Community Foundation Resource Collection (Archived)

Special collection

This collection, formerly the CF Insights Knowledge Center, was actively curated from 2015 until 2023 when Candid transferred CF Insights to the Council on Foundations. The resources continue to be accessible, but this collection is no longer actively curated.

Looking for new and updated CF Insights resources? Please visit cof.org/cfinsights.


Archived date: August 30, 2023

Collection title: CF Insights Knowledge Center (former); Community Foundation Resource Collection (current)

Collection URL: https://cfinsights.issuelab.org

Availability: 2015-2023 (Candid)

Title Count: 552 Titles

Description: This collection asks a very simple but important question: "What if each community foundation could know what all community foundations collectively know?" This collection features research produced and funded by community foundations, and other resources relevant to the field.

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Black Funding Denied: Community Foundation Support for Black Communities

August 1, 2020

In light of the national uprising sparked by the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (and building on other recent tragic movement moments going back to the 2014 murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri), NCRP is analyzing grantmaking by community foundations across the country to find out exactly how much they are – or are not – investing in Black communities.We started by looking at the latest available grantmaking data (2016-2018) of 25 community foundations (CFs) – from Los Angeles to New Orleans to New York City to St. Paul. These foundations represent a cross section of some of the country's largest community foundations as well as foundations in communities where NCRP has Black-led nonprofit allies.

Centering Community in a Pandemic: The Impact of COVID-19 on East Bay Nonprofits and the Community They Serve

June 10, 2020

With the rapid acceleration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, it was imperative to understand the immediate impact on local nonprofits in the East Bay and the communities they serve. The East Bay's diversity is one of its strengths. However, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens residents who have built community, but not wealth, for generations. It also threatens to further erode a strained and fragmented nonprofit ecosystem. Maintaining a healthy and viable nonprofit community is essential to create a Bay Area in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.

Supporting Vulnerable Communities: Strengthening Nonprofits Before and Immediately after a Catastrophic Disaster

September 23, 2019

The Foundation recognizes that nonprofits play a key role in disaster relief and recovery for vulnerable communities and that many of these organizations will serve as "first responders" because they are already trusted resources in these communities through their daily provision of safety net services. To enable the Foundation to help meet the immediate relief needs of vulnerable communities in the aftermath of a disaster, it developed agreements with key social service grantees for rapid, almost automatic, grantmaking during the initial post-disaster period when communication systems are compromised and needs assessments have not yet been conducted. Additionally, to increase the likelihood that these organizations would be in a position to deliver services and utilize these funds, the Foundation sought their commitment to disaster planning and offered technical assistance to support them in their efforts.

Building a Lifetime of Options and Opportunities for Men: Transforming the Lives of Young Black Men in South Los Angeles

April 1, 2019

This report tells the story of BLOOM, its impact, and the lessons we learned along the way. Through the initiative, Brotherhood Crusade (BHC) and Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI) developed programs that tap into the potential of young Black males through developmental relationships with male mentors along with positive peer relationships and accountability with other young Black men. Since its launch, BLOOM has impacted the lives of nearly 800 young Black men in South L.A. Over the past six years, California Community Foundation's (CCF) commitment of $500,000 per year, totaling $3.5 million, leveraged $3.3 million from other foundations, as well as contributions from individual donors, with an additional $3.2 million pledged over the next five years.

Serving Those Who Have Served: Santa Barbara County Veterans Assessment

November 9, 2017

This assessment focuses on the veteran population of Santa Barbara County. This assessment presents a comprehensive review of the pertinent demographic and landscape data, for important context, and provides observations about qualitative findings that may inform improvements to policies, systems, and organizations, in service to addressing the needs of those who have served. Where possible, this paper distinguishes between issues facing veterans that are service connected, and issues that affect veterans which may have little or no relation to service. Where appropriate, data, observations and recommendations pertain to active or reserve service members, military families, and/or veterans' families, however the focus of this assessment is specifically on veterans, not those currently serving or the family members of service members or veterans.

The World is Home: A Case Study of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation

January 1, 2017

Silicon Valley Community Foundation – together with pfc Social Impact Advisors – has published a case study to commemorate SVCF's first 10 years. During this period, SVCF made more than $4.3 billion in grants and significantly expanded its charitable reach.The new report provides details about how Silicon Valley Community Foundation was formed in 2007 from the merger of Peninsula Community Foundation and Community Foundation Silicon Valley, and how it has grown to become the largest funder of Bay Area charities and the largest community foundation in the world.Following the historic merger of the two parent foundations, Silicon Valley Community Foundation began seeking public input on how it could best approach the challenges faced by the residents of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. SVCF's discretionary grantmaking focus areas were announced in 2008, supporting local education, economic security, immigration and regional planning that improves transportation and housing systems. In addition to these vital issues, SVCF's family of more than 2,000 donors have used their charitable funds at SVCF to support thousands of local, national and international charities across a wide range of interests, as the case study attests.

San Diego, 2050 Is Calling: How Will We Answer? (2016)

May 5, 2016

The San Diego Foundation, in partnership with Climate Education Partners, released new findings that identify and address the impacts of a changing climate on business and economic growth in the San Diego region.

Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement Impact report 2015-2016

January 1, 2016

The purpose of the Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement at The San Diego Foundation is to bring community together to learn and discuss social challenges and opportunities by facilitating dialogue and collaborative action to create a vibrant San Diego region.The San Diego Foundation maximizes the impact of charitable giving to enact positive social change in the region. We champion civic engagement and embrace it as a core value of our organization.The Center was founded by Malin Burnham, a respected civic leader, admired philanthropist and visionary thought leader for San Diego.

Evaluation of the California Community Foundation's BLOOM Initiative Year Three Evaluation Report, 2014-2015

December 1, 2015

The Building a Lifetime of Options and Opportunities for Men (BLOOM) Initiative was designed with the goal of redirecting Black male youth, ages 14-18-years-old involved with the Los Angeles County probation system, toward improved educational and employment opportunities and outcomes. Through strategic partnerships with three community-based organizations, the BLOOM Initiative seeks to redirect the paths of probation-involved young Black men, away from adult incarceration and towards meaningful education and employment opportunities. Utilizing a process and outcomes-focused evaluation, this report documents the successful progression of BLOOM youth participants, highlighting the development of a holistic model and best practices for serving probation-involved youth. Specifically, through two focus groups and depth interviews with 10 participants, BLOOM youth describe their experience with BLOOM partner organizations as having a deep and profound impact on their lives. The sum total of the data captures a comprehensive look of where the BLOOM program is after year three.

Black Minds Matter: Supporting the Educational Success of Black Children in California

October 26, 2015

"Black Minds Matter: Supporting the Educational Success of Black Children in California," examines how the nearly 1 million Black youth in California are faring from preschool through college and reveals the distressing disparities that newly released state and national data show persist at all levels of their educational journey. The report also highlights the groundbreaking efforts underway to reverse these trends in California and close achievement and opportunity gaps for African American students.The report calls on policymakers, education leaders, and all Californians to prioritize the equity-based changes that California's Black students deserve and have been waiting far too long for. If we believe California is a land of opportunity, we must acknowledge that the current rate of progress we see is unacceptable.

Supporting and Enhancing the Lives of Our Aging Population: Evaluation of Our Aging Society Program 2011-2013

October 1, 2015

The San Diego Foundation contracted with Harder+Company in 2013 to perform an evaluation of the Our Aging Society program 2011 – 2013. This evaluation analyzes programmatic final reports from grantees (organizations) for the 2011 and 2012 program years, along with a survey conducted in 2013 by Harder+Company with program participants (seniors participating in these programs). The following themes emerged.Increased social connections. Many older adults have difficulty developing and maintaining connections due to lack of social opportunities and decreased mobility. Participants reported that this program helped them meet with more friends and family members, and that they more frequently participated in social activities during and after participating in the Our Aging Society program.Decreased isolation. Our Aging Society participants reported feeling less isolated, left out, or lacking companionship after they participated in the program.Improved physical and mental health. Retrospectively, participants generally self-reported improved physical health after Our Aging Society program participation. They also reported fewer incidents of negative mental health symptoms such as loss of appetite, restless sleep and the inability to get going.

Beyond Almonds and Blond Lawns: Investing in Non-Profit Organizations To Sustain Central Valley Communities Beyond the Drought

September 1, 2015

California and the San Joaquin Valley are in the midst of the worst drought in state history. Due to record low rainfall and snowpack, in January 2015 Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought State of Emergency and introduced drastic water cuts, including a 25% reduction of water use by all cities. The drought has caused significant disruption and distress in urban and rural water use, agricultural livelihoods, the larger economy, and day-to-day activities of residents across the state.The San Joaquin Valley is particularly hard-hit, with rural and low-income communities especially hurt by the drought, in the context of long-term changes in the agricultural economy, historically low economic development, poor infrastructure, and a frayed social-safety net.In spring 2015, the Fresno Regional Foundation began examining the impacts of the drought on San Joaquin Valley non-profit organizations that have been at the forefront of helping struggling individuals, families, and communities. This project focuses on community-benefit organizations (CBOs) to highlight the often hidden community-level impacts of the drought, since non-profits have not been the focus of previous studies, and because these organizations provide the critical link between philanthropic strategy and lasting social impact.The project gathered information and feedback from nonprofits through an on-line survey of San Joaquin Valley organizations, a series of stakeholder interviews, and four workshops with CBO leaders in Fresno, Merced, Visalia, and Bakersfield. The report ends with conclusions and recommendations for how foundations and other investors can best assist CBOs to improve their impact and better serve vulnerable populations in the Valley.