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. 

Charitable Giving

Issue The charitable deduction is a tax provision which allows individuals to reduce their taxable income by the total amount of charitable contributions they made in that tax year (with some limitations, depending of the type of gift—i.e. cash, stocks, property—or the type of organization…

Seeking Shared Success: Business Model Innovation Through Mergers, Affiliations, and Alliances

Publication
Learn how alliances, affiliations, and mergers represent a path to enhanced sustainability and greater impact for community foundations. Hear perspectives from community foundation leaders, access tools for considering a new structure, and read case studies from six community foundations.

Benchmarking Beyond Asset Size Top 100 Lists - FY 2011

Publication
In this publication, CF Insights highlights attributes that characterize community foundations in ways beyond asset values. 2011 Columbus Survey participants are ranked based on: Most Active Grantmakers—distribution rates, with percent of donor-advised assets Most Gifts per Capita—gifts per…

2011 Columbus Survey Results: Guideposts for Navigating Peaks and Valleys

Publication
Outlines survey findings about the performance of community foundations in 2011, including trends in asset levels, grantmaking levels, grant distribution rates, growth in donor-advised funds, operating budgets, and revenue sources.

2011 Columbus Survey of Community Foundations: List of Top 100 Community Foundations by Asset Size

Publication
Includes results of the FY 2011 Columbus Survey of Community Foundations that pertain to the top 100 community foundations by asset size as of May 1, 2012. The table includes the community foundation name, amount of assets at the time of the survey, and fiscal year-end (FYE).

2010 Columbus Survey of Community Foundations: List of Top 100 Community Foundations by Asset Size

Publication
Includes results of the 2010 Columbus Survey of Community Foundations that pertain to the top 100 community foundations by asset size as of April 28, 2011. Chart includes the community foundation name, amount of assets at time of survey, and fiscal year end (FYE). Stats are based on 2009 data.

Learning from the Future: A Resource for Planning Ahead

Publication
The Economic Scenario Planning (ESP) model is designed to help community foundations of any size and shape create five-year forecasts and plan for multiple scenarios. Community foundations using the model cite important benefits, often revising goals or making operating model changes as a result…

Fueling Impact: A Fresh Look at Business Model Innovation and New Revenue Sources

Publication
Do you want to know how community foundations are finding innovative new sources of support, and diversifying their revenue base? How new revenue sources strengthen each community foundation's differentiation and sustainability? Difficult economic times in 2008-2010 have been an important wake-up…

Benchmarking Beyond Asset Size Top 100 Lists - FY 2010

Publication
In this publication, CF Insights highlights attributes that characterize community foundations in ways beyond asset values. 2010 Columbus Survey participants are ranked based on: Most Active Grantmakers—distribution rates, with percent of donor-advised assets Most Gifts per Capita—gifts per…

Trends Across the Community Foundation Field: Columbus Survey 2010 Results: Guideposts Point to Growth

Publication
Provides a snapshot of community foundation asset growth and activity during 2010. Findings are based on over 250 community foundation responses to a Columbus Foundation survey as of March 2011. Looks at trends, grantmaking, operating expenses, and other metrics.

2009 Columbus Survey Results: Guideposts on the Path to Recovery

Publication
With this report, "Guideposts on the Path to Recovery," CF Insights' aim is to share 2009 highlights following a February 2009 report that looked in depth at 2008 results. This report is based on over 200 community foundations' contributions to the Columbus Survey as of March 2010.

Taking Informed Action in Challenging Times: Helping Community Foundations during Economic Downturn

Publication
Following up on CF Insights' November 2008 report "Making Informed Decisions in Uncertain Times", this report is aimed at helping community foundations take informed action in relation to their operating models and community activities in reaction to the economic slump. The findings are based on…

Raising Money While Raising Hell: Catalytic Community Leadership and Successful Fundraising for Community Foundations

Publication
This paper debunks the myth that advocacy-oriented community leadership is naturally antithetical to fundraising, and highlights examples where foundations have built their fundraising efforts by playing advocacy-oriented community leadership roles.

2009 Columbus Survey of Community Foundations: List of Top 100 Community Foundations by Asset Size

Publication
Includes results of the 2009 Columbus Survey of Community Foundations that pertain to the top 100 community foundations by asset size. The table includes the community foundation name, amount of assets at the time of the survey, and fiscal year-end (FYE).

2008 Columbus Survey Results: Guideposts for Growth and Grantmaking

Publication
This report, developed from Columbus Survey data, highlights trends in common metrics across the community foundation field. The report provides 2008 results. This field-wide data begins to answer the question of how community foundations have fared in the economic crisis. It is important to…
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