Community Foundations

Local Vision, Regional Support.

Are you looking for a way to make good things happen in your community? Support your local community foundation!

Nine adults stand smiling in front of a brick wall with a large yellow sunflower mural. They are dressed casually, and one person has a walking boot on their left foot.

Community foundations support the community as a whole and its changing needs and opportunities. The program is a tool for communities to establish a local “foundation” without the burden of IRS filings, federal and state regulatory compliance and investment management.

We provide our community foundation partners with administrative support, technical and professional support, investment management and 501(c)(3) public charity infrastructure. This infrastructure allows our partners to fundraise for future needs and for current projects and initiatives that improve the quality of life in their hometowns.

What this looks like varies from community to community, based on the vision of local leaders. Some community foundations focus on granting out dollars to local nonprofits and area schools. Others raise funds specifically for projects with the goal of bringing a physical asset to town, such as a splash pad, playground equipment, senior center or Veterans memorial.

Empowering Local Leaders to Drive Community Growth

Our 31 community foundation partners have become catalysts for philanthropy and community improvement while putting local leaders in the driver’s seat.

A team of local advisory board members guides each community foundation by fundraising, recommending grants, telling stories of good work happening locally and promoting their town. Since inception of the program in 1999, nearly $12 million has been disbursed to schools and nonprofit organizations through our community foundation partners.

Make a gift to your local community foundation by clicking on their profile in the directory below. We also hold more than 100 designated funds that support specific causes in communities across the region. See our list of local funds .

Part of our mission is supporting funds in communities across the region, creating many ways to give back. Use the links below to support your local community foundation with an online gift. Are you interested in making a non-cash gift to support your community foundation? We have a menu of giving options that allow for flexible and creative ways to donate. Contact us to get started.