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. 

Council on Foundations Kicks off 2017 Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas

The Council on Foundations opened its Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, this week with a special address from President George W. Bush. He talked about the current work of the George W. Bush Institute and its Military Service Initiative, which ensures post-9/11 veterans and their families…

HUD and Council on Foundations Announce Winners of 2017 Secretary's Award

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Council on Foundations (COF) today announced the winners of the 2017 HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships. The awards were presented at the Council on Foundations Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, earlier…

Philanthropy's Role in Bridging Divides through Civil Discourse and Shared Dialogue

  Thank you Sherry for that introduction. Sherry is our outgoing Board Chair and has done a remarkable job during her tenure with the Council’s Board. She recently wrote a moving piece that you may have seen on what the Council means to her, and how the Council is and I quote, “the one entity…

Washington Snapshot - April 20, 2017

We will be taking a break from sending Snapshot next week due to our Annual Conference, but will resume sending on May 4. We look forward to seeing those of you who will be joining us in Dallas! In This Week's Edition of Snapshot… Tax Reform Update: Debate continues as charitable issues receive…

How Essential is Broadband in Your Community?

Role of community foundations and free resources to help Broadband is essential for communities – it can mean more robust economic development, more access to health care, stronger and more diverse educational options, and enhanced public safety. Because every community has different needs and…

Legal Matters for Community Foundations

Workshop for the Carolinas, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia Region Led by Suzanne Friday, Counsel for the Council on Foundations, this workshop is flexibly organized to ensure that your broad legal questions for administering funds, grants, and community foundation activities are addressed. Suzanne…

Washington Snapshot - April 13, 2017

In This Week's Edition of Snapshot… Tax Reform Update: Congress may be in recess this week, but tax reform is still the talk of the town Congress Adjourns for Recess Without Clear Strategy on Spending Legislation Gorsuch Swearing In Returns SCOTUS to Full Capacity White House Lifts Hiring…

Starting a Foundation: Formation and Considerations

Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
Many people want to start foundations, but few start out knowing exactly what sort of organization they are going to create. The purpose of this e-book is to help potential donors understand the many different entities that are commonly referred to as foundations and to provide an understanding of…

An Overview of the Law Governing Community Foundations

Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
A Chapter in Mastering Foundation Law: The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources This chapter is intended to examine and explain those common legal characteristics shared by community foundations and to provide a comprehensive legal overview of the rules and regulations that govern…

Washington Snapshot - April 6, 2017

In This Week's Edition of Snapshot… Tax Reform Update: Congress and the administration have yet to reach consensus on an approach to tax reform Government funding is set to expire at the end of this month Private foundations and the charitable deduction—yes, you may lobby! In the States:…

Sustainability in Grant-Giving in a Conflict-Ridden Part of the World

Healing Across the Divides (HATD) is a new member of the Council on Foundations. We joined the Council to learn from others facing similar challenges globally and connect with funders to explore issues such as finding ways to better build grantee sustainability. Our mission is to “improve the…

2017 HR Summit: Achieving Equity in the Workplace

The 2017 HR Summit: Achieving Equity in the Workplace, co-hosted by the Council on Foundations and CHANGE Philanthropy, was a unique opportunity to learn how to make attendees' foundations — and philanthropy as a whole — more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Want to attend this year? Visit…

Three Trends for Community Foundations to Consider

In January, I shared some trends that will shape philanthropy in 2017, many of which also apply directly to community foundations. Now is a time of significant opportunity for community foundations, which I've seen through our customers and conversations with community foundation professionals like…

Washington Snapshot - March 30, 2017

In this Week’s Edition of Snapshot… Tax Reform Update: What’s next for tax reform now following the ACA mishap? Congress aims to avoid government shutdown Administration weighs in as Congress gears up for a spending bill In the States: Property Tax Fights Continue in the Courts and…

The Growing Influence of Women in Philanthropy in Ireland

At #COFAnnual, our Global Philanthropy Reception and Dinner will focus on the issues and opportunities facing women and girls in the United States as well as around the world. In preparation for this event and in honor of Women’s History Month, we’d like to share the following blog post from the…

Keep Partisan Politics Out of the Nonprofit Sector

This was first published on March 22 in The Hill. Washington, D.C., may be the most partisan place on earth, where anything and everything is judged by which political party you support, rather than the substance of what’s being discussed. Well, thank goodness that perspective is not shared by our…
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