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. 

Advice on Charging Administrative Fees During a Crisis

Community foundations often feel like waiving administrative fees is the right thing to do during a disaster or crisis. Or you may feel your community expects you to waive such fees. And yet waiving administrative fees is almost always a bad business decision. This is especially true when a global…

HR Leaders Peer Exchange: Considerations for Returning to Work

As organizations continue COVID-19 response efforts, HR leaders in philanthropy are thoughtfully introducing innovative practices about returning to work, while coping with new and complex challenges. Join us for a facilitated, small-group dialogue to explore the issues you are considering as you…

Strengthening Cyber Security for Foundations & Nonprofit Partners

  COVID-19 has revealed the inadequacies of many foundation and nonprofit virtual strategies. Having an up-to-date cybersecurity strategy is key to ensuring your foundation’s ability to respond to this ongoing crisis while enabling and empowering your nonprofit partners to accomplish their…

Washington Snapshot: Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act passes Congress

The Coronavirus - THE MORE YOU KNOW World Health Organization: Situation Dashboard How Philanthropy Can Respond: Center for Disaster Philanthropy Council on Foundations: COVID-19 Resource Hub List of COVID-19 Response Funds In This Week's Edition of Snapshot... News from…

Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, 2020 (H.R. 266)

Bill #4 – Enacted April 24, 2020 Approximate appropriation: $484 billion Comprehensive Coronavirus Legislation Guide for the Charitable Sector This is a summary of the fourth bill Congress passed to help with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. This guide highlights the specific provisions…

Tips and Resources for Community Foundations Responding to COVID-19

Responding to your community’s needs during the COVID-19 pandemic is complicated. Your approach to combatting the outbreak and its impact on public health and the economy will differ from place to place. However, effective practices are emerging among community foundations that are applicable and…

How Community Foundations Can Support Individuals and Small Businesses During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Legal Compliance Guidance
During the pandemic, many of us expected the stock market would fare poorly, that there would be long lines at food pantries, and that public health systems would be overwhelmed. Many of us did not expect to see record levels of unemployment, widespread permanent closures of small businesses, or…

Making Grants to Crowdfunding Campaigns During Disasters

Legal Compliance Guidance
You may wonder whether you can make grants to GoFundMe campaigns that are supporting localized efforts during disasters. Proceed cautiously: GoFundMe and many similar crowdfunding platforms are not registered 501(c)(3) public charities, and therefore you need to examine carefully if the campaigns…

Legal Office Hours for Community Foundations

Recording
  Over the past weeks, COVID-19 has changed most community foundation's disaster and crisis management plans by the hour. As primary local funders throughout this pandemic, many are launching local response funds, shifting to immediate operational and unrestricted grants, and seeking best…

Snapshot: The CARES Act and other Stimulus Packages Passed by Congress include Supports for Nonprofits

The Coronavirus - THE MORE YOU KNOW World Health Organization: Situation Dashboard How Philanthropy Can Respond: Center for Disaster Philanthropy Council on Foundations: COVID-19 Resource Hub List of COVID-19 Response Funds In This Week's Edition of Snapshot... News from…

Listening and Learning from Nonprofit Partners During Disasters

  Big thank you to our partner, The Center for Effective Philanthropy for making this webinar possible! More than 600 philanthropic organizations have committed to listening to their partners—especially to those communities least heard—and lifting up those voices to inform and…

Extension of Tax Filing Deadlines for Tax-Exempt Organizations in 2020

Legal Compliance Guidance
IRS Notice 2020-23, issued on April 9, 2020, clarifies that tax-exempt organizations are fully included in COVID-19 relief. Specifically, the filing and tax payment deadlines for IRS Form 990 series (990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, and 990-T) normally due between April 1, 2020 and July 15, 2020 are…

Philanthropy's Response to Spring 2020 Severe Storms

Disaster Overview Communities across the South and Southeastern United States are reeling from at least 34 tornadoes and severe storms that have left many dead and more than a million people are without power. This is particularly devastating for an area of the country that has been…

What is the Courageous Opportunity for Companies in this Crisis?

Joint Letter The global community is in the middle of a cataclysm that is unprecedented in modern times as it stares down COVID-19. The humanitarian and economic toll is staggering, and the future is unfathomable. While all sectors are pivotal throughout this crisis, the world’s leading…

HR Leaders Peer Exchange: Managing the Talent Pipeline During COVID-19

As organizations continue COVID-19 response efforts, HR leaders in philanthropy are managing through a wide range of new and complex challenges. Join us for a facilitated, small-group dialogue to explore the implications this pandemic is having on your talent management efforts, including remote…

HR Leaders Peer Exchange: Culture & Wellness in the Midst of COVID-19

As organizations continue COVID-19 response efforts, HR leaders in philanthropy are thoughtfully introducing innovative practices to care for the health and well-being of their employees, while coping with new and complex challenges. Join us for a facilitated, small-group dialogue to explore the…
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