Community foundations have been a part of the
American landscape for over 100 years. Before the
1900s, community-based philanthropy was part of the fabric
of daily life across American demographic and cultural
groups, with diverse groups "taking care of their own."
During the first three decades of the 20th Century, more
formal structures for community philanthropy developed,
including the community foundation -- which brought
together community leaders and philanthropists to form
permanent endowments as a committed, continuing way to
enrich community life and meet the growing and changing
needs of the community's citizens. The post-war years of the
1950s witnessed the spread of the community foundation
model to new communities and populations -- an expansion
that continued throughout the 1980s. The Tri-Valley
Community Foundation was part of this expansion, founded
in 1982 by community and business leaders who were
committed to creating a sound and enduring local response
to the needs of people who live and work in the Tri-Valley.
Community foundations are able to build and strengthen
whole communities because they have the long-range
wellbeing of the local community as their singular
philanthropic focus. They are uniquely positioned to
collaborate with the full range of community stakeholders --
community businesses, local governments, schools, service
agencies, and grassroots community organizations and
leaders -- to create a strategy for enriching community life
and for evaluating and meeting the most pressing needs of
community members.
A hallmark feature of community foundations is their
capacity for building a permanent philanthropic endowment
for the local community. Community foundations
characteristically offer a variety of financial vehicles that
allow donors to influence their communities for good over
the long term. Through a community foundation, donors
can create their own charitable fund or make permanent
gifts that benefit and shape their communities in ways that
donors think are most important.
Community foundations in the U.S. hold approximately $40
billion in assets and distribute several billions of dollars a
year to nonprofit organizations and local causes in their
communities. Community foundations accept gifts of all
sizes from all kinds of sources -- from individuals in the
community, small businesses, large corporations,
government agencies, and other foundations. Nearly any
kind of gift can be put to good local use by a community
foundation -- cash, real estate, securities, personal property,
artwork -- whether directly or by bequest or other
deferred-giving vehicles.
American landscape for over 100 years. Before the
1900s, community-based philanthropy was part of the fabric
of daily life across American demographic and cultural
groups, with diverse groups "taking care of their own."
During the first three decades of the 20th Century, more
formal structures for community philanthropy developed,
including the community foundation -- which brought
together community leaders and philanthropists to form
permanent endowments as a committed, continuing way to
enrich community life and meet the growing and changing
needs of the community's citizens. The post-war years of the
1950s witnessed the spread of the community foundation
model to new communities and populations -- an expansion
that continued throughout the 1980s. The Tri-Valley
Community Foundation was part of this expansion, founded
in 1982 by community and business leaders who were
committed to creating a sound and enduring local response
to the needs of people who live and work in the Tri-Valley.
Community foundations are able to build and strengthen
whole communities because they have the long-range
wellbeing of the local community as their singular
philanthropic focus. They are uniquely positioned to
collaborate with the full range of community stakeholders --
community businesses, local governments, schools, service
agencies, and grassroots community organizations and
leaders -- to create a strategy for enriching community life
and for evaluating and meeting the most pressing needs of
community members.
A hallmark feature of community foundations is their
capacity for building a permanent philanthropic endowment
for the local community. Community foundations
characteristically offer a variety of financial vehicles that
allow donors to influence their communities for good over
the long term. Through a community foundation, donors
can create their own charitable fund or make permanent
gifts that benefit and shape their communities in ways that
donors think are most important.
Community foundations in the U.S. hold approximately $40
billion in assets and distribute several billions of dollars a
year to nonprofit organizations and local causes in their
communities. Community foundations accept gifts of all
sizes from all kinds of sources -- from individuals in the
community, small businesses, large corporations,
government agencies, and other foundations. Nearly any
kind of gift can be put to good local use by a community
foundation -- cash, real estate, securities, personal property,
artwork -- whether directly or by bequest or other
deferred-giving vehicles.
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