Community Foundations in the United States
3,870 foundations$20.6B annual giving$192.9B in assets$20K median grant55 states
Community foundations pool donations from many donors to support causes in a specific geographic area. They often manage donor-advised funds and field-of-interest funds.
Community Foundations Grantmaking at a Glance
Foundations
3,870
Total Annual Giving
$20.6B
Total Assets Under Management
$192.9B
Median Grant Size
$20K
States with Funders
55
Largest Community Foundations Foundations
| Foundation | Location | Annual Giving | Total Assets | Median Grant | NTEE | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Mountain View, CA | $3.2B | $12.3B | $55K | T31 | National |
| The Chicago Community Trust | Chicago, IL | $1.2B | $7.1B | $25K | T310 | National |
| FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS | CHARLOTTE, NC | $609.1M | $3.9B | $25K | T310 | Regional |
| GOTHIC HSP CORPORATION | DURHAM, NC | $567.8M | $2.8B | $412.7M | E11 | Local |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation | KANSAS CITY, MO | $350.3M | $3.4B | $348M | T310 | Regional |
| TARRANT SAFETY NET SUPPORT CORPORATION | ARLINGTON, TX | $345M | $8M | $2.2M | E19 | Local |
| CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $326.6M | $2.3B | $35K | T310 | Regional |
| THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER ATLANTA INC | ATLANTA, GA | $317.1M | $1.5B | $25K | T310 | Regional |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER MEMPHIS INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $248.8M | $953.1M | $22K | T310 | Regional |
| COLUMBUS FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $242.7M | $2.8B | $22K | T310 | Regional |
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Annual Giving
$3.2B
Total Assets
$12.3B
Median Grant
$55K
T31National
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
Annual Giving
$1.2B
Total Assets
$7.1B
Median Grant
$25K
T310National
FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS
CHARLOTTE, NC
Annual Giving
$609.1M
Total Assets
$3.9B
Median Grant
$25K
T310Regional
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
KANSAS CITY, MO
Annual Giving
$350.3M
Total Assets
$3.4B
Median Grant
$348M
T310Regional
TARRANT SAFETY NET SUPPORT CORPORATION
ARLINGTON, TX
Annual Giving
$345M
Total Assets
$8M
Median Grant
$2.2M
E19Local
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
LOS ANGELES, CA
Annual Giving
$326.6M
Total Assets
$2.3B
Median Grant
$35K
T310Regional
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER ATLANTA INC
ATLANTA, GA
Annual Giving
$317.1M
Total Assets
$1.5B
Median Grant
$25K
T310Regional
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER MEMPHIS INC
MEMPHIS, TN
Annual Giving
$248.8M
Total Assets
$953.1M
Median Grant
$22K
T310Regional
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Community Foundations(locked)
Where Community Foundations Funders Are Located
Top 15 states by foundation count
| State | Foundations | Total Annual Giving | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 387 | $5.3B | View all in California | |
| Texas | 233 | $1.5B | View all in Texas | |
| Ohio | 186 | $1.2B | View all in Ohio | |
| New York | 159 | $403.3M | View all in New York | |
| Florida | 155 | $775.3M | View all in Florida | |
| Illinois | 150 | $1.5B | View all in Illinois | |
| Pennsylvania | 146 | $292.4M | View all in Pennsylvania | |
| Indiana | 143 | $295.5M | View all in Indiana | |
| Michigan | 130 | $354.6M | View all in Michigan | |
| Wisconsin | 129 | $382.1M | View all in Wisconsin | |
| Iowa | 119 | $167.8M | View all in Iowa | |
| North Carolina | 118 | $1.7B | View all in North Carolina | |
| Minnesota | 117 | $496.2M | View all in Minnesota | |
| Washington | 113 | $374.2M | View all in Washington | |
| Massachusetts | 90 | $364.9M | View all in Massachusetts |
What Gets Funded in Community Foundations
Top Cause Areas
Philanthropy & Voluntarism
1,631$17.9B
Philanthropy & Voluntarism1,631 · $17.9B
Education
671$340.7M
Education671 · $340.7M
Community Improvement
296$213.9M
Community Improvement296 · $213.9M
Human Services
209$186.9M
Human Services209 · $186.9M
Arts, Culture & Humanities
150$111.8M
Arts, Culture & Humanities150 · $111.8M
Mutual & Membership Benefit
142$139.2M
Mutual & Membership Benefit142 · $139.2M
Health Care
105$1.1B
Health Care105 · $1.1B
Recreation & Sports
71$27.6M
Recreation & Sports71 · $27.6M
Youth Development
43$34.4M
Youth Development43 · $34.4M
Housing & Shelter
37$54M
Housing & Shelter37 · $54M
CategoryFundersGiving
Typical Grant Profile in Community Foundations
Median Grant Size
$20K
New Grantee Rate
N/A
Accept Unsolicited Proposals
N/A
Most Recent Filing Year
2026
The typical Community Foundations foundation awards grants of $20K.
Frequently Asked Questions About Community Foundations
What is a community foundation?
A community foundation is a public charity that pools donations from many donors to support a specific geographic area — typically a city, county, or region. They manage multiple funds including donor-advised funds, field-of-interest funds, and unrestricted funds. Community foundations are classified as 501(c)(3) public charities rather than private foundations.
How many community foundations are in the US?
There are 3,870 community foundations registered in the United States across 55 states, based on the most recent IRS 990 filings.
What is the average grant from a community foundation?
The median grant size from community foundations is $20K. Actual grant amounts vary widely based on the foundation's asset size, focus area, and giving strategy.
How do I apply to a community foundation?
Start by researching community foundations whose stated focus areas and geographic preferences match your organization. Review their IRS 990 filings for recent grant recipients, average grant sizes, and giving patterns. Many foundations publish application guidelines on their websites. Use Kindora's free directory to filter community foundations by location, focus area, and grant size to build a targeted prospect list.
What are the largest community foundations?
The largest community foundations by annual giving include Silicon Valley Community Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS, with combined giving of $5B.
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