CEO Excellence

This pre-conference session is sold out. Community foundation CEOs have a long list of responsibilities and face many challenges. What are the excellent CEOs doing and how can we apply these concepts to our work as community foundation leaders? Using the recent McKinsey book, “CEO Excellence…

Legal Matters for Community Foundations Workshop

Council Members $339 | Non-members $449 You can register for this session even if you are not attending Leading Locally 2023. Find more information here. Led by the Council on Foundations Legal Team, this workshop is flexibly organized to ensure that your broad legal questions for…

National Standards Monthly Zoom Session - July 2023

CFNSB hosts a monthly call to offer community foundation staff the opportunity to learn what's new, or ask any questions related to the National Standards program. The input of community foundation staff is critical to the success of the program. This event will take place the second Wednesday of…

Better Stories, Better Language: A New Voice for Philanthropy

The Council on Foundations and the Center for Public Interest Communications have recently completed a scan of the dominant narratives around foundations. Our findings, in short: We need better stories and better language if we really want to lift up the positive impact of our work, push back…
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