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. 

Community Foundations National Standards: Commitment to Integrity, Effectiveness, and Transparency

With competition from other charitable options and heightened scrutiny of charities in the media, National Standards set our field—and your community foundation—apart and underscore your commitment to integrity, effectiveness and transparency. In 2000, a group of respected community…

Analyzing Complex Nonprofit Laws for Members Since 1957

Gifts to community foundations have long been used as planning tools by individuals with philanthropic goals. Apart from qualifying for the maximum income tax deduction and the estate tax deduction, the community foundation is a vehicle that provides donors a variety of opportunities for fulfilling…

Worker training helps strengthen a region’s manufacturing sector

As the Council on Foundations observes Community Foundation Week, this November 12-18, we will be posting stories from across the country of members who exemplify the ability of place-based philanthropy to drive innovation and strategy. If you would like your organization featured here, contact…

ACT for Alexandria: Collaborating for a Brighter Future

As the Council on Foundations observes Community Foundation Week, this November 12-18, we will be posting stories from across the country of members who exemplify the ability of place-based philanthropy to drive innovation and strategy. If you would like your organization featured here, contact…

New Report Explains Food Insecurity in Placer County, California

As the Council on Foundations observes Community Foundation Week, this November 12-18, we will be posting stories from across the country of members who exemplify the ability of place-based philanthropy to drive innovation and strategy. If you would like your organization featured here, contact…

Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative Celebrates 10 Years

As the Council on Foundations observes Community Foundation Week, this November 12-18, we will be posting stories from across the country of members who exemplify the ability of place-based philanthropy to drive innovation and strategy. If you would like your organization featured here, contact…

Focus on Impact Investing by Community Foundations

This blog post was originally published by the Initiative for Responsible Investing at Harvard University. We just launched the Community Foundation Field Guide to Impact Investing in San Diego. As part of that, I got to moderate a session with five of the Guide’s contributors –…

Data-driven Philanthropy for Community Foundations

One of the most pressing topics for community foundations is the reinvention of their position as catalysts for change.  Foundations are increasingly taking on new, proactive roles within their communities, capitalizing on their ability to lead and advocate.  They are independent and…

The Challenges and Opportunities Foundations Face in a Post-Newtown World

The shootings in Newtown, prison overcrowding, disproportionate minority confinement and Attorney General Holder’s recent advocacy for increased judicial discretion for “low level” offenders have placed increased pressure on community foundations to respond to new community and policy realities.…

Washington Snapshot - July 18, 2013

Up on Capitol Hill . . . Tax Reform The "blank slate" is still, well, blank... As Politico notes, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Senators Baucus and Hatch and the “blank slate” approach to tax reform. Colleagues on both sides of the aisle seem reluctant to submit official letters of support for…

Washington Snapshot - July 11, 2013

Up on Capitol Hill . . . Tax Reform Should a newly reformed tax code raise more revenue than the old tax code? Discussion this week has centered on whether tax reform will be revenue raising (the position reflected by Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus) or revenue neutral (reflected by…

Washington Snapshot - June 27, 2013

BREAKING NEWS: Baucus and Hatch Call for "Blank Slate" in Tax Reform This morning, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) held a closed door meeting with the committee to ask for their support in tax reform. A Dear Colleague letter from Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch…

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…
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