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FEATURED EVENT
Practice and Purpose of Policy
A Training for Community Foundation Leaders
July 30 and August 6, 2024 | 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET
Virtual
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.
100&Change: A Prize Competition?
On December 20, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced the first recipient of our 100&Change competition’s $100 million grant: an early childhood intervention for children in the Syrian refugee region co-developed by Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee.…
Top 10 Questions from the Council's First Legal Matters Workshop
Members, View the Recording
Miss our Legal Matters for Community Foundations Workshop in Dallas, or did you attend, but really want to hone in on some of the bigger questions that arose from the convening? Workshop hosts Suzanne Friday and Brad Ward will walk you through some of the biggest and…
Council on Foundations Congratulates Vikki Spruill on Her Appointment to Become President and CEO of the New England Aquarium
Today, the Council on Foundations released the following statement from Javier Alberto Soto, President of the Miami Foundation and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Council on Foundations:
“On behalf of the Board and staff of the Council on Foundations, we congratulate Vikki Spruill on her…
Looking Back at Mexico City—Reflections and Ways Forward, pt. 2
Following upon the first-ever North American Community Foundations Summit held in Mexico City February, we invited nine travel scholarship recipients who attended to write about their experiences and observations. This is the second compilation of blogs in that series. We are especially thankful to…
Washington Snapshot: Congress Races to Prevent Government Shutdown, Trump Administration Shake-Up
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot…
Congress Set to Vote on Omnibus Ahead of Friday Deadline
A Recap of Foundations on the Hill 2018
President Trump Shakes-Up Administration
FEMA Announces Webinars to Discuss Strategic Plan
In the States: Expanding Minnesota Non-Itemizer Deductions, Donor…
Global Philanthropy Newsletter—March 2018
This month, work on public policy that impacts philanthropy has been a large focus across the Council. Most relevant to global grantmakers, I’ve been working with partners on the US Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA). There are more than seven bills currently proposed in the House and Senate…
Philanthropic Leaders Converge on Capitol Hill to Shine Spotlight on Veterans Health Issues
The Council on Foundations’ Veterans Philanthropy Exchange hosted a congressional briefing to highlight work underway in veterans’ healthcare and mental health services for transitioning veterans. The briefing, which included leaders from Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, Robert R. McCormick…
Community Philanthropy Update—March 2018
As you read this, I’ve landed on the beautiful island of St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, to engage with community foundations, our federal partners, FEMA, and other associations to discuss how philanthropy helps this U.S. territory, as well as Puerto Rico, continue its recovery from the…
Washington Snapshot: Congress Continues Budget Discussions, Council Submits DAF Comments
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot…
Budget Conversations Continue on Capitol Hill
Council and ICNL Hold Congressional Briefing on FARA
Council Submits Comments to Treasury/IRS on DAF Situations
POTUS Nominates IRS Chief Counsel
White House Chief Economic Advisor Resigns
In the States: SALT…
Looking Back at Mexico City—Reflections and Ways Forward
The first-ever North American Community Foundations Summit was held in Mexico City on February 5-6 and was co-hosted with Comunalia, Community Foundations of Canada. With over 200 attendees, the Summit focused on achieving the SDGs and included discussions about reducing poverty, building resilient…
Council Comments on Treasury/IRS DAF Notice 2017-73
The Council on Foundations wrote, on behalf of our members, to the U.S. Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in response to Notice 2017-73—which was released on Dec. 4, 2017, and requested comments on the application of penalties with respect to donor advised…
2018 Endowments & Finance Summit
Access Endowments and Finance Summit Resources
The Endowments & Finance Summit, the leading forum at the nexus of philanthropy, finance, investment, and policy is where C-Suite foundation leaders go to explore the shifting forces in the investment landscape; gain invaluable insights on…
Schedule
Thursday, September 6
8:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Networking Breakfast
9:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Opening Plenary - Harnessing the Momentum, Finding Opportunities, Building Stronger Futures
11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions
Educating Your Board: The Rise of Impact /…
Plenary Sessions
Opening Plenary — Engage, Educate, and Empower: Philanthropy’s Voice in the Public Policy Arena
Wednesday, April 11, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
We are in a unique moment in our history. The day’s political debates increasingly divide our country. Philanthropy has a role to play in…
Opportunity Zones - A Value to Your Community?
Fundamentals
What are Opportunity Zones?
Created by changes to the tax code in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017, Opporunity Zones are state-nominated, economically depressed communities that are in need of new investment. These investments could, under certain circumstances, be eligable for…
International Women's Day: Perspectives in Philanthropy
International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. The philanthropic sector is especially poised to take on this action.
The 2018 theme for International…
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