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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Protecting the Henry's Fork in Idaho

Kori Keyes (@korikeyes) shares how support for the Henry's Fork Foundation from the M.J. Charitable Trust is helping to protect the land and water that supports wildlife, agriculture, outdoor recreation, and the local communities around Ashton, Idaho.  body.group-subsites.node--type-blog.gb-…

2026 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report

Publication, Research
The 2026 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report contains the most comprehensive and up-to-date data on U.S. philanthropic sector salaries, benefits, and demographic details, with information presented by grantmaker type, foundation type, asset size, and geographic location. The 2026 Grantmaker…

Washington Snapshot: IRS 2026-2027 Priority Guidance Plan

With members of Congress on recess until after the midterm elections, Snapshot will be taking a break until mid-November unless there is breaking news impacting the sector.On Tuesday, the IRS released its 2026-2027 Priority Guidance Plan. The plan details the agency’s priorities through September…

2026 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Board Compensation Tables

Publication, Research
The 2026 Board Compensation Tables provide foundation board and staff with the tools they need to benchmark their board compensation policies and practices against peers in the field. This report contains data collected through the Council’s 2026 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Survey and presented…

Neighborhood Investment in Akron, Ohio

Lauran Wooley (@mrs.woolleyin5th) shares how The Well Community Dev. Corp. (Well CDC)(@thewellakron) in Akron, Ohio, along with support from the Knight Foundation (@knightfdn), is investing in the Middlebury neighborhood to improve quality of life for residents. Affordable housing, economic…

Reducing Wildlife Vehicle Collisions in Wyoming

Ashlee (@thesassybarn) shares WYLDlife Fund, with support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, are building new wildlife crossings along Wyoming highways to keep residents and wildlife safe. body.group-subsites.node--type-blog.gb-anim .gb-reveal { opacity: 1 !important; }   …

Support for Community Health Leaders in Colorado

Ania Morton (@aniamorton) shares how Cultivando, with support from The Denver Foundation (@tdfcommunity), is training community health leaders through their Promotora Model and creating pathways for community-driven change and long-term wellbeing.  body.group-subsites.node--type-blog.gb-anim .…

Bridging the Generational Divide, One Dinner at a Time

Once a month or more, San Antonio residents come together for dinner with strangers. Typically, they gather around tables with fresh flowers and seats for as many as eight people. Pasta or another simple entree is served family-style. Guests talk about people in their lives, their proudest moments…

The Ticket Trap: Know the Rules Before You RSVP

Legal Compliance Guidance
Tickets, tables, and gala invitations may seem like a simple perk of philanthropic giving. For foundation managers, however, they are often far more complex than they appear. If you manage a family, corporate, or community foundation, you have probably faced the question, "Can we use these?" The…

Decennial Census 2026 Proposed Regulations Comment Guide

BackgroundThe decennial census collects population and demographic information and currently includes everyone who resides in the U.S. and five U.S. territories. The last census collected the number of people living or staying in the household; sex, age, birthdate, race, ethnicity of each person in…

2026 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings

Research
The 2026 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Key Findings is a visual highlight of the trends and changes that are shaping the philanthropic sector.Also available as a free PDF, the 2026 GSB Key Findings is just a small fraction of the expansive dataset available in the 2026 GSB Report, which…

Educational Pathways for Survivors in Oklahoma City

On the morning of April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City was forever changed by the bombing that occurred at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.The tragedy sent shockwaves around the world. Yet amid unimaginable loss, an extraordinary outpouring of generosity and compassion flowed into the city to…

Access to Mental Health Care for Children and Families in Montana

Callie Phillips (@callieoverseas) shares how the Rural Behavioral Health Institute and M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust (@murdocktrust) are improving access to mental health care for children and families in rural Montana.  body.group-subsites.node--type-blog.gb-anim .gb-reveal { opacity: 1 !…

Safer Communities in Chicago, Illinois

Dometi Pongo (@dometi_) shares how The Chicago Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities (@safepeacefulchi) brought more than 50 funders and foundations together with businesses, government, faith leaders, and community organizations together to invest more than $200 million in crime reduction…

Preserving Food and Cultural History in South Carolina

KJ Kearney (@blackfoodfridays) shares how investment from funders like the Mellon Foundation (@mellonfoundation) are helping to keep the history of African American And African Atlantic foodways front and center at the Muloma Heritage Center (@muloma.heritage) on St. Helena Island in South Carolina…

Washington Snapshot: Census 2030 Proposed Regulations

Last week, the Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce released proposed regulations regarding the decennial census in 2030 and beyond. Plus, upcoming legal and global trainings at the Council, the Treasury Secretary's annual testimony, and more.
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