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. 

Bridging Across Toxic Political Division

The violent breach of the U.S. Capitol represents only the beginning of the destructive effects toxic polarization will bring to America if left unchecked. Researchers see America’s polarization crisis as closer to political sectarianism -- and they point to how so many of us perceive those…

Committing to Equity and Inclusivity: Moving from Words to Action

Sponsored by Knight Foundation How can philanthropy advance equity and inclusivity in every aspect of our work? The compounding crises of the last year prompted many foundations to commit to embedding equity across their organizations and in their funding, but many remain unsure where to start.…

Transformational Leadership

During this inspiring Fireside Chat, New York Times bestseller and former CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, Wes Moore, will share his inspiring life story and perspective on how philanthropy can help address poverty. Wes led the Robin Hood Foundation to one of its strongest years in the anti-…

Disrupting the Narrative: The Power of the Story

How do you change the narrative of a continent that has been entrenched in people’s minds for hundreds of years? The story of Africa is one that is often told by outsiders through frames that no longer serve this dynamic and evolving continent. Storytelling is a powerful way to shift…

The Power of Relationships to Build Equity and Change Systems

In response to severe racial disparities in COVID-19 impacts, Maine’s philanthropic sector has used its social capital to help facilitate access to emergency resources from the public sector for grassroots, immigrant-led organizations. Three Maine funders will explore philanthropy’s…

Emergence and Evolution: Pivoting Internal Culture Amidst Crisis

In a year of massive change and rupture, our internal cultures and practices had to radically pivot to adapt. From creating fully virtual workplaces to holding space for processing anti-Black racism, to accommodating the needs of working families, the internal workings of philanthropy look about as…

Democracy, Healing Divides, and Civic Life

With heightened polarization and divisiveness, growing mistrust of public institutions, protests against racial injustice, and uncertainty over the electoral infrastructure, recent events have revealed the remarkable fragility of our institutions and the norms supporting them. At the very least,…

Please Forgive Our Mess. We’re Building Trust Here.

Building relationships and trust is messy. Where do you start? And how do you keep moving forward, when sometimes it seems impossible to find common ground? York County Community Foundation embarked on a journey starting in 2018 to intentionally build bridges and work together with people of color…

A Blueprint for Transformation and DEI: The Ashley Stewart Story

The remarkable transformation of Ashley Stewart, one of the country’s largest brands serving Black women, is a story about how trusting relationships make us all better. Under the leadership of then chairman and CEO, James Rhee, Ashley Stewart overcame impossible odds to bring the company out…

Solidarity Philanthropy in Action: Walking the Talk

Amidst the interrelated crises of ecological collapse, systemic racism and social injustices, there is a call to action for solidarity philanthropy. This sounds good but what does it mean in practice? To show true solidarity as a foundation requires trust-based funding, alignment between grant…

A Better Path Forward: Unlikely Partnerships for the Greater Good

Sponsored by Conrad N. Hilton Foundation This uplifting conference kickoff envisions a sector that mobilizes unlikely partnerships—especially in times of crisis—to create shared vision and real change. Philanthropic leaders are uniquely positioned to help various stakeholders find what…

Community Philanthropy Update - May 2021

Foundations and donors of all kinds have responded in creative and impressive ways to COVID-19, as well as the other crises of the previous year. Community foundations have served as beacons of hope and safety, educators and public health outlets, and conduits for vital aid during the pandemic…

Leading Together 2021 - Leadership in Action

  Leadership in Action Solidarity Philanthropy in Action: Walking the Talk   Wednesday, June 16 | 3:20-4:00 p.m. Amidst the interrelated crises of ecological collapse, systemic racism and social…

Leading Together 2021 - Plenary Sessions

  Plenary sessions A Better Path Forward: Unlikely Partnerships for the Greater Good   Tuesday, June 15 | 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Sponsored by Conrad N. Hilton Foundation This uplifting conference…

Webinar Recording: Policy Update: Connecting the Dots Between the Biden Administration's Policy Proposals and Philanthropy

  Hear an overview of the recently passed $1.9 trillion relief legislation known as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the key pillars of the new infrastructure proposals, the American Jobs Plan, announced by President Biden on March 31. The jobs plan targets 40 percent of the…

Systemic Racism: Disasters Expose It – How Do We Address It?

Racism is ever-present in our society, but for those who are not Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC), it is sometimes easy to brush it aside. However, disasters lay bare the inequities that exist in societies around the world. COVID-19 has been a clear example of how disasters exacerbate…
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