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. 

Mastering Foundation Law: The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources

Legal Compliance Guidance
The Council on Foundations's Compendium of Legal Resources (“Compendium”) is a comprehensive guide to foundation law for the non-lawyer. It is easy to use, self-directed, and regularly updated. The Council developed the Compendium as a direct response to requests from our members to publish…

Carrying Forward the Legacy of the Walton Family Foundation

When my grandparents, Sam and Helen Walton, set the course for our family’s philanthropic vision in the late 1980s, they set out to make lasting change by empowering individuals. My grandfather often said there is no limit to what can be accomplished when people are given opportunity and…

2016 Annual Conference - Only Community Foundation Sessions

Community Foundation Sessions Community foundations have unique local leadership as the core of place-based philanthropy in the United States and around the world. While all have goals specific to their diverse communities, a community foundation learns a great deal by exploring its colleagues’…

2016 Annual Conference - Community Foundation Sessions

Community Foundation Sessions Community foundations have unique local leadership as the core of place-based philanthropy in the United States and around the world. While all have goals specific to their diverse communities, a community foundation learns a great deal by exploring its colleagues’…

2016 Annual Conference - Networking Events

Networking Events Saturday, April 9 All conference attendees are welcome to attend these preconference events. Networking Reception for Community Foundations featuring The Harwood Institute 5:15-6:15 p.m. — Georgetown, Concourse Level We live in an era of mistrust, fragmentation and…

Washington Snapshot - March 4, 2016

News from the Hill Congress Grows More Skeptical of Universities This Wednesday, the Ways and Means Oversight Committee held a hearing entitled: Protecting the Free Exchange of Ideas on College Campuses. Though the motivation for this hearing perhaps stemmed from previously expressed skepticism…

Reaching Your Community's Roots

Historically, community foundations have worked to create change by making grants to local nonprofits, advocacy groups, and other organizations. But a new breed of funders is showing how, by serving in yet another role, they can foster change that is more comprehensive, more responsive to residents…

Veterans Philanthropy Exchange 2016 National Annual Convening

Members of the Philanthropy-Joining Forces Impact Pledge and the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange will gather for  learning and sharing. Any funders supporting veterans and military families are encouraged to join this learning exchange. This year’s meeting will provide a funders-only…

House & Senate Philanthropy Caucuses Reception

Join the Congressional Philanthropy Caucuses, staff, the Council on Foundations, and valued partners for a reception on Thursday, April 14 during Philanthropy Week in Washington 2016. This reception  will celebrate and lift up the critical role of philanthropy in communities and the importance…

Advancing Rural Communities' Economic Success Agenda

Advancing Rural Communities' Economic Success Agenda 8:30-9:30 a.m. Registration and Overview Stephanie Powers, Senior Director for Policy and Partnerships, Council on Foundations Janet Topolsky, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group 9:30…

Introducing “Successes of Philanthropy”

This is reprinted from an original post on Washington Monthly. To view the “Successes of Philanthropy” series, kindly visit Washington Monthly. Introducing “Successes of Philanthropy” In America, more so than in other countries, philanthropies play a unique and important role of supporting…

Executives' Alliance Foundation Leaders "Ban the Box," Issue Call to Action for All U.S. Philanthropy Institutions to Adopt Fair Chance Hiring

Leaders from 42 foundations announced today that they have “banned the box” by adopting fair chance hiring policies or ensuring that questions about criminal convictions do not appear on applications for employment with their foundations. They also issued a challenge to all U.S. philanthropic…

My Journey with Community Philanthropy

"Can you imagine if we designed the entire city for children?" This was stated by Enrique Peñalosa Londoño, former Mayor of Bogota, Colombia, and it has stuck with me for many years. The idea of designing an entire city for children, or better yet, giving back to a community that our children, and…

Washington Snapshot - February 26, 2016

News from the Hill This Week in Tax Reform... Yesterday, the Brookings Institute held an event entitled Tax Policy in 2016: What’s New and What’s Next. Council Vice President for Public Policy Hadar Susskind attended this event, where keynote addresses were given by Ways and Means Chairman Kevin…

Washington Update LIVE!

  Download the Presentation Slides Attending Foundations on the Hill in April? Curious about how the fast-paced, animated, and often complex political environment can trickle down to influence your work? Wondering about whether tax reform will ever happen and, when it does, how these…

Recap of Winter Retreat for Foundation CEOs

Recap of Winter Retreat for Foundation CEOs Executive Summary Thank you for joining us in December as we gathered together in sunny San Diego to share best practices from the front lines of philanthropic leadership at the Council’s Winter Retreat for Foundation CEOs. When asked for one word…
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