September 10, 2010   <<  Back to About Us   Community foundations: The facts Community foundations make up one of the fastest growing sectors of philanthropy in the U.S. today. They build and strengthen communities by making it possible for donors from all walks of life to create permanent named component funds to meet critical needs. Community foundations, through philanthropy that is visionary, diverse and inclusive, have become catalysts for improvement within urban centers and suburban and rural settings. There are more than 700 community foundations in the U.S., 570 of which, including the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, are members of the Council on Foundations. More than 425 U.S. community foundations—also including the Kalamazoo Community Foundation—have earned the National Standards seal from the Council for attaining the highest standards for grantmaking integrity and accountability. Community foundations in the U.S. hold approximately $44.8 billion in assets and are located throughout the country. In 2006, community foundations gave #3.6 billion to a side variety of nonprofit activities, including urban affairs, the arts, education, environmental projects, health and disaster relief. The community foundation model also has spread throughout the world, including the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and Mexico, Easter and Western Europe, Russia and the former Soviet Republics, and is rapidly expanding across Africa. The Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support estimates there are at least 1,175 community foundations in 46 countries outside the U.S., with many more forming around the world. Community foundations offer donors many services and benefits. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation routinely works with families, individuals, attorneys and estate and financial planners to design gift plans that fit every economic situation, ensuring donors receive the most benefit from their charitable contributions and that their philanthropic dollars are used to the fullest extent. Community foundations accept gifts of various sizes and type from private citizens, corporations, government agencies and other foundations Nearly every type of gift—including real estate, closely-held stock and artwork—can be contributed to a community foundation. Gifts are made from bequests and by living donors through various types of funds and deferred giving vehicles. Community foundations range in asset size from more than $2 billion, to some with assets of $100,000 or less. With assets totaling $266 million, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation is ranked 40th in size among U.S. community foundations. Based on per capita assets, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation ranks in the top 10 of the 40 largest community foundations. Each community foundation's funds are invested in diverse portfolios and sound investment management is a major aspect of community foundations' work. Regardless of asset size, all community foundations share a common goal: serving donors, nonprofit organizations and the community as a whole so charitable gifts are used effectively to fulfill a community's most critical needs.   RELATED ITEMS 2009 Kalamazoo Community Foundation Highlights What is a community foundation?