Get Updates

Sign up to get our Community Foundation updates and newsletters.

Created by community foundations over 70 years ago, the Council on Foundations remains the largest network of community foundations in the country. We are proud to continue to provide a wide range of services and support to further the missions of community foundations of all shapes and sizes.

The Council has served corporate philanthropy since 1964. As a national steward of corporate philanthropy over the years, we have fostered networks of grantmakers, produced strategic resources, shared promising practices, and championed the social impact of companies throughout the philanthropic sector.

The Council has served private philanthropy since 1964, including both family and independent foundations. As a national community of grantmakers, the Council is proud to offer a variety of services and opportunities for private foundations that reflect the diversity of the field.

The Council community includes public grantmaking charities that play an important bridging role in serving both individual and institutional donors. Recognizing their unique needs, activities across the Council provide the resources, opportunities, and advice that grantmaking charities need to build trusted partnerships and expand philanthropy’s opportunities to thrive.

Whether the program started last year or 75 years ago, these endeavors are ongoing offerings.

Council initiatives are short-term or timebound activities that help advance our mission, vision, and strategic direction.

A leadership program that accelerates the careers of diverse professionals in the philanthropy sector. Graduates of the program will deepen their expertise, expand their networks, and hone their leadership skills to advance the field.

The Council's award programs were established to recognize excellence in philanthropy and honor exemplary leaders for their dedication in uplifting the sector.

The Council is actively working to build connections among U.S. and global foundations that are addressing problems and advancing change around the world.

Developed in the spirit of accountability, transparency, and continuous self-improvement, National Standards for U.S. Community Foundation are philanthropy's most rigorous standards—evidence that community foundations seek excellence for their communities and donors.

Service to foundations is in our DNA. While we may have started with community foundations, we've grown throughout our history to serve foundations and institutional givers of all kinds.

Council initiatives are short-term or timebound activities that help advance our mission, vision, and strategic direction.

The Values Aligned Philanthropy peer circle gives community foundations in the process of exploring, designing, or implementing organizational values-aligned grantmaking policies the opportunity to meet, strategize, and share resources with peers across the country. In addition to regular meetings with your peers, joining gives you access to a Philanthropy Exchange community where you can connect with other community foundation staff and share resources and strategies asynchronously. Registration is free and is open to all community foundation staff who are interested regardless of their Council membership status. 

Connect with peers to learn about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The group meets monthly by Zoom to discuss SDG topics including education, local implementation, community alignment and communication, professional development, data, grantmaking, and more. This group is primarily focused on expanding the SDGs in the United States through foundation action, but all nationalities are welcome. This group is hosted by the Council and facilitated by Sandi Vidal of the Central Florida Foundation.

Explore the future of global civil society through a systems-change approach in partnership with RINGO (Reimagination of the INGO and Global Civil Society). This group meets quarterly and acts as an ‘Action Pod’ hosted by the Council and facilitated by Deborah Doane of Rights CoLab and Jennie Richmond of Impact Works Associates.

This engagement opportunity is designed to connect foundation staff of all levels across the country who are working to explore, design, implement, or refine their organization's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Chaired by Celia Yapita, Community Leadership & Learning Director at the Albuquerque Community Foundation, the group will meet monthly or as the group decides.

Contribute, connect, and learn in this member community designed for staff from all foundation types. This is the best place to get valuable perspectives from a broad range of audiences

Connect with sector peers around the globe in roles similar to yours. Search an online library of 1,700+ peer-created best practices and template documents

Seek and give candid advice in a secure community conversation with peers from similar foundation types (like community foundations, private foundations, and corporate philanthropy)

This community is designed to build a network for and support staff of corporate giving programs and foundations. This community is only open to corporate foundation members

Foundation executives have a unique set of responsibilities. This is a space for community foundation leaders to share ideas, resources, and leadership opportunities with their peers. This community is open to CEOs and Executive Directors at all community foundations, regardless of Council membership status.

Ask questions, provide feedback, and share resources with community foundation donor service professionals on ways to support donors, explore gift options, and keep donors engaged. This community is designed for community foundation staff who are philanthropic advisors or involved in donor stewardship. This discussion community is led by the following peer discussion leads: LaDawn Sullivan, Catherine Cooney, Karen Brown, and Pauline Martinson.

This is a space for private foundation leaders to share ideas, resources, and leadership opportunities with their peers. This community is open to CEOs and Executive Directors at all Private Foundations

Contribute, connect, and learn in this member community designed for staff from all foundation types. This is the best place to get valuable perspectives from a broad range of audiences

Connect with sector peers around the globe in roles similar to yours. Search an online library of +1,700 peer-created best practices and template documents

Join a Peer Learning Circle to engage with a learning cohort of members interested in similar issues, facing shared challenges, or piloting new activities together

Participate in peer-to-peer conversations with HR, Culture, and Talent leaders in philanthropy to discuss best practices and new ideas related to talent management, organizational culture, and other operational functions.

Learn from your peers about the complexities of financial management, fund accounting, gift acceptance, and fiscal operating practices. This community is designed for staff who serve in finance and administrative roles.

This community is designed for members interested in policy and advocacy. Share about federal and state advocacy efforts, promote helpful resources, and learn from peer philanthropic policy and government affairs staff.

As communities need change, it is essential for program professionals to have a space to ask questions, share concerns, and connect around programmatic strategy. This community is designed for staff who design and deliver programs, nonprofit services, grantmaking, and community impact.

Contribute, connect, and learn in this member community designed for staff from all foundation types. This is the best place to get valuable perspectives from a broad range of audiences.

Seek and give candid advice in a secure community conversation with peers from similar foundation types (like community foundations, private foundations, and corporate philanthropy).

Join a Peer Learning Circle to engage with a learning cohort of members interested in similar issues, facing shared challenges, or piloting new activities together.

Connect with sector peers around the globe in roles similar to yours. Search an online library of +1,700 peer-created best practices and template documents.

Seek and give candid advice in a secure community conversation with peers from similar foundation types (like community foundations, private foundations, and corporate philanthropy).

Join a Peer Learning Circle to engage with a learning cohort of members interested in similar issues, facing shared challenges, or piloting new activities together.