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. 

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Investing in What We Have Yet to Learn

This piece was originally published by Raikes Foundation on November 9, 2026.Editor's note: This piece is part of "First Movers," a series from foundation leaders reflecting on moments when the charitable sector backed new and untested ideas, and the people behind them, before anyone else would,…

Ideas Ignite

What can an idea ignite? A spark that stays with you for days. A fresh perspective that changes how you see an issue. A conversation that challenges the status quo and opens new possibilities. When ideas take hold, they can move us forward.Ideas Ignite, one of the three experiences of Shaping the…

Forward Together

No single organization or individual can shape philanthropy’s future alone. We are stronger when we share our stories, highlight our collective impact, and work together to achieve our goals. As part of Forward Together, philanthropy leaders will have the opportunity to connect with peers and meet…

The Summit

The Summit, one of the three experiences of Shaping the Future: Philanthropy & Public Policy, is a highly participatory, one-day gathering where attendees will explore fresh ideas together, debate recommendations, and chart a path toward a more modern philanthropic sector. Together, we will…

Turning a Community’s Differences into its Superpower

The immigrants, mostly from Mexico, arrived at the elementary school four nights a week. Some came to learn English, others to earn high-school equivalency credentials. But first, they went to the cafeteria for a dinner prepared by their fellow residents of Cascade, Iowa, a predominantly white town…

Food Security in North Texas

Maria Sanchez (@mariajsanchez) shares how experiencing food insecurity growing up led her to volunteer with the North Texas Food Bank (@northtexasfoodbank) to give back to her local community.  body.group-subsites.node--type-blog.gb-anim .gb-reveal { opacity: 1 !important; }   …

Imagine Nashville: Developing a City Where Everyone Belongs

In 2023, Imagine Nashville conducted a survey asking residents of Davidson County, Tennessee, a deceptively simple question.“If you could change one thing to make your community a better place to live, what would it be?”The survey generated more than 10,000 answers from residents, with responses…

When the Hardest Conversations are with Our Allies

America’s bitter divisions can’t be addressed simply by bringing together people with opposing views. Some of the most important work happens within our own political, religious, and social groups.That’s a lesson Braver Angels learned after the 2016 election. The organization initially focused on…

2026 End-of-Year Ask Me Anything: Community Foundations

As 2026 winds down, we know that community foundations face one of their busiest periods of the year. Whether you have questions about gift acceptance and donor stewardship, grantmaking, or fund administration, we hope you’ll join us for an open office hours session where the Council’s Legal…

Community Philanthropy Update - October 2026

Preparing for 2027 with the CF Leadership Coalition. Want to learn more? Visit our website for a full pricing table and a detailed list of benefits, or email cfcoalition@cof.org to speak directly with a member of the team.

Career Pathways 2027-28 Application Office Hours

During this session, expect to discuss:2027-28 program scheduleCurriculumApplication ProcessWaldman ScholarshipProgram benefits, outcomes, and much more!Details to Note:Come prepared with questions for the Q&A sectionThis session will be recordedApplications for the Career Pathways 2027-28…

Scholarship Deep Dive for Community Foundations - August 2027

Join the Council’s Legal Resources team to learn about legal requirements for scholarships and other grants to individuals. This workshop will address charitable-class requirements, objective and nondiscriminatory selection criteria, selection committee independence, qualified educational expenses…

Deep Dive into Community Foundation Fund Types - June 2027

Join the Council’s Legal Resources team for an overview of fund types commonly held by community foundations. This workshop will explore how community foundations structure and manage component funds, including agency funds, designated funds, field of interest funds, and scholarship funds.…

Advocacy Essentials for Community Foundations - June 2027

Workshop HoursTuesday, June 8: 1-3:30 p.m. ETThursday, June 10: 1-3:30 p.m. ETWednesday, June 16: 1-3:30 p.m. ETGovernment policies and programs, at the federal, state, and local level, affect almost every aspect of our lives, from housing, healthcare and the environment to education,…

Donor-Advised Funds Deep Dive for Community Foundations - April 2027

Join the Council’s Legal Resources team for an overview of donor-advised funds (DAFs) and the federal rules governing their operation. This workshop will cover the legal definition of a DAF and explain permissible distributions, prohibited donor benefits, and potential tax penalties under IRC…

Legal Matters for Community Foundations - Virtual - September 2027

Training OverviewSession Hours:Tuesday, September 14: 1:00-4:30 p.m. ETThursday, September 16: 1:00-4:30 p.m. ETThroughout the training, sessions will include:Insight from Council's top-notch legal team that interacts with nearly 2,000 foundation leaders each yearTrends spotted by our broader team…
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