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Values-Aligned Philanthropy Board Discussion Guide
Toolkit
Foundation leaders committing to values-aligned philanthropy to ensure their grantmaking efforts do not fund hate and extremism may encounter hesitancy from unexpected sources: their own boards. In our new Values-Aligned Philanthropy Board Discussion Guide, we lay out tips for communicating the…
CF Insights Activity-Based Costing Toolkit
Toolkit
The Activity-Based Costing toolkit helps your community foundation assess the performance of your community foundation’s products and services to make informed decisions and improve sustainability. Match economics to mission, gauge your investment in community leadership, adjust fee schedules,…
2022 Council on Foundations - Commonfund Study of Investment of Endowments for Private and Community Foundations (CCSF)
Publication, Research
The CCSF Study is the field’s most comprehensive and authoritative study on investment and governance policies and practices. The 2022 CCSF studies 277 private and community foundations that represent $206.8 billion in assets. Topics covered include:
Returns and Investment Objectives
Asset…
Learning from the Future: A Resource for Planning Ahead
Publication
The Economic Scenario Planning (ESP) model is designed to help community foundations of any size and shape create five-year forecasts and plan for multiple scenarios. Community foundations using the model cite important benefits, often revising goals or making operating model changes as a result…
Survey Results: The Operation of Women’s Funds at Community Foundations
Publication
After a request by a CF Insights member seeking information about the operation of Women's Funds at community foundation, a survey was created and administered to a subset of potential respondents. This short, eight-question survey collected some high-level information about fees pricing, revenue…
Do More than Grow: Realizing the Potential of Community Foundation Donor-Advised Funds
Publication
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) have been a growth engine for community foundations since the 1990s but the aspiration today is for DAFs to do more. In Do More than Grow: Realizing the Potential of Community Foundation Donor-Advised Funds, new data and analysis of donor behavior reveals the significant…
Seeking Shared Success: Business Model Innovation Through Mergers, Affiliations, and Alliances
Publication
Learn how alliances, affiliations, and mergers represent a path to enhanced sustainability and greater impact for community foundations. Hear perspectives from community foundation leaders, access tools for considering a new structure, and read case studies from six community foundations.
Fueling Impact: A Fresh Look at Business Model Innovation and New Revenue Sources
Publication
Do you want to know how community foundations are finding innovative new sources of support, and diversifying their revenue base? How new revenue sources strengthen each community foundation's differentiation and sustainability? Difficult economic times in 2008-2010 have been an important wake-up…
Taking Informed Action in Challenging Times: Helping Community Foundations during Economic Downturn
Publication
Following up on CF Insights' November 2008 report "Making Informed Decisions in Uncertain Times", this report is aimed at helping community foundations take informed action in relation to their operating models and community activities in reaction to the economic slump. The findings are based on…
Align, Adapt, Aspire: Ten Years of Community Foundation Business Model Evolution
Publication
Community foundations understand how the traditional community foundation business model falls short of new aspirations. Sustainability is an ongoing challenge and many community foundations work towards continually adapting their business model to support a changing context and achieve enough…
Raising Money While Raising Hell: Catalytic Community Leadership and Successful Fundraising for Community Foundations
Publication
This paper debunks the myth that advocacy-oriented community leadership is naturally antithetical to fundraising, and highlights examples where foundations have built their fundraising efforts by playing advocacy-oriented community leadership roles.
A Scan of Community Foundations Accepting Cryptocurrency Gifts
Publication
With the proliferation of bitcoin and other forms of digital (or "crypto") currencies around the world, a growing number of charitable donations are being given via these transaction vehicles. To what extent have community foundations entered this space? Which cryptocurrencies are the most popular…
CF Insights Interactive Strategy Model toolkit
Toolkit
Building on the Activity-Based Costing methodology, the Interactive Strategy Model (ISM) helps community foundations model the impact of strategic changes on their economics.
Consulting services are available for any of our CF Insights operating model analysis tools. Email cfinsights@cof.org to…
CF Insights Economic Scenario Planning toolkit
Toolkit
The Economic Scenario Planning (ESP) Model, or “Stress Test,” allows community foundations to create five-year forecasts to answer questions about the potential effects of investment market performance and donor behavior.
Consulting services are available for any of our CF Insights operating model…
Assessing Community Foundation Needs and Envisioning the Future
Publication, Research
Community foundations have several attributes that, taken together, distinguish them from many of their philanthropic brethren, including a local orientation, relationships with many living donors, and a public charity tax status. This affects everything from their approach to solving problems to…
Making Informed Decisions in Uncertain Times: Helping Community Foundations during Economic Volatility
Publication, Research
To help community foundations address twin challenges of fewer resources and greater need, CF Insights conducted research by interviewing and collecting survey responses from a cross section of 73 community foundations during the month of October 2008.
About Council Resources
As a benefit of membership, the Council on Foundations attorneys and legal staff provide information and education to Council members regarding a variety of topics related to foundation operations and legal compliance. All information on this website, and all publications, articles, e-mail correspondence and telephone consultations provided by Council attorneys and legal staff are intended for informational purposes only and not as part of an attorney-client relationship. Council attorneys are not licensed in every state and cannot provide legal representation.
The information is not a substitute for expert legal, tax or other professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances, and may not be relied upon for the purposes of avoiding any penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. Council members may e-mail legal@cof.org with inquiries and for more information.
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