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 Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course - Virtual - February 2026

Taught by a variety of seasoned and experienced community foundation leaders and Council experts, this course helps community foundation staff and board members master the unique aspects of the community foundation field. You'll learn about effective practices, get helpful tools and information,…

Creating Discourse Across Differences in Newaygo County

By Lola Harmon-Ramsey, director of impact and engagement at the Fremont Area Community Foundation I live and work in Newaygo County, a large rural county in Michigan with five municipalities and just under 50,000 people. Each locality moves to its own rhythm and its own priorities. Combined with…

2025 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Administrative and Program Expense Tables

Publication, Research
The 2025 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Administrative and Program Expense Tables provide foundations the benchmarking data needed to measure administrative, program, service, and qualifying distribution expenses against peers in the field. Containing data collected through the Council’s GSB…

SDG Learning Circle for Foundations - November 2025

Join us for this peer-led event dedicated specifically to foundations working on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or are open to learning more about how the SDGs can fit within their work. Connect with foundation peers to learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development…

Washington Snapshot: Federal Government Shutdown

The Senate did not pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) extending government funding beyond September 30, resulting in a government shutdown. The Senate has voted down two separate CRs multiple times this week. Plus, executive action on political violence, IRS priority guidance, state giving…

Foreign Aid Briefing | Navigating the Crossroads: Philanthropic Strategies for Global Human Rights

Join the Council on Foundations, Human Rights Funders Network (HRFN), and Philea for a crucial conversation on the future of funding for global human rights. This event will address the urgent challenges highlighted in HRFN's new report, "Funding at a Crossroads: Foreign Aid Cuts and Implications…

2025 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report

Publication, Research
The 2025 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report contains the most comprehensive and up-to-date data on U.S. philanthropic sector salaries, benefits, and demographic details, with information presented by grantmaker type, foundation type, asset size, and geographic location. The 2025 Grantmaker…

2025 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings

Research
The 2025 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Key Findings is a visual highlight of the trends and changes that are shaping the philanthropic sector. Also available as a free PDF, the 2025 GSB Key Findings is just a small fraction of the expansive dataset available in the 2025 GSB Report, which…

​​Potential Implications of Funding Protest Activities​

Legal Compliance Guidance
Developed for the Council on Foundations by Christopher J. Armstrong, Partner at Holland & Knight  The Current Environment  Foundations are under increasing political scrutiny regarding their relationships with organizations that have engaged in protests, especially in situations…

Washington Snapshot: Government Funding

With less than two weeks left before the government funding deadline, Congress is working to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown. Plus, Congressional oversight of nonprofits and funders, hearing on the tax-exempt sector, PSLF comments, trendspotting nonprofit…

Snapshot of Funder Progress on Locally Led Development (Sept. 2025)

Publication, Research
In September 2023, a group of 15 foundations joined 20 bilateral donors in signing a Donor Statement committing to advancing locally led development. After recent global shifts in foreign assistance and the dismantling of USAID, the Council on Foundations wanted to understand how philanthropy has…

Community Philanthropy Update - September 2025

There are only two weeks left to participate in the CF Insights Annual Survey for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) before the October 3 deadline!

Communicating Across Divides: A Facilitation Intensive

Join Resetting the Table (RTT) and the Council on Foundations for a training that offers a comprehensive framework for facilitating courageous and constructive communication across lines of difference. Through this intensive training, philanthropic leaders will build advanced facilitation skills…

HR Philanthropy Collaborative - October 2025

This is a peer-led space designed to connect you with human resources leaders at foundations across the country. The group will build meaningful relationships, share resources, and provide a consistent opportunity to engage in collaborative troubleshooting in a trusted environment. Meeting every…

Washington Snapshot: Fall Congressional preview

Earlier this week, Congress returned to Washington and will begin to tackle some of the major legislative issues on its agenda for the fall. Plus, public service loan forgiveness, executive orders on grantmaking, guidelines on federal funding, spring regulatory agenda, and more.

Scholarships Exchange: Peer Event

During a moment in which many in the field have questions concerning the operation of their scholarship programs, this new virtual peer-led space for you to explore the unique challenges of scholarship work, how others are navigating the current environment while ensuring that they continue to meet…
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