- About
-
Resources
-
Peer Communities
Get StartedPhilanthropy Exchange Basics
Learn how to get started on the exchange and the basics of posting.
-
Advocacy
-
Programs
-
Events
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.
Five Trends in Learning and Evaluation
Evaluation and philanthropic learning are essential to driving social change. Here are five trends to look out for in 2017 – and likely beyond:
1. Integrating Evaluation into Strategy
In the philanthropic, nonprofit, and public sectors, and more recently with socially oriented businesses, demand…
Washington Snapshot - February 2, 2017
In this Week’s Edition of Snapshot…
Tax Reform Update: POTUS Meets with Congressional Leaders About Tax Reform
Cabinet Nominations Progress in Congress
Bill Introduced to Allow Expanded Political Activity by Nonprofits
President Trump Issues more Executive Orders
SCOTUS Nominee Announced…
Council on Foundations and HUD Kick Off 2017 Secretary’s Awards for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships
The Council on Foundations and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today launched the 2017 HUD Secretary’s Awards for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships. The Council and HUD are seeking nominations from charitable foundations working with the public sector to improve the…
Celebrating National African American History Month
February marks the observance of National African American History Month, a commemoration with origins dating back to 1926 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson instituted a week-long celebration to raise awareness of African Americans’ contributions to history. 50 years later, as part of the United States…
What I'm Learning in Career Pathways
Last October, I received an email about an HR nonprofit diversity conference in San Francisco. I forwarded the email to our HR director. I wondered what cool organization had sponsored this event? While surfing around the website of that cool organization, CoF, I spotted the page for the Career…
Washington Snapshot - January 26, 2017
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot...
Congress Rolls Out Ambitious 200-Day Plan
President Trump Instates Regulatory Freeze
International NGOs Face New Restrictions with U.S. Grant Dollars
In the States: State of the State Addresses 2017
News from the Hill
So, What’s Up with Tax Reform?
In the…
Global Philanthropy Update — January 2017
Did you march with the millions of women in cities around the world last week? Or watch President Trump’s inauguration last Friday? Here in D.C., it’s been a crowded and hectic start to 2017.
At the Council, we are busy preparing for our Annual Conference in April and have launched several new…
Washington Snapshot - January 19, 2017
In this Week's Edition of Snapshot...
Senate Finance Committee considers Mnuchin for Treasury Secretary
Trump butts heads with House Republicans on key tax reform issue
Council sends letter from Vikki to every Congressional office
IRS issues guidance on rules for private foundation…
Looking To The Future: Localizing The Global Goals In Minnesota
There are significant challenges facing Minnesota’s communities, including racial inequality in education, economic opportunities and health outcomes. In Minnesota, members of the philanthropic community work in a variety of innovative and collaborative ways to address these challenges and create a…
Healing Divisions: A National Day of Racial Healing
As the nation approaches the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States, our society remains conflicted on our ability to be united as a people. We find ourselves seeking relief from the divisiveness brought about by several events of the prior year: the civil unrest in many of our…
A Day On, Not a Day Off: Serving Your Community on MLK Day
Monday, January 16, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day), a federal holiday in the U.S. The fact that a federal holiday was designated to commemorate the birthdate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is significant - only two other figures have national holidays in the U.S. honoring them: George…
Washington Snapshot - January 12, 2017
In this Week's Edition of Snapshot...
Ways & Means to hold hearing on changes to committee rules
Senate sets deadline to repeal ACA, move closer to tax reform
Treasury requests input on guidance for tax-exempt leases
How Philanthropic is the Trump Cabinet?
In the States: State legislatures…
Washington Snapshot - January 6, 2017
In this Week's Edition of Snapshot...
Tuesday kicked off the 115th Congress
The proverbial ball is officially rolling toward tax reform
House and Senate tax-writing committees welcome new members
In the States: NY and DC take action on minimum wage and paid family leave
Opinion: nonprofits…
Twenty-Four Promising Leaders in Philanthropy Selected for Career Pathways Program
The Council on Foundations announced today that 24 promising philanthropic leaders have been selected to participate in the fourth Career Pathways Program. This intensive, year-long leadership development program is designed to foster diverse talent and excellence among the philanthropic sector's…
Community Foundation Update - January 2017
Happy 2017! I’m kicking off the new year sharing updates and resources to help you as you prepare and plan for what lies ahead. Find out about trends that will affect philanthropy, learn how best to stay up to date on important policy developments in Washington, D.C., and don’t miss out on great…
Pagination
- First page
- Previous page
- …
- 95
- 96
- 97
- …
- Next page
- Last page