The Canada Revenue Agency defines a community foundation as “an organization established to manage a community endowment fund, the income from which is distributed to registered charities within a community.”
Canada’s Community Foundations do three key things to build community vitality:
- Vitality depends on long-term resources for long-term solutions—so we work with donors to build endowment funds that ensure vital futures for communities.
- Vitality comes from all corners of a community, so we grant funds to the widest possible range of organizations and initiatives.
- Vitality needs leadership, so we bring people together from all parts of our communities to stimulate new ideas, build participation and strengthen community philanthropy.
And while there are many organizations working for better communities, a few important factors make our approach special:
- Community foundations bring donors to the table as community builders, and help them formulate and realize their philanthropic goals, matching their interests and concerns with community needs and organizations, and finding innovative and responsible ways to give their investments lasting impact.
- Community foundations take the broadest view of what a community is and what it needs to succeed. This is why our grants support everything from shelter, sustenance and care for those most in need, to recreation, the arts, and the environment.
- Community foundations take the long-term view for our communities: we identify long-term needs and opportunities and invest in sustainable solutions, helping our communities become resilient, resourceful, and ready for the future they want.
This information is from the Community Foundations of Canada website.