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. 

2020 Census & COVID-19: What Funders Can Do To Support a Fair and Accurate Count

  This call offered a status update on the 2020 Census, which began in earnest mid-March, just as COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. Participants heard from national and state-based philanthropic leaders to learn what’s at stake with the count, where self-response is lagging in…

Community Foundation CEO Virtual Roundtable

  The Council and CEONet held its first CEO Virtual Roundtable in March with attendance that exceeded 200 executives. Join as we reconvene CEOs and Executive Directors of community foundations for a second virtual roundtable in support of the continued efforts by the field to respond and…

Treasury FAQ on Paycheck Protection Program

As of May 13, 2020, the Treasury Department has issued new FAQs on the Paycheck Protection Program loan program. Access Full Treasury FAQs Questions and answers that may be particularly relevant to charitable organizations include: The amount of forgiveness of a PPP loan depends on the borrower’s…

Webinar Recording: Legal Office Hours for Community, Private and Family Foundations: Grants to Individuals and Businesses

  Over the past weeks, COVID-19 has changed most foundations' disaster and crisis management plans by the hour. As primary local funders throughout this pandemic, many are launching local response funds, shifting to immediate operational and unrestricted grants, and seeking best practices…

Webinar Recording: Legal Office Hours for Community Foundations: Adaptive Grantmaking in Economic Uncertainty

  Over the past weeks, COVID-19 has changed most community foundations' disaster and crisis management plans by the hour. As primary local funders throughout this pandemic, many are launching local response funds, shifting to immediate operational and unrestricted grants, and seeking best…

Snapshot: CARES Act Benefits for Small Businesses and Tax-Exempt Organizations; Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide for the Charitable Sector

The Coronavirus - THE MORE YOU KNOW World Health Organization: Situation Dashboard How Philanthropy Can Respond: Center for Disaster Philanthropy Council on Foundations: COVID-19 Resource Hub In This Week's Edition of Snapshot... News from the Council News from the…

Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security Act (CARES Act), (H.R. 748)

Bill #3 – Enacted March 27, 2020 Approximate appropriation: $2 trillion Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide for the Charitable Sector This is a summary of the third bill Congress passed to help with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. This guide highlights the specific provisions of…

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), (H.R. 6201)

Bill #2 – Enacted March 18, 2020 Approximate appropriation: $104 billion Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide for the Charitable Sector This is a summary of the second bill Congress passed to help with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. This guide highlights the specific provisions…

Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020, (H.R. 6074)

Bill #1 – Enacted March 6, 2020 Approximate appropriation: $8.3 billion Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide for the Charitable Sector This is a summary of the first bill Congress passed to help with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. This guide highlights the specific provisions of…

Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide for the Charitable Sector

Since COVID-19 began impacting the United States, Congress has passed multiple packages to address a wide variety of issues and support the health care sector, businesses, individuals, and families. Certain provisions in each bill have relevance to the charitable sector and we have summarized the…

CARES Act Benefits for Small Businesses and Tax-Exempt Organizations

Paycheck Protection Program | Economic Injury Disaster Loans Employee Retention Credit | Delay of Payroll Tax Remittance Please note:  What follows is a general summary of information. Consult government rules and guidance for concise requirements and information. This is not meant to convey…

Tips and Resources for Responding Globally to COVID-19

Legal Compliance Guidance
Making grants outside of the United States can be complicated even when there isn’t a global pandemic. COVID-19 impacts communities in different ways and while some countries have robust public health systems, others do not. Additionally, governments are responding to the outbreak in vastly…

Engaging in Collaboration and Philanthropic Partnerships for COVID-19 Response

  Philanthropy is undertaking massive efforts in this country to more effectively collaborate and coordinate quickly among various funders, stakeholders and community partners in response to COVID-19—and all without the power of convening in person. In this time of crisis, what do we need…

2020 Public Policy Summit

Speakers Spotlight Charlie Cook Editor and Publisher The Cook Political Report Political Analyst Tom Rice U.S. Representative Republican South Carolina Linda Sánchez U.S.…

2020 HR Retreat

Culture, Climate & Connection in the New Work World September 9-10, 2020 Event Platform The 2020 Virtual HR Retreat: Culture, Climate & Connection in the New Work World, co-hosted by the Council on Foundations and CHANGE Philanthropy, is your unique opportunity to learn from and…

Legal Office Hours for Community Foundations

Members View Recording Over the past weeks, COVID-19 has changed most community foundation's disaster and crisis management plans by the hour. As primary local funders throughout this pandemic, many are launching local response funds, shifting to immediate operational and unrestricted grants, and…
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