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.
2020 UN General Assembly Virtual Philanthropic Side-Events
This September, many parts of the United Nations General Assembly and its hundreds of side-events will be held virtually for the first time due to COVID-19. While many of the usual events may not take place, there are still hundreds of opportunities that are now more accessible than ever to the…
Disaster Assistance and Emergency Hardship Funds: Charitable Assistance for Individuals and Communities
Legal Compliance Guidance, Publication
A Chapter in Mastering Foundation Law:
The Council on Foundations Compendium of Legal Resources
The Council on Foundations has long been involved in helping foundations and funders navigate grantmaking in times of disaster and hardship. We have published various materials over the years related to…
Trends in Disaster Philanthropy: Examining 15 Years of Disaster Giving to the Asia-Pacific
External Resource
Give2Asia's report looks at 15 years of its grantmaking to understand giving patterns, program impact, and opportunities in the philanthropy sector.
Philanthropy's Response to 2020 Hurricane Laura
OVERVIEW
Communities across the Caribbean are reeling from Atlantic Tropical Storm Laura, which caused loss of life in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Laura strengthened into a Hurricane as it is forecasted to strike the upper Texas and Louisiana coasts. This is particularly devastating for the…
Philanthropy's Response to 2020 North American Wildfire Season
OVERVIEW
Communities in California, Oregon, and Washington continue to face devastation from mega wildfires, while Colorado wildfires remain mostly contained.
As updates about the impact of these disasters are known and opportunities to support long-term recovery become available, this page will…
Philanthropy's Response to 2020 Iowa Derecho
OVERVIEW
Communities across the Midwest and primarily in Iowa are reeling from a range of catastrophic events caused by a Derecho that hit the area on August 10, 2020. Devastating crops and farmland, and leaving thousands without power for weeks, many in Iowa are still reeling from the significant…
2020 HR Retreat - Speakers
Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Trina C. Olson
Team Dynamics
Alfonso Wenker
Team Dynamics
Culture Speakers
Galen Maness
San Francisco Foundation
Maria Hannon
The Colorado Health Foundation
…
2020 HR Retreat - Sponsors
Sponsors
The Council would like to thank all of the sponsors for their support of the 2020 HR Retreat.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a sponsor, contact Tara Cox at tara.cox@cof.org.
Silver Sponsor
Colorado Health Foundation
Bronze Sponsors
ABD Insurance &…
Washington Snapshot: No Movement, No Deal
With Congress adjourned for the summer, Snapshot will not be published again until September 18. We will issue breaking news as stimulus talks continue or consequential presidential actions occur.
The Coronavirus - THE MORE YOU KNOW
World Health Organization: Situation Dashboard
How…
Community Foundation CEO Virtual Roundtable: September 2020
Join the Council and CEONet as we convene CEOs and Executive Directors of community foundations for a seventh virtual roundtable in support of the continued efforts by the field to respond and adapt to the challenges of COVID-19. With a focus on peer sharing and reflection, these roundtables…
Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course - Virtual
This event is sold out.
Virtual Course
October 14 | October 16 | October 21 | October 23
1:00-4:00 p.m. ET
A well-trained staff and an informed board are critical to the success of community foundations in our fast-changing world. This two-day course helps new and growing community…
Balancing Purpose, Payout, and Permanence
"How much should we spend?" It's an essential question for all funders, and an especially complex one for endowed private foundations. The answer of "around 5%" was never universal as foundations sought creative means of ensuring that assets would serve mission rather than the other way…
Career Pathways Alumni | September Community Building Hour
The Council on Foundations’ Career Pathways program (CP) has strengthened and expanded the capacity of philanthropic professionals within the leadership pipeline who are considered, appointed, and retained in senior and executive philanthropic leadership positions. The Council is committed to…
Washington Snapshot: The Next COVID-19 Package
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
Council's Comprehensive Coronavirus…
Community Foundation Update: July 2020
We all could use a sense of normalcy. Hence, I am pleased to announce our fall lineup of trainings and workshops, peer conversations and summits—and, you guessed it, all virtual!
We plan to deliver a mix of refreshed content alongside new formats to dive into shared experiences with peers and…
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