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. 

Leading Together 2021

  This is not your typical year. This is not your typical Zoom. From June 14-17, foundation and philanthropic leaders came together to connect on critical issues, engage in transformative conversations, and build the trust needed to create real change.   Featured speakers…

Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course - Virtual 2021

This course is sold out!   Virtual Course January 27 | January 28 | February 3 | February 4 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 two-day course helps new and growing community…

Washington Snapshot: Congress' To Do List

Note: Snapshot will not be published while Congress has adjourned for Thanksgiving recess. In This Week's Edition of Snapshot... News from the Council News from the Hill Executive and Regulatory Affairs Happening in the States News from the Council Nonprofit Community…

Community Philanthropy Update - November 2020

Greetings, In previous newsletters, we had a “Where’s Brad” section tracking the many movements made to be present for all the in-person field convenings, conferences, and trainings hosted across the country. Today, it is easy to find me at home with my office dog, Quincy in Charleston, SC, joining…

2020 Member Week - Ask Me Anything FAQs

What is the Philanthropy Exchange? The Philanthropy Exchange is a peer-to-peer platform that connects Council members around shared interests, topics, or resources. The Exchange is a member-only benefit open to Council members and invited guests. To help you get started on the Exchange, here is a…

A Post Election Message from Kathleen Enright

The Council on Foundations joins all Americans in expecting a careful accounting of all votes and an expeditious and certain outcome in the 2020 Presidential election. Whatever the result, we are heartened by the historic turnout because a healthy democracy depends on robust participation…

New Nicaraguan Legislation Impacts Foreign Foundation Grantmaking

This page will be updated as new information is made available about these laws. Please bookmark it for future reference. Last updated November 2, 2020.   On Thursday October 15, 2020, The Law for the Regulation of Foreign Agents, or Ley de Regulación de Agentes Extranjeros, was enacted…

Ask Me Anything with Kathleen Enright and Council Leaders

Do you have a question about the strategic direction of the Council? Curious how the team is managing in uncertain times? Or just want to get to know the team better? This is the time to ask us anything. This event will take place on the Philanthropy Exchange, the Council’s peer-to-peer…

2020 Member Week - Member Hour

End the long work week with an hour of wellness and networking. The wellness activity will be a resiliency themed meditation led by our partners at Chill Anywhere. Following the meditation, we’ll play a fun trivia game to test your knowledge of recent events and host and a facilitated…

2020 Public Policy Summit - Sponsors

Sponsors The Council would like to thank all of the sponsors for their support of the 2020 Public Policy Summit. If you would like to learn more about sponosrship opportunities, contact Tara Cox at tara.cox@cof.org. Gold Sponsors The Heinz Endowments The Heinz…

The Unrestricted Funding Dilemma: Advantages and Challenges to General Support Grants

Earlier this year, the Council on Foundations issued a COVID-19 Call to Action to its community of domestic and international funders, asking foundations to provide unrestricted funding to grantee organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This call to action prompted a timely discussion with…

2020 Annual Member Meeting

Keynote Speech with Fred Blackwell - Recording     Annual Member Meeting - Recording        The Annual Member Meeting is the kickoff event for Member Week. This year the Council will host a series of virtual events that will offer members the opportunity to…

Policy Agenda for the 118th Congress

Global Philanthropy Update - October 2020

With more than one million people lost to COVID-19, the world is in mourning and rightfully so. It is not only the people we have lost, but the progress that the world had been making in becoming a more equitable, healthy, peaceful, and prosperous place. Additionally, while COVID-19 has occupied…

Building Trust, Breaking Tradition: How Foundations Can More Effectively Respond in Times of Crisis

When the Council on Foundations published A Call to Action: Philanthropy’s Commitment during COVID-19 in March, the COVID-19 pandemic was in its early stages. Now, its impact has surpassed many of our worst fears, and an economic recession and long-standing racial injustices add to this moment of…

2020 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings

Publication, Research
For 40 years the Council has provided the most comprehensive analysis of salary and benefits for full-time staff at U.S. foundations through the Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Report. This year, in addition to providing an analysis of salary and benefits data from 8,794 full-time paid…
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