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. 

A Historic Victory for Philanthropy

Today we celebrate a major victory for community foundations and your donors. The charitable “tax extenders” are no longer “extenders” that must be reinstated each year, but have become a permanent part of our tax code. In a historic vote, Congress passed the IRA Charitable Rollover into…

Charitable Community Applauds Congress's Historic Deal on Tax Incentives for Charitable Giving

Charitable organizations from around the country applaud Congress for the bipartisan, bicameral passage of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015. The legislation will enhance charitable giving by making three essential tax incentives permanent, demonstrating a commitment from…

President Signs IRA Rollover into Law

Today we celebrate a major victory for community foundations and your donors. The charitable “tax extenders” are no longer “extenders” that must be reinstated each year, but have become a permanent part of our tax code. In a historic vote, Congress passed the IRA Charitable Rollover into…

Washington Snapshot - December 18, 2015

Washington Snapshot will be taking a break for the next few weeks during the holidays. Our offices will be closed from December 25th—January 1st, but we wish all of our readers a happy and peaceful holiday with family and friends! Snapshot will return on Friday, January 8th. News from the Hill One…

Senate Makes IRA Rollover Permanent

Just before noon on December 18, the Senate voted to pass the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act making the IRA Charitable Rollover permanent law. The bill, which passed the House on December 17, also makes permanent the enhanced deductions for conservation easement and food inventory…

2015 Year in Review

Friends and Colleagues, Last December, I spoke of 2014 as a Year of Action, and it was! We began putting into place the programs, services, and staff we knew would provide value to our members. In 2015, we’ve begun to see these foundational investments pay off, and I hope you’ve begun to see how…

The House Passes Permanent Charitable Extenders

Moments ago the House of Representatives passed the PATH Act making the IRA Charitable Rollover and two other charitable giving incentives permanent law. Members of the House showed strong bipartisan support for these important measures with a vote of 318 - 109. “This is a major victory for…

Council Submits Comments on IRS Gift Substantiation Proposal

A proposed rule by the IRS would allow charities to file an additional information return by February 28th each year that includes taxpayer identification information for donors who contribute $250 or more, and provide a copy of the return to these donors in lieu of a contemporaneous written…

Washington Snapshot - December 11, 2015

News from the Hill Extender Negotiations Coming Down to the Wire Make Your Voice Heard! Despite efforts to pass a “tax extenders” package with a federal spending bill by today’s deadline, negotiations between Congressional Democrats and Republicans reached a stalemate—forcing the passage of…

Addressing inequality amid plenty – the SDGs and the United States

This article appears in the December 2015 edition of Alliance Magazine. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide an opportunity to not only address challenges in developing countries, but also to make progress on many of the same challenges that persist in ‘developed’ countries. Each of the…

Council on Foundations Statement Regarding Its Focus on Strengthening Philanthropy

Today, the Council on Foundations releases the following statement from its Vice President of Communications Jesse Salazar: “The Council on Foundations provides leadership opportunities and tools philanthropic organizations need to make a meaningful difference in the life of communities.…

Washington Snapshot - December 4, 2015

Take Action Now on Extenders Hundreds of thousands heard the message! Yesterday marked the kickoff in a series of days over the next three weeks when the Council and our colleagues in the field will commit 5 minutes for philanthropy, and connect with Members of Congress about reinstating the…

Pennsylvania Philanthropy Conference Sessions

Monday, April 25, 2016 Community Foundation Day 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. – Breakfast & Registration   9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. – Opening Plenary: Benefits (and Pitfalls) of State Tax Credits for Community Foundations Community foundations in several…

After Giving Thanks, a Day to Give Back

Today, more than 30,000 organizations, countless individuals, and a host of policymakers are celebrating the importance and impact of charitable giving and philanthropy. Under the banner of #GivingTuesday, Henry Timms & New York’s 92nd Street YMCA in partnership with the UN Foundation have…

Pennsylvania Philanthropy Conference

Philanthropy holds a unique role in American society. Philanthropic leaders and foundations play a significant role fostering vibrant communities across our country. The Council supports this role and regularly brings foundation leaders together to learn and share from each other. The Council on…

Washington Update: End-of-Year Hill Activity

Members, Access the Recording     Get the Latest on the Charitable “Tax Extenders” This quick 30-minute update covers end-of-year congressional activity that will impact your work. Hear the latest on the state of play from our seasoned Capitol Hill consultants, and learn how you can take…
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