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. 

PhilEx Live: Funding Internet Access for Students and Families

Developed out of a trending conversation on the Philanthropy Exchange (PhilEx), the Council invites you to join a member-only peer-led discussion of how foundations are supporting internet access for students and families as schools, businesses, and communities struggle with the impacts of…

CFExpress Training: Module 16

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Bonus module 16 on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is included in the CFExpressTraining.com - an online express training for board members, staff, and volunteers of community foundations of any size anywhere in America. Courtesy of C. S. Mott Foundation, all community…

How the Sustainable Development Goals Can Help Community Foundations Respond to COVID-19 and Advance Racial Equity

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In 2020, the Mott Foundation commissioned philanthropic researcher, Dr. Larry McGill, to examine how U.S. community foundations can use the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to lead local revitalization efforts, advance racial equity and recover from the complex effects of the pandemic. The…

Community Philanthropy Update - February 2021

Friend, We continue to live through unprecedented times. 2021 started off with new challenges and the demands have been relentless. Through it all, community foundations have played a crucial role in communities, ensuring funds were available to local nonprofits and relief efforts. Your work helps…

Community Foundation CEO Virtual Roundtable: March 2021

  Join the Council and CEONet as we convene CEOs and Executive Directors of community foundations for a virtual roundtable. With a focus on peer sharing and reflection, these roundtables serve as a platform for the field to scale our philanthropic response and actively engage with peers.…

Leaning Toward Trust: Three Interwoven Narratives of Constructive Change in Disruptive Times

“A time of crisis is not just a time of anxiety and worry. It gives a chance, an opportunity, to choose well or to choose badly.”  Archbishop Desmond Tutu The COVID-19 pandemic forced foundations and nonprofits alike to urgently reconsider their ways of working. Some chose to pull back, while…

Utilizing the Global Goals Mapping Tool

Join us for a one hour webinar to discuss The Global Goals Mapping Tool. The Global Goals Mapping Tool is a comprehensive resource that maps giving and volunteerism using both the IRS National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) codes and the United Nations International Classification of Nonprofit…

Welcoming A New Group of Innovative Leaders to the Council's Board of Directors

The Council on Foundations today announced the appointment of four nonprofit leaders to its Board of Directors, as well as the renomination of two current members for a second term. New members include: Martha I. Jimenez, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of The California Endowment;…

Values-Aligned Philanthropy

The Problem of Hate Over the past several years, anti-democratic extremism, hate speech, and politically motivated violence have increasingly threatened many of the most cherished values in civil society. Although the vast majority of philanthropic funding goes to charities acting to advance the…

Supporting You in the Work Ahead

For over 70 years, the Council has supported philanthropy’s efforts to advance the greater good amidst persistent global challenges. Over the past 12 months we have faced crises unlike anything we have seen before, including the recent assault on our democracy. And yet, while the struggles we face…

Career Pathways 2021 Program Information Session

The Career Pathways program is a highly selective pipeline expansion opportunity open to individuals from diverse backgrounds who are currently employed in foundations, grantmaking institutions and industries outside of philanthropy.  This leadership preparation course is designed for mid-…

Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course - Virtual July 2021

This course is SOLD OUT   Virtual Course July 21 | July 22 | July 28 | July 29 1:00-4:30 p.m. ET A well-trained staff and an informed board are critical to the success of community foundations in our fast-changing world. This traditionally in-person, two-day course adapted to virtual in…

Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course - Virtual April 2021 - Sold Out

SOLD OUT   Virtual Course April 14 | April 15 | April 21 | April 22 1:00-4:30 p.m. ET A well-trained staff and an informed board are critical to the success of community foundations in our fast-changing world. This traditionally in-person, two-day course adapted to virtual in four, half…

Statement Condemning Violence at the Capitol

On January 6, 2021 at the United States Capitol we witnessed inexcusable acts of violence and criminal behavior as a predominantly white mob attempted to disrupt the rightful certification of the results of a democratic election. This is an unprecedented moment in modern American history and one…

Council on Foundations Holiday Schedule

Our offices will be closed for the holidays between December 24th and January 4th as we take time to relax with loved ones and prepare to face 2021 with renewed enthusiasm and focus. We know you may have time-sensitive legal or membership questions as you close out 2020. To support you, Council…

2020 Membership Week Review: A Closer Look

The Council hosted a series of virtual events inspired by some of philanthropy’s most important challenges and opportunities in our first-ever inaugural Member Week (December 3-7th 2020). These free events prioritized the need for Council members to connect and share insights and inspiration for…
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