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 - July 22, 2016

News from the Hill New Tax Leadership for Senate Finance Democrats On Tuesday, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced a new tax leadership team for Senate Finance Committee Democrats. Victor Fleisher, of the University of San Diego, and Tiffany Smith, currently on staff…

7 Steps Philanthropy Can Take to Bring the SDGs Home to America

This post also appeared as an op-ed in the Huffington Post on July 19, 2016. Sustainability. Quality education. Poverty reduction. Gender equality. If this list sounds familiar to individuals working in philanthropy or non-profits in the U.S., it should. Our sector is synonymous with these issues…

New Report Details Role of Philanthropy in Achieving U.N. Sustainable Development Goals in United States

A new report released today by the Council on Foundations highlights the critical role that U.S. philanthropy plays in helping to realize the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study, “From Global Goals to Local Impact,” outlines in detail how the new global development…

International Terrorist Acts

Many Council members are working with nonprofit partners on the ground in countries and communities all over the world that are directly impacted by terrorist violence. Alongside partners like the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the Council is tracking how and where philanthropy is…

West Virginia Flash Floods

A severe storm system on June 22, 2016, caused torrential rain, tornadoes, high winds, and large hail across West Virginia and Virginia, causing the most deadly flash flood event the U.S. has seen in recent years. At least 23 people died, and thousands were left without basic utilities when the…

The Sustainable Development Goals & Philanthropy

  What are the Sustainable Development Goals? The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a 17-goal framework for global development. These global goals provide a framework for foundations to lead together with governments, civil society, and the private sector for the next 15 years…

Better Understanding Responsible Investing Practices

How can you do the most good, with limited resources, when facing enormous problems? That question lies at or near the heart of every decision at a foundation. This is true of the grant dollars which support community institutions and provide for social services, and it is true of the endowed…

It's Not a Wage Gap, It's Poverty - and It's Why The U.S. Needs a Development Agenda

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in The Guardian on July 16, 2016. There is no doubt that the U.S. is suffering from what feels like the unravelling of social order. Recent shootings in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas have heightened deep-seated tensions relating to race and criminal…

Washington Snapshot - July 15, 2016

News from the Hill Delayed Release for Hatch Corporate Integration Proposal Our readers will recall that Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) of the Senate Finance Committee was expected to release his corporate integration proposal before the August Congressional recess. As it turns out, the proposal was…

Grantmaking and Economic Development

This webinar has been cancelled. This topic will be covered during the August 31 webinar, Legal Lunch: Grantmaking for Economic Development. Join Suzanne Friday, Senior Counsel and VP of Legal Affairs at the Council on Foundations to explore when economic development is charitable and…

Donor Control

  In collaboration with Iowa Council of Foundations, this webinar explored the tricky business of donor control. In an area of donor engagement, close relationships, and advising on charitable expectations, working with donors can be tricky when it comes to control over the funds. The fact…

New Study of Foundation Responsible Investing Practices

The Council on Foundations-Commonfund Study of Responsible Investing was released jointly today by the two representative organizations. The study, believed to be the largest of its kind, provides foundations with invaluable insights into how the sector and individual portfolios are being shaped by…

Community Foundations Update - July 2016

In the heat of mid summer, what a great time to check out some Council resources and opportunities that I believe you might find useful (preferably in air-conditioned office, or better yet, on the beach while enjoying some r&r!). As always, please reach out to me with any questions or concerns…

A Call For a More Compassionate and Civil Society

Last week’s shootings in Baton Rouge, St. Paul, and Dallas have made more urgent our need for a national civil discussion about longstanding systemic challenges that deeply divide our communities. The Council on Foundations steadfastly denounces the killing of innocent people, no matter their skin…

PA Funders Collaborate to Explore a Shared Approach to Policy and Advocacy

When leaders from approximately 48 Pennsylvania-based foundations gathered in State College in April for the Council on Foundations’ Pennsylvania Philanthropy Conference, the negative effects of the state’s infamous nine-month budget impasse on human service delivery were painfully fresh.…

Washington Snapshot - July 8, 2016

Last Chance to Register! Don’t miss your last chance to register for our Washington Update LIVE!: Philanthropy’s Voice in the Policy Process, taking place next Tuesday, July 12 from 2:00-3:00 pm ET. This webinar will discuss the importance of advocacy and highlight opportunities to engage with…
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