A community foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3), nonprofit, autonomous, publicly supported, philanthropic institution composed primarily of permanent funds established by many separate donors for the long-term diverse , charitable benefit of the residents of a defined geographic area as opposed to a specific cause. It is broad and flexible in its approach to addressing all of the community’s needs.   Community foundations do this by helping individuals, families, and businesses establish charitable funds to which they may contribute a variety of assets. Grants are then made from these funds to nonprofit groups in order to meet the charitable goals of the donor. Donors and their families may be actively involved in the selection of the nonprofit groups and, in some cases, the individuals who receive grants from their funds. The grants can be made in the donor’s name or anonymously.

      Essentially, a community foundation does three things: 1) receives money 2) manages and invests money and 3) gives money.

        To learn more about community foundations, visit the Council on Foundations