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FEATURED EVENT
Practice and Purpose of Policy
A Training for Community Foundation Leaders
July 30 and August 6, 2024 | 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET
Virtual
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.
Washington Snapshot - June 20, 2013
June 20, 2013
Welcome to the Council’s Weekly Washington Snapshot
The Council on Foundations Public Policy and Legal Affairs team is pleased to launch a new weekly Washington Snapshot. Every Thursday afternoon, this newsletter will give you a quick glimpse at some of the pressing issues we’re…
Nonprofit Law in Vietnam
Legal Compliance Guidance
Current as of March 2024 | Download print version (PDF)
This section describes the legal framework of nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Vietnam, along with translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor undertaking an…
Nonprofit Law in Venezuela
Current as of November 2023 | Download print version (in PDF)
This report describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Venezuela, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in Uganda
Current as of March 2024 | Download print version (in PDF)
This section describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Uganda, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in South Africa
Current as of April 2023 | Download print version (in PDF)
This section describes the legal framework governing of nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in South Africa, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or…
Nonprofit Law in Slovenia
Current as of December 2018 | Download print version (in PDF)
This section describes the legal framework of nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Slovenia, along with translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor undertaking…
Nonprofit Law in Slovakia
Current as of December 2020 | Download print version (in PDF)
This report describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Slovakia and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in Serbia
Current as of December 2020 | Download print version (in PDF)
This section describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Serbia, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in Russia
Current as of September 2023 | Download print version (in PDF)
This report describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Russia, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in Romania
Current as of December 2021 | Download print version (in PDF)
This section describes the legal framework of nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Romania, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in Poland
Current as of December 2022 | Download print version (in PDF)
This report describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Poland, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in The Philippines
Current as of December 2023 | Download print version (in PDF)
This report describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in the Philippines, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or…
Nonprofit Law in Peru
Current as of January 2022 | Download print version (in PDF)
This report describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Peru, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in Nigeria
Current as of March 2022 | Download print version (in PDF)
This section describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Nigeria, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
Nonprofit Law in Montenegro
Current as of April 2018 | Download print version (in PDF)
This section describes the legal framework of nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Montenegro, along with translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor undertaking…
Nonprofit Law in Mexico
Current as of September 2023 | Download print version (in PDF)
This section describes the legal framework governing nonprofit organizations (also known as non-governmental organizations or NGOs) in Mexico, and includes translations of legislative provisions relevant for a foundation or advisor…
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