Sustained Growth in an Expanding Field 2014: Columbus Survey Findings

With this report, CF Insights' aim is to share a snapshot of community foundation asset growth and activity during 2014. The findings are based on 274 community foundation responses to the Columbus Survey as of May 2015. The community foundation field achieved another year of healthy growth in 2014. The gains reflected in this year's Columbus Survey are particularly encouraging given the strong representation of small and relatively new community foundations, especially from the Midwest and South. Growth in assets, gifts, and grants were experienced across the field, regardless of foundation size; but small community foundations saw the greatest percent increases in all three measures. This suggests that, even as community foundations become more numerous and diverse, they are achieving Sustained Growth in an Expanding Field. In an expanding and increasingly diverse field, new opportunities and challenges arise for community foundations. From the growing popularity of donor-advised funds (DAF) as a vehicle for philanthropic giving and stiff competition from other DAF providers, to community foundations undertaking new and expanded roles in community leadership, the results of the 2014 Columbus Survey show that community foundations continue to adapt their business models and strategic priorities to meet the evolving needs of the communities they serve.