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. 

2021 Year in Review

Dear Friend: 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 advance…

Washington Snapshot: IRS Update for Tax-Exempt Organizations

What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week... Congressional Democrats Negotiate Election Reform Office of Management and Budget Solicits Feedback on Learning Agenda IRS Releases Updates for Tax-Exempt Organizations Department of Commerce Seeking Comments on New Rural Business Center…

East Bay Community Foundation Due Diligence Policy for Grantmaking

As part of its continuous improvement process, EBCF periodically reviews and updates its policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance as well as adherence to industry best practices. EBCF shares these updates with fund holders, grantees, and the wider community as part of our commitment to…

Horizon Forum: What Do the Experts Say: Hate Funding in Philanthropy

Debates around hate funding have grown in multiple spaces as issues of social violence, extremist ideology, and organized hate come to the forefront of public conversations. Advocacy organizations are flagging such activities, along with their funding sources, and implementing high profile…

SDG Learning Community for Community Foundations - Local Government Collaboration

Join us for the January meeting of our new Peer Learning Circle dedicated specifically for community foundations who are working on advancing the Sustainble Development Goals (SDGs) or are open to learning more about how the SDGs can fit within their work. Meeting Topic: Local Government…

Philanthropy's Response to 2021 Tornadoes

OVERVIEW More than 50 tornadoes struck multiple states on December 11 and 12, causing devastation and significant loss of life. The states impacted include, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky -- with the most significant loss of life occuring in…

Global Philanthropy Update - December 2021

Today is the second day of the 2021 Summit for Democracy, and the issues at hand are too urgent to ignore. While the world faces pressing humanitarian crises like climate change, COVID-19, and racial injustice that threaten global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Summit…

Washington Snapshot: Details of a New Plan from the White House to Combat Human Trafficking

What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week... News From the Council Congress Addresses End-of-Year Priorities IRS Releases Notice on ERTC Termination White House Announces Plan to Combat Human Trafficking Happening in the States News from the Council This will be the last issue of…

Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Lori O'Keefe

Lori O'Keefe, Triangle Community Foundation Question: What drew you to the field of philanthropy? Answer: My entire career has been in the nonprofit sector; I came to the Foundation nearly 17 years ago because I could see the power of connecting those with resources to the nonprofits doing the…

Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Mari Kuraishi

Mari Kuraishi, Jessie Ball duPont Foundation Q: What drew you to the field of philanthropy? A: After decades of working on the edges of philanthropy by making loans to sovereign governments and building up a crowdfunding platform, I had become intrigued by the idea that philanthropy extended…

Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Anne Vela-Wagner

Anne Vela-Wagner, Mars Wrigley Foundation Q: What drew you to the field of philanthropy? A: The constant challenge to improve the state of our world and the lives of others is humbling, inspiring, complex and an ongoing education. It suits me well because I’m not happy if I’m not learning and…

Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Jen Rainin

Jen Rainin, Kenneth Rainin Foundation Question: What drew you to the field of philanthropy? Answer: My father was an incredibly powerful force in my life. He was curious and creative. He was a great listener, which allowed him to build a medical device company that responded to the needs of…

Member Week 2021: Foundation Leader Q&A with Lindy Eichenbaum Lent

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, President and CEO of the Rose Community Foundation Question: What drew you to the field of philanthropy? Answer: An insatiable urge to leave this world slightly better than I found it…and a series of career pivots that were unknowingly preparing me for philanthropy. Driven…

Washington Snapshot: New U.S. Census Bureau Data on the Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19

What You Need to Know About Public Policy This Week... News From the Council The President's Democracy Summit: December 9-10 Congress Set to Keep Government Open Until February Yellen and Powell Testify on Economic Recovery U.S. Census Bureau Data on the Effects of COVID-19 on American…

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

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 and growing community foundation staff build the essential skills they…

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

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 and growing community foundation staff build the essential skills they…
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