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.
2019 HR Summit - Schedule
Schedule
This schedule is subject to change.
Wednesday, September 11
11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Wellness Experience - Healing & Self Care Practices
Location: The Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center
Human resource and talent leaders must learn healing and self-care practices, like mindfulness, to…
Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Finance Course - Washington, DC
For community foundation CEOs, managers, or board members/trustees with fiscal responsibilities and those new to finance and fiscal administration, this course provided an understanding of the complicated aspects unique to community foundation finances. The interactive two-day course curriculum was…
Our Divided Nation: Is There a Role for Philanthropy in Renewing Democracy?
Publication
American democracy faces challenges that raise difficult questions for philanthropy. Have funders done everything possible to shore up democratic values and aspirations, or pursued their own ideas of the public good and turned a blind eye to these challenges? To what extent can philanthropy’s…
Community Philanthropy Update—April 2019
When I meet with leaders of community foundations, bringing back the Council’s former Community Foundation’s Fall Conference tops the list of requests. I share in your desire for the Council to provide a better space for community foundation leaders to network and engage around issues that impact…
Washington Snapshot: House Passes Bill to Redesign the IRS; Bill Related to Opportunity Zones Reintroduced
Please note, we will take a break from publishing Washington Snapshot while Congress is on recess from April 15-26, as well as during the week of the Leading Together 2019 Conference. Our next edition is scheduled for May 9. However, if any important executive or regulatory developments occur, we…
2019 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey Demo
Interested in the Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report? Join Council staff for a demonstration of the survey process and learn how you can participate in this important resource for the field.
CyberGrants presents "The Seven Deadly Sins of Grantmaking"
Grantmaking tends to be a pretty virtuous endeavor. However, given the complexity of the process and endless details and data, it’s easy to fall prey to one of the many “deadly sins of grantmaking”. In this interactive session, we’ll highlight some common “sins”…
Sample Board Resolution for Scholarship Funds
Sample Document
Editable Board resolution for approving scholarship policies and procedures.
This sample document is being provided for informational purposes only and is not to be shared without the permission of the Council on Foundations. Use of the sample document does not create an attorney-client…
The Value of Learning from the World
What do you do when you have a difficult and complex problem? If you’re like me, you start by trying to understand it. You think the problem through from all angles, looking at the data, talking to people in your community. You study the problem, inside out.
Now, what do you do when you're looking…
Reimagining the Council on Foundations: A Member Visioning Session with Kathleen Enright
What is the highest and best role for philanthropy? And how can the Council support our members and the field to reach our potential and address the most pressing issues of our time? Join Kathleen Enright, President and CEO of The Council on Foundations, for an interactive visioning session to…
Out @ COF: LGBTQ Funders Reception
Are you a grantmaker committed to LGBTQ issues? Did you know in 2017, grantmaking by U.S. foundations in support of organizations and programs addressing LGBTQ issues totaled $185.7 million, and the South became the most funded region with more than $22 million in funding, occupying the top…
Washington Snapshot: Possible Retirement Overhaul, Bill to Redesign the IRS Clears Committee
In This Week's Edition of Snapshot...
Preserve Charities and Houses of Worship Act Introduced
Request for Information on Opportunity Zones Regulations
At-Risk Community Index for 2020 Census
States Continue Enacting Targeted Tax Credits
The Council Hosted Public Policy Preconference in Miami
On…
Reimagining Council Membership: What We've Learned So Far
Last month, we announced our work to Reimagine Council Membership and asked for feedback as we review Council membership and dues.
More than 400 individuals – representing grantmaking organizations of different types, sizes, geographies, and member status – responded to our survey and shared ideas…
Keeping the Light of Philanthropy Shining: Puerto Rico Community Foundation Reception
After Hurricane María’s devastating impact on the island, the network of community foundations in the US were the first to mobilize resources. This solidarity action allowed the Puerto Rico Community Foundation (PRCF) to provide immediate relief grants and supplies to community first…
Community Foundation Scholarship Programs: From A to Z
Recording
In this month’s “Lunch with Legal Counsel” webinar, Ben McDearmon, Law Clerk and Legal Administrator with the Council, continues our March scholarship series after our discussion earlier in the month on Post-Graduation Scholarships. Ben guides attendees on an exploration of topics around…
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