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. 

Local Philanthropy and Universal Goals in Arkansas

How do the Sustainable Development Goals relate to domestic challenges in the U.S.? There are significant challenges facing American communities today, including growing domestic inequality and increased poverty. In Arkansas, members of the philanthropic community work in a variety of innovative…

Local Philanthropy and Sustainable Development Goals in the Bay Area

How do the Sustainable Development Goals relate to domestic challenges in the U.S.?  There are significant challenges facing American communities today, including growing inequality, quality education, access to healthcare, and climate action. In the Bay Area, members of the philanthropic…

Take Action

Bookmark this page! We will update it with action alerts as opportunities to contact your congressional representation arise. Learn about rules and guidelines for permissible lobbying and advocacy activities by foundations.

Leveraging the Resources of The National Resource Network

This webinar will provide an overview of the new National Resource Network (NRN) and explore how place-based foundations can bring these resources to Mayors and local governments. The NRN is a new partner consortium, funded by a $10 million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development…

Washington Snapshot - November 20, 2015

Washington Snapshot will be going dark next week in recognition of the Thanksgiving holiday. We wish our readers a happy and peaceful holiday with family and friends. Snapshot will return on Friday, December 4th. Urge Congress to Make Charitable Tax Extenders Permanent The IRA Charitable Rollover…

Effective and Emerging Approaches to Mission-Related Investing

Fundamentals
Many foundation staff members remain mystified (and enamored) with mission investing and the promise it holds for leveraging foundation resources to support their missions. However, it is clear that many foundations do not fully understand the full complement of mission investing strategies and how…

Governance and Compliance Issues for Foundation Financial Management

Legal Compliance Guidance
This white paper provides a review of critical governance issues that foundations must consider to remain in compliance with prevailing and emerging laws and regulations. Readers can expect content focused on trustee fiduciary responsibilities as relates to duties of care, loyalty, and…

Diverse Managers: Philanthropy's Next Hurdle

Fundamentals
This white paper outlines best practices with proven results that foundations can use to find and create a diverse and inclusive staff and investment advisory team. Readers will learn how to make the business case for more diverse and equitable strategies and link success in this area with…

Reflections from the Council on Foundations About the Passing of Rick Cohen

Sherry Magill PhD, Chair of the Board of Directors I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of Rick Cohen. He and I first met in the mid 1990s when he served at national LISC and we were attempting to develop a local LISC chapter in northeast Florida. Over the years, we met annually at the…

Webinar Recording: The State of Play of Immigration Reform in Congress (and in the States!)

Download the Presentation Slides Immigration reform is a hot topic on the national scene as the 2016 presidential election looms. While no consensus legislation has emerged on Capitol Hill to date, our guests discuss how funders can play a role in educating federal, State, and local…

Recent Terror Attacks – November 2015

Last Friday, a string of terror attacks took place across Paris, killing more than 130 people on a warm, lively Friday evening. The day before, a double suicide bomb attack killed more than 40 people and wounded 200 more in a market in South Beirut. These attacks happened the same week as a bomb at…

Washington Snapshot - November 13, 2015

Don't Miss Out on Community Foundation Week! Yesterday marked the first day of Community Foundation week! CF week has been celebrated every November 12th-18th since 1989 to raise awareness of the critical role of community philanthropy in supporting thriving communities across the country. In…

Quarterly Member Update: 2015 Q4

Members View the Recording and Slides     During this webinar, Council Leadership takes a look back at some highlights from 2015 and a look forward at what’s on the horizon for 2016. Discussion covers the multiple ways in which the Council has fostered community among philanthropic…

2016 Annual Conference Partner Opportunities

Partner Opportunities Join us as a Partner at the 2016 Annual Conference The philanthropic community will come together at the 2016 Annual Conference to address some of today's toughest challenges. The Council on Foundations' Annual Conference brings together global leaders from across…

A Pre-Thanksgiving Feast: Legal Lunch Series with Legal Affairs #2

Members, Access the Recording and Slides     Quarterly, the Council's Legal Affairs team gathers for a webinar concerning Federal tax laws, grantmaking compliance and legal updates. On Thursday, November 19, Attorneys Suzanne Friday and Bryan Del Rosario came around the table to present…

Value of Community Foundations National Standards

Excellence in Community Philanthropy National Standards are used by community foundations of all sizes, scopes, and areas of focus throughout the United States. They provide vital guidance on how community foundations should operate, distribute funds, and determine impact on the communities they…
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