A quiet transformation is underway in community foundations across the country.

As independent, local public charities with a broad mission to improve their communities, community foundations hold a unique place in the civic landscape. They are able to bring together information, diverse voices, and financial resources to help communities address thorny problems and realize their greatest aspirations. They are perfectly positioned to be vital community partners and serve as the trusted commons for serious conversation in communities of all sizes.

A Shift in Approach by Foundations

Until recently, many community foundations weren’t fully realizing the promise of these institutions. They were serving primarily as charitable banks for donors to provide grants to a whole range of not-for-profit organizations working to improve health, further education, offer recreation, celebrate the arts, and much more. These grants were helping many people but, at the same time, the measures of well-being in many communities were moving in the wrong direction. In addition, the civic infrastructure was eroding and the trust in democratic institutions was waning. This led a small number of leaders from community foundations across the country to come together about a dozen years ago to think through what more they could do to help communities overcome the significant obstacles to widespread prosperity and vitality. They recognized that community foundations had the ability to step up.

Now hundreds of community foundations are re-examining their roles in their communities and realizing that grants alone will not address the deep-seated challenges that have plagued the country for years, and have become painfully visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are reflecting on what they need to do to demonstrably make good on their missions to build vibrant communities, re-thinking who and what skills are needed on their boards, and recruiting the staff with the ability to bring residents from across the community to the table to help make decisions and work across sectors to address the broken systems that have led to the sharp inequities we see in the country now. In short, it’s a new day at the office.

Read the full article about community foundations by Deborah A. Ellwood at CFLeads.