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. 

Washington Snapshot: Council Launches Recommendations to Strengthen Community Philanthropy

What's Happening This Week... Council Launches Recommendations to Strengthen Community Philanthropy ACE Act Introduced in the House Child Tax Credit Day of Action - February 8 IRS Issues Notices on Nonprofit Retirement Plans…

Council on Foundations' Statement on ACE Act House Introduction

WASHINGTON, DC - On Feb. 3, 2022, Representatives Pingree (ME-1), Reed (NY-23), Khanna (CA-17) and Porter (CA-45) introduced the Accelerating Charitable Efforts Act, the House companion bill to S.1981. The following statement is attributable to Council on Foundations president and CEO Kathleen…

Strengthening Community Philanthropy: Recommendations from Your Sector Colleagues

.blog-author { display: none; } Last July, the Council on Foundations convened a group of community foundation leaders to develop a set of principles and policy recommendations to strengthen how community foundations use donor-advised funds (DAFs). The Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc…

A Private Foundation View on Recommendations from Our Sector Colleagues

Like many leaders of private foundations, I have strong beliefs about the importance of growing philanthropy in ways that build trust and advance equity in the field. That is why I am so appreciative of the work that the Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc Working Group (the Working Group)…

PhilEx Live: Non-profit Resilience

Developed out of a trending conversation on the Philanthropy Exchange (PhilEx), the Council invites you to join a member-only peer-led discussion around how foundations are approaching non-profit resiliency in 2022. Join peers from across the country in a discussion focused on: Peer Discussion…

Virtual Meet-Up: Community Foundation Donor Services - February 2022

Join this interactive and informal virtual-meet up for all community foundation staff who are philanthropic advisors or involved in donor stewardship. This peer-led conversation will be a time to connect with peers across the nation and share learnings.  This conversation will focus on:…

Washington Snapshot: Associate Justice Stephen Breyer Announces Retirement

What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week... News From the Council White House Fact Sheet Summarizes New Federal Funds for Local Communities National Solar Credit Ready Initiative and Philanthropic Partnership Department of Commerce Seeks Community of Practice Leader Democrats…

Council on Foundations Welcomes Three Strategic Leaders to 2022 Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, DC - The Council on Foundations (the Council) today announced that its membership has approved the appointment of three philanthropic executives to its board of directors: Srikanth Gopal, Managing Partner of Humanity United; Galen Maness, Chief Operating Officer of the San…

Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course - Virtual - March 2022

Virtual Course March 2 | 3 | 9 | 10  1:30-5:00 p.m. ET Sold Out! A well-trained staff and an informed board are critical to the success of community foundations in our fast-changing world. This traditionally in-person, two-day course adapted to virtual in four, half day sessions helps new…

Career Pathways 2022 Cohort Selected to Represent the Future of Philanthropic Leadership

WASHINGTON, DC - The Council on Foundations today announced the selection of 51 philanthropy professionals for participation in Career Pathways, a leadership development program designed to diversify the talent pipeline for executive-level roles in Philanthropy. In this highly selective…

Community Foundation CEO Virtual Roundtable - February 2022

Recommendations to Strengthen DAFs presented by the COF Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc Working Group Community foundation executives were invited to join a peer roundtable conversation to learn more about new recommendations for community foundations and our sector, related to donor…

Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc Working Group Final Recommendations

The Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc Working Group, convened by the Council on Foundations, released the following recommendations on donor-advised funds (DAFs), outlining steps to improve their effective and transparent use. Standardizing Community Foundation Inactive Funds Policy…

Strengthening Community Philanthropy Ad Hoc Working Group Releases Donor-Advised Funds Recommendations

Community foundations have a long history of working locally to bring together leaders, nonprofits, donors, and others to address persistent problems and identify paths forward. The ongoing pandemic has underscored how local philanthropy, in particular, can address community needs in times of acute…

Ask the Council: Strengthening Community Philanthropy Working Group DAF Recommendations

  Last July, the Council on Foundations convened a group of community foundation leaders to develop a set of principles and policy recommendations to strengthen community foundations and donor-advised funds (DAFs) long into the future. Released on February 2, 2022, these recommendations…

Washington Snapshot: New op-ed on donor-advised funds from the Council's President and CEO.

What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week... News From the Council Midterms and Retirements Shake Up Tax-Writing Committees Senate Votes to Keep Voting Rights Filibuster Opportunity Zones Come Under Scrutiny Joint Committee on Taxation Lists Expiring Federal Tax Provisions…

Community Philanthropy Update - January 2022

2021 was an historic year in many ways, for philanthropy and for the people and communities we care about. It was a year of loss and heartache as families and communities continued to suffer the effects of the pandemic and many other hardships. It was a year of advocacy to…
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