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. 

Top 10 Questions from the Council's First Legal Matters Workshop

Recording
  Miss our Legal Matters for Community Foundations Workshop in Dallas, or did you attend, but really want to hone in on some of the bigger questions that arose from the convening? Workshop hosts Suzanne Friday and Brad Ward will walk you through some of the biggest and most prevelant…

Excellence in Public-Philanthropic Partnerships Exchange Discussion with HUD Award Winner

Members, Listen to the Recording On April 24th from 1:00-2:00 p.m.ET, the Excellence in Public-Philanthropic Partnerships Exchange held its first interactive learning opportunity—a panel via phone call with former Secretary's Awards Winners: Denise Spencer, President and CEO,…

We’re Listening.

“You get nothing done if you don’t listen to each other.” -Barbara Bush   Listening to the remembrances of the late First Lady Barbara Bush this week, I was struck by her sense of humor, and by her uncanny talent for cutting to the heart of the matter. Mrs. Bush may not have been the…

Washington Snapshot: Council Hosts Inaugural Policy Summit, Congress Tackles IRS Reform

In This Week's Edition of Snapshot… Council Hosts Inaugural Public Policy Summit in Philadelphia Disagreement Over Rescissions Bill Persists in Congress Package of Bills to Reform IRS Advances Out of Committee Treasury Announces First Wave of “Opportunity Zones” Agreement Reached Between…

2018 Public Policy Summit - Recap

Summit Recap Over the course of three days from April 11–13, 2018, the Council convened over 200 leaders in Philadelphia to participate in our inaugural Public Policy Summit. Attendees engaged in thoughtful discussions around trending issues and the cutting-edge, innovative strategies that…

Voter Engagement Foundation Toolkits

Toolkit
The philanthropic sector has a unique opportunity to highlight the voices and concerns of the communities it serves. Nonprofit VOTE, Independent Sector, United Philanthropy Forum, and the Council on Foundations believe we should bring those voices to the forefront. By producing a toolkit to provide…

Council on Foundations, Independent Sector and Nonprofit VOTE Create Definitive Nonpartisan Voter Engagement Toolkits for Community and Private Foundations

Foundations who wish to provide nonpartisan support to encourage voter participation and strengthen democracy now have comprehensive new resources. On Thursday, April 12, the Council on Foundations, Independent Sector, and Nonprofit VOTE will release two new toolkits at the Council on Foundation's…

Leadership in a Changing World

As we consider the road ahead for the Council on Foundations, “leadership” is a word that comes up over and over again. The question is how the Council can continue to serve the broader philanthropic field while also helping to define issues and bring our members together around solutions and…

Leading Together 2019 Conference

It's a Wrap! Leading Together 2019 was a gathering of leaders in philanthropy and other influencers in business, government, and academia. For three days, the field came together to connect, learn, and share with one another.  We also used Leading Together 2019 as an opportunity to…

Private Philanthropy Newsletter—April 2018

By now you have heard the news that Vikki Spruill has accepted a position at the New England Aquarium and in June will return to the ocean conservation community, where she has deep roots. Our board president, Javier Soto, is leading the Outreach Committee, which will gather input from the…

Washington Snapshot: President, Congressional Leaders Eye Spending Reductions

In This Week's Edition of Snapshot… President, Congressional Leaders Eye Spending Reductions Trump to Nominate Muzinich for Deputy Treasury Secretary Updates to IRS Publication 526 Regarding Giving for Natural Disasters In the States: SALT Workaround Enacted in New York, Oklahoma Preserves…

Shifting the Power: Applying Community Philanthropy to Durable Development, Here and Abroad

While slogans like “think globally, act locally” have been around for decades, still so much decision-making about philanthropy and development aid happens by stakeholders outside communities. Even those funders that care deeply about championing local leadership and initiatives often struggle with…

Where and How is the Global Environment for Philanthropy Changing?

  Download slide presentation The Council on Foundations and many of our partners around the world are watching the changing environment for philanthropy across the globe, as the enabling environment for giving within countries and across borders is improving in some places and at the same…

The New Power of Philanthropy

Members, View the Recording Why do some leap ahead while others fall behind in today’s chaotic, connected world? In NEW POWER, Henry Timms (CEO of 92nd Street Y and founder of #GivingTuesday) and his co-author Jeremy Heimans (CEO of Purpose) confront the biggest stories of our age and reveal…

National Standards Conference Call

The purpose of this monthly call is to offer community foundation staff a venue to voice questions or concerns related to the National Standards program. The input of community foundation staff is critical to the success of the program. Additionally, this call provides an opportunity for…

National Standards Conference Call

The purpose of this monthly call is to offer community foundation staff a venue to voice questions or concerns related to the National Standards program. The input of community foundation staff is critical to the success of the program. Additionally, this call provides an opportunity for…
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