Clear all

10 results found

reorder grid_view

2019 Columbus Survey Results

October 1, 2020

The data, findings, and rankings throughout this dashboard are based on FY 2017 Columbus Survey responses from 238 community foundations.

FAOG and CF Insights Growing Pains Survey Results

September 10, 2019

Community foundation growth impacts all aspects of the operating model. Whether growth happens steadily or is the result of a large, one-time contribution, it is likely to create the need for additional capacity. Through a survey created and disseminated by the Fiscal and Administrative Officers Group for Community Foundation for its members, CF Insights examined some of the key differences in capacity in the financial and administrative functions of community foundations of different asset sizes, presenting its findings at their biennial conference in San Antonio in September 2019. Data points included gift and grant transaction volume, occupancy and technology costs, and when a dedicated HR director is typically added to the staff.FAOG and CF Insights made the slide deck of the conference presentation available here.

2018 Columbus Survey Results

June 1, 2019

The data, findings, and rankings throughout this dashboard are based on FY 2018 Columbus Survey responses from 251 community foundations. 

Assessing the Need for a Nationwide Community Foundation CEO Network

September 20, 2018

In partnership with a group of community foundation leaders, CF Insights conducted a field-wide survey of community foundation CEOs to determine the strength of demand for their own formalized, unified network, which would allow them to connect to each other on issues relevant to chief executives from across the community foundation field. This report examines the results.

2017 Columbus Survey Results

July 20, 2018

The data, findings, and rankings throughout this dashboard are based on FY 2017 Columbus Survey responses from 269 community foundations. 

Assessing Community Foundation Needs and Envisioning the Future

September 19, 2017

Community foundations have several attributes that, taken together, distinguish them from many of their philanthropic brethren, including a local orientation, relationships with many living donors, and a public charity tax status. This affects everything from their approach to solving problems to their business model. Because of this, community foundations have sought out support services that are designed for their particular needs. The infrastructure of organizations serving community foundations has evolved, and there has been confusion among community foundations over where to get their needs met and some frustration over the perceived fragmentation of services.In response to these concerns and to create some clarity, CFLeads and CF Insights, both of which exclusively serve community foundations, decided to map out the current support services and lead a discussion exploring a vision for the future. The findings from a survey of a dozen large community foundations and a one-day symposium are summarized here. Hopefully the results of this partnership provide a better understanding of the ecosystem of organizations serving community foundations and some initial thinking on how to meet needs in the future.

International Giving by U.S. Community Foundations: Local Communities with Global Reach

July 13, 2017

This report, a joint effort by the Council on Foundations and Foundation Center, examines the current state and recent trends in international giving and engagement by large U.S. community foundations. The first-ever analysis of this type suggests that many community foundations are beginning to adopt a broader, more nuanced definition of "community" than they have in the past.The report documents how funds channeled from U.S. community foundations support international programs and recipients and highlights five U.S. community foundations and their approaches to global engagement and international grantmaking. For this report, we analyzed all the international grants made by U.S. community foundations included in Foundation Center's set of 1,000 of the largest U.S. Foundations from 2011 to 2014, which included 10,533 grants worth $697 million.

Silicon Valley Community Foundation: 10 Years of Innovation and Impact

March 15, 2017

Over the past 10 years, Silicon Valley Community Foundation has grown to become the world's largest community foundation, engaging, empowering, and collaborating with family, individual, and corporate donors to generate positive impact by supporting organizations within and beyond county lines and national borders. SVCF has also become a comprehensive center for philanthropy, engaging as advocates in pursuit of tackling critical public policy issues, partnering with nonprofit groups and institutions who aim to advance ideas and direct resources strategically toward pressing, critical needs, commissioning research to identify emerging issues and anticipate future needs, and launching strategic initiatives in support of the local community.A combination of stories and data will illustrate how Silicon Valley Community Foundation harnessed a local culture of innovation to become a leader of the field, expanded its reach across the entire globe, and continues to find new ways to generate positive impact.

2015 Columbus Survey Findings

July 21, 2016

"2015 Columbus Survey Findings" presents a snapshot of data on community foundation growth and related operational activity during fiscal year 2015. These findings are based on Columbus Survey responses from 271 community foundations, accounting for over 90 percent of the field's estimated assets. Results from the Survey show a slowdown in asset growth after several years of rapid field expansion, though positive trends in grantmaking, as well as in operating efficiency, are also seen. These findings and more are unpacked and illustrated in this report on the state of the community foundation field.

Survey Results: The Operation of Women’s Funds at Community Foundations

May 25, 2016

After a request by a CF Insights member seeking information about the operation of Women's Funds at community foundation, a survey was created and administered to a subset of potential respondents. This short, eight-question survey collected some high-level information about fees pricing, revenue sources, and the proportion of related responsibilities owned by volunteers and community foundation staff.