We surveyed 250 foundation leaders and conducted more than a dozen in-depth interviews to assess how the sector is changing in three ways: resourcing, priorities, and internal operations. Across all three, we found shifts in practices yet few examples of increases in power sharing.
Funds Management
Community foundations generally maintain a variety of fund types from donor advised funds to agency endowment funds to designated and field-of-interest funds. Community foundations and other charitable organizations may also have relationships with supporting organizations. Learn more about the particular characteristics, management and legal requirements of these giving options and find information to help determine the best structure for your donors.
In-Depth knowledge on Funds Management
This Strategy Guide invites you to reflect more deeply on how your foundation chooses to balance the four factors of Purpose, Conditions and Trends, Time Horizon, and Assets for Mission, especially in times of greater crisis or opportunity. It leaves the final decision to you, without judgment for your payout amount, lifespan, or mission.
The CCSF report is the field’s most comprehensive and authoritative study on investment and governance policies and practices. The 2018 CCSF studied over 230 private and community foundations that represent over $89.3 billion in assets.
The CCSF report is the field’s most comprehensive and authoritative study on investment and governance policies and practices. The 2017 CCSF studied over 220 private and community foundations that represent over $104 billion in assets.
The CCSF report is the field’s most comprehensive and authoritative study on investment and governance policies and practices. The 2016 CCSF studies over 200 private and community foundations that represent over $100 billion in assets.
Community foundations can better meet the needs of local students while attracting more donors. Explore one community foundation’s experience in redesigning its scholarship program, as well as insightful findings from a recent report by National College Access Network. The Council's legal counsel will also address legal considerations involved with program changes.
Operating endowments can provide stability and long term sustainability for community foundations. They can also provide resources that enable community foundation leaders to play a stronger leadership role in the community and direct resources to the most pressing issues facing the community. Developing and executing an endowment building campaign brings its own complexities and challenges and can often require a different engagement strategy with potential donors. This conference call featured conversation with respected development and community foundations leaders with firsthand experience building operating endowments as they shared an overview of operating endowment campaigns and an analysis of a successful campaign.
Community foundation administrative fee structures and frequently asked questions about administrative fees for funds.
Historical information around non-component and donor-directed funds.
Raising money for community needs is the central function of community foundations. No surprise, then, that we receive more questions about fundraising than about any other topic. Following are some common inquiries we receive by telephone and e-mail and the replies we give.