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. 

Columbus Survey Shows Continued Growth in Benchmarks for Community Foundations in 2013

The Council on Foundations and CF Insights today released Guideposts for Growth and Aspirations,the field’s most comprehensive report on U.S. community foundation assets, gifts, and grants. The data were collected from 285 U.S. community foundations, including those representing more than 90…

5 Things You Should Know About the Philanthropy Exchange

When we face a new challenge, one of our first instincts is to reach out to someone for advice. By collaborating, sharing resources, and discussing common challenges, you and your peers multiply your impact and advance the common good. Now the Council on Foundations is offering you a new way to…

Mission investing and lessons learned

Many community foundations are recognizing that impact investing can be a powerful tool in our philanthropic toolbox. Mission investments are investments made by foundations to further their philanthropic goals. Since 2009, the Seattle Foundation has committed $4 million of its unrestricted…

2014 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Survey

The Council on Foundations' 2014 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Survey is now closed. The 2014 Salary Tables will be published this fall and the full report will be released in early 2015. The survey collects information on benefits policies and practices, as well as compensation data for 35…

#CF100 Video Contest

In 2014, the Council on Foundations commemorated the 100th anniversary of the world’s first community foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, by highlighting stories that show how community foundations are addressing critical local and regional issues. As part of this initative, the Council sponsored…

5 Things Your Foundation Should Know About the Future of Impact Investing

At the White House last week, foundation executives, including the Council’s President and CEO Vikki Spruill, met with senior Administration officials for a roundtable on the future of impact investing. A complement to charitable giving and foundation grantmaking, impact investing offers a powerful…

Washington Snapshot - June 27, 2014

We want to remind our readers that we will not be publishing Snapshot next week, in light of the Fourth of July holiday. We wish you all a happy Fourth! News from the Hill Republican Lawmakers Slam IRS Over Lost E-mails We told you last week about the fury on Capitol Hill over thousands of e-mails…

Lending a Hand: Southwest Initiative Foundation taps unique micro-financing program to help local entrepreneurs and businesses

Lessons Learned The Southwest Initiative Foundation got interested in becoming a Kiva loan administrator after a staff member learned about the program at a conference. Now two years into the program, Greg Jodzio, Microenterprise specialist at SWIF, offered up some insight into how to get the…

Why we depend on our peers to do our jobs better

When Jessica David was wondering how to support her new hire, who was tasked with telling her foundation’s story online, she turned to her peers for advice. Jessica, the Vice President of Strategy and Community Investments of the Rhode Island Foundation, posted a question to the Council’s new…

Getting more out of your ideas with authentic partnerships

With partnerships being very important in making the most of innovative ideas, how does one develop an authentic partnership? In a recent situation, I developed a partnership with several individuals to implement an idea at a large conference. Here are the lessons I learned: I. Make sure that the…

Randy Royster Elected President of the Community Foundations National Standards Board

The Community Foundations National Standards Board has elected Randy Royster, President and CEO of the Albuquerque Community Foundation, as its new President. Royster will succeed Hugh Ralston in the leadership position. The Board oversees the management and administration of the National Standards…

Washington Snapshot - June 20, 2014

News from the Hill Senate Tax Reform Hearings As we told you last week, Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) have announced three hearings on tax reform that will take place this summer. Chairman Wyden also stated this week that he hopes that comprehensive…

In the 60s They Changed the World; In Their 60s they Did It Again.

How can we engage older residents while tapping their expertise? In 2006, The New York Community Trust responded to an invitation from Atlantic Philanthropies offering challenge to get people over 60 involved as they improve life for everyone in their communities. Atlantic’s effort, called the…

Using data and evaluation to support, not punish grantees

At the Council on Foundations Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., some funders were expressing a move toward a new way of doing business with their grantees. Accountability has long been a theme in grantmaking. It has traditionally been top-down – foundations being held accountable to the people…

Washington Snapshot - June 13, 2014

We loved seeing so many of our readers and Council members at our 2014 Annual Conference: Philanthropy Exchange this week! We hope you enjoyed your time in D.C., connected with colleagues old and new, and learned as much as we did. Community Foundation Survey Last week, your community foundation…

Learning by doing: W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s approach to impact investing

  As a foundation whose roots trace back more than 80 years, reflection on the past is a key part of our process for moving forward. Are we staying true to the values and the intent of our late founder, Will Keith Kellogg, as we steward the resources he left to improve the lives of children…
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