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. 

Lunch Plenary Session: Funding the Rural-Urban Connection

Rural and urban communities need each other. But while their interdependence plays out in their economies, cultures, and environments, prevailing narratives center on differences and divides. Meanwhile, rural communities account for close to 20 percent of the population, but they receive only 7…

Breakfast Plenary Session: From Rupture to Repair

The journey beyond toxic polarization and record levels of mistrust begins when we reknit the fabric of our civic lives: our places, our institutions, and, most importantly, our relationships. A critical first step is to take responsibility for harm and actively work to repair the ties that have…

Measuring Place-Based Investments

For foundations that support economic development in underinvested communities, it can be difficult to know when we’re moving the needle. Through a partnership with Mastercard Data Services, The Chicago Community Trust is combining real-time economic impact data with insights from local residents…

Examining Your Foundation's Systems Through an Equity Lens

Hosted by Community Foundation Opportunity Network (CFON) Join us for an opportunity to examine and gain a deeper understanding of the internal systems change needed for community foundations (and other grantmaking organizations) to authentically engage in external systems change and equity work.…

Moving from Surviving to Thriving Using the Vital Conditions for Health and Wellbeing Framework

Healthy Communities Delaware (HCD), a public private initiative of the Delaware Community Foundation, and ReThink Health, an initiative of the Rippel Foundation are partnering to catalyze and foster thriving communities. Learn how HCD leverages the Vital Conditions for Health and Wellbeing…

Engaging Communities Across Geography

How do community foundations engage people across expansive geographies to support local communities and yet achieve economies of scale to maximize the impact their work? This session will explore various models of community foundations attempting to do this work-- from the traditional affiliate…

Development Pecha Kucha: A Rapid Share of Ideas

In this session, development professionals will share a key idea through a short visual presentation meant to inspire (20 slides in six minutes). This session aims to change the traditional 'pedestrian' panel discussion and make it energetic and fast-paced, with a bit of networking and sharing…

Navigating the 119th Congress

In Washington, D.C. there’s a new Congress, a Republican trifecta, and a slew of expiring tax provisions. A budget reconciliation package is coming soon — and issues that impact philanthropy may be on the table. Join this session to hear about the current congressional environment and learn how to…

Developing Community Co-Designed Strategy

A few years ago, U.S. Bank started working on place-based investment programs. To help build out the strategy of the programs, USB partnered with the community to create design sessions that were community-led and community-focused. U.S. Bank learned a lot through this process about how to center…

New Approaches to Disaster Recovery

On December 30, 2021, the Marshall Fire burned over 1,000 homes in Boulder County, CO. As Boulder County’s trusted philanthropic partner for over 30 years, The Community Foundation Boulder County (CFBC) quickly opened a disaster fund, raising over $43 million. CFBC’s trauma-informed, people-first…

Overcoming Psychological Barriers to Giving in Family Philanthropy

The National Center for Family Philanthropy, Ideas42, and Arabella Advisors recently released a report that explores top psychological barriers to giving in family philanthropy. Reasons included too many choices, fear of uncomfortable family dynamics, and lack of urgency. The research draws on…

Lunch Plenary Session: Partnering for Resilience and Justice

How are community and place-based funders partnering with communities to build resilience?  With a commitment to righting past wrongs, responding to crises, and preparing for future challenges.  Join us as we celebrate this year’s HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic…

Partnering to Identify Overlooked Artists, Increase Visibility, and Build Community

The first step to greater investment in historically under-resourced communities is making the unknown known -- identifying who is out there and where they live and work. In 2024, two place-based funders, working in partnership with the public sector and an equity-forward researcher, created a…

Partnering with Youth Programs to Expand Impact

Solutions to challenges in our communities often require expertise and insight from many stakeholders, yet we struggle to engage with those who may be different from us, specifically intergenerationally. This session will describe a case study pairing youth with grantees to amplify voices and co-…

Philanthropy as a Force for the Frontline’s Mental and Physical Wellbeing

The goal of the philanthropic sector is to mobilize the funds that allow us to create change in the world. Layered underneath that sweeping vision are the staff and frontline fundraisers who dedicate their lives to this work. Whether they are in the trenches in conflict zones or regularly engaging…

Philanthropy, Journalism, and Bridging Divides

Last year, the Chronicle of Philanthropy launched a new project, called the Commons, that examines how the charitable sector can bring Americans together in a time of hyperpolarization. The Commons explores efforts to bridge divides through reporting, opinion, essays, resources, tools, and more. In…
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