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.
Building Sustainable and Inclusive Communities: U.S. Philanthropy and the Sustainable Development Goals
Philanthropic organizations in the United States are leading efforts across the country and around the world to build sustainable, resilient, and inclusive communities. Together with American city and state leaders, academic institutions, businesses, and non-profits, many philanthropies are using…
Values-Aligned Philanthropy for Community Foundations - Peer Learning Circle Kickoff
Join us for the launch of our new Values-Aligned Philanthropy Peer Learning Circle. This engagement opportunity is designed to connect community foundation staff across the country who are working to explore, design, implement, or refine their organizational values-aligned grantmaking or anti-hate…
Philanthropy's Response to Kentucky Floods
Overview
Severe storms dumped torrential rain across eastern Kentucky, causing at least 37 deaths and severe damage to hundreds of houses, bridges and infrastructure. Multiple mudslides, mountainous terrain, and strong currents are delaying rescue missions and thousands are left without water…
ARPA and Philanthropy: Seizing the Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) enacted in March 2021 provided a historic commitment of federal funds to address critical needs of communities responding to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Of the larger federal investment, $350 billion is designated for state,…
SDG Learning Community for Community Foundations - Climate Change Communication
Join us for the August meeting of our new Peer Learning Circle dedicated specifically for community foundations who are working on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or are open to learning more about how the SDGs can fit within their work.
Meeting Topic: Climate Change…
Community Foundation Advisory Group
Meet the Current Advisory Group Members
The Council on Foundations' Community Foundation Advisory Group aims to:
Represent diverse community foundation wants and needs to assist the Council in identifying new opportunities to better serve the sector.
Advise the Council’s strategic approach…
2020 UN General Assembly Philanthropic Side-Events
This page highlights events that may be of interest to foundations and other philanthropic actors and includes links to register for each event.
If you are hosting side-events featuring philanthropy that we should include in our calendar, please send event details to brian.kastner@cof.org so we…
Community Philanthropy Update - July 2022
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The Council wants to equip our members to lift your voices as part of our commitment to a strong multicultural democracy.
Greetings Friend,
The midterm…
Accepting Charitable Contributions from Cannabis Businesses
Legal Compliance Guidance
With the sale and use of cannabis still federally prohibited while more states legalize it to varying degrees, the industry is creating far-reaching financial implications for the philanthropic sector.
“Accepting Charitable Contributions from Cannabis Businesses” will help community foundations…
Community Foundation CEO Virtual Roundtable - August 2022
Values-Aligned Philanthropy and Your Community Foundation
Community foundation executives are invited to join a peer roundtable conversation to learn more about values-aligned philanthropy. In the wake of horrific acts of violence across the nation, philanthropic leaders are stepping up in…
Alliances in Disaster Recovery: FEMA and Foundations Collaborate for Resilience
In this webinar, we learned how your foundation can complement FEMA's disaster recovery efforts in your community. To recover successfully from major natural disasters, coordination of public, private, and philanthropic resources is important to avoid duplication of effort and to deepen the…
Virtual Meet-Up: Community Foundation Donor Services - July 2022
Partners in Philanthropy: Engaging with Professional Advisors
Join this interactive and informal virtual-meet up for all community foundation staff who are philanthropic advisors or involved in donor stewardship. This peer-led conversation will be a time to connect with peers across the nation and…
Increasing Equitable Infrastructure Investments in Underserved Communities
In this webinar, the Council hosted Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Christopher Coes and Department of Transportation (DOT) officials responsible for community outreach for a conversation about how foundations can collaborate with community partners to support the…
Philanthropy's Response to the 2022 Afghanistan Earthquake
Overview
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on June 22, 2022, resulting in the deadliest earthquake to hit the region in over two decades, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring 1,500. Before the devastating impact of this earthquake, Afghanistan was already grappling with…
Community Philanthropy Update - June 2022
Greetings Friend,
I'm still so energized by the events of last week. Not only did we celebrate Member Week with our nearly 850 members, but we also launched a new Council brand and website. We’re proud to enter this exciting moment in our history and to celebrate our vibrant member…
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