--- title: Community Philanthropy Update - 2025 September --- Have you submitted your data to the CF Insights Annual Survey (FY24)? There are only a couple weeks before our Oct. 3 deadline! | | | --- | | | | --- | | Greetings Friend, There are only two weeks left to participate in the CF Insights Annual Survey for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) before the October 3 deadline! Don't miss your chance to support our field by contributing to the most comprehensive source of data used by community foundations to inform strategy, operations, resource allocation, and staff capacity. You can get started on the FY24 survey today by registering or logging in at data.cfinsights.org. By participating, your organization will: Enrich the survey results, allowing for deeper insights into community foundation growth and operational activity. Be included in a robust benchmarking set you can use to compare your organization with peers in fundraising, grantmaking, and more. Contribute to a broader understanding of the field while informing your foundation’s strategy with the most up-to-date data. Council membership is not required to participate. If you have any questions about the survey or need help, see our FAQs page or reach out to us at cfinsights@cof.org. Thank you in advance for participating! Warmly, David Rosado Senior Advisor, Community Philanthropy PS — Did you know you can get more with Plus Membership? Plus Membership lets you access additional features like downloadable reports, customized dashboards, hundreds of additional benchmarking data points, and one-on-one assistance. Find out more. | | --- | | Upcoming Events Learning Across Differences Ideas Forum - Reflections on the Journey September 23 \| Virtual \| Webinar Scholarships Exchange: Peer Event September 23 \| Virtual \| Peer Event CF Insights Office Hours September 24 \| Virtual \| Peer Event Member Communications Briefings September 24 \| Virtual \| Peer Event Member Policy Briefing: Community Foundations September 25 \| Virtual \| Peer Event Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Peer Learning Circle September 25 \| Virtual \| Peer Event Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course September 29-30, October 6-7 \| Virtual \| Training Community Foundation Donor Services Meet-Up October 15 \| Virtual \| Peer Event Plus Member Peer Connections October 23 \| Virtual \| Peer Event Leading Locally All Year Long: Investing in Constructive Journalism October 28 \| Virtual \| Peer Event Leading Across Differences Peer Learning Circle November 19 \| Virtual \| Peer Event Building Together 2026 May 4-7, 2026 \| In-person \| Seattle | | --- | | New Member Spotlight Welcome to the community foundations that have joined as new Council members since our last newsletter! We're excited to have Baltimore Community Foundation, Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, Community Foundation of Mendocino County, Jefferson Community Foundation, and Wharton County Community Foundation as new members. | | --- | | Resources You Can Use New Peer Space: Scholarships Exchange On September 23, Council members are invited to join our new Scholarship Exchange: Peer Event, which will be focused on scholarships and tailored to foundation staff who lead, manage, or support scholarship programs. The call will be moderated by Dave Tanner from the McConnell Foundation, Louise-Annette Burgess from the Benton Community Foundation, and Lorenzo Chavez from the Arizona Community Foundation. Whether you are new to managing scholarships or have been doing it for a long time, you’ll gain fresh ideas while creating and deepening relationships with colleagues. Legal Corner Facing legal trouble as you try to do your work? Remember that the Community Foundation Legal Support Fund is available to help! Through an open application process, eligible organizations can request funding to help offset the cost of responding to the threat of litigation, audits, or investigations — particularly in cases that have the potential to shape the broader legal landscape for the field.  Find out more about the Community Foundation Legal Support Fund. Council members are able to send their questions to our legal team for expert advice and analysis. You can take advantage of this member benefit by becoming a member today. CF Insights Highlight Join Our Next Plus Member Peer Connections Event on How Community Foundations Operate in Times of Uncertainty  On October 23rd at 1pm ET, join Tatiana Hernandez, the President and CEO of the Community Foundation Boulder County for a candid discussion on how community foundations work to continue supporting their grantee partners and their communities more broadly through times of political change and periods of uncertainty. As you may be considering shifts to your own community foundation’s policies, new approaches to your work, or shifts to your operations, you are invited to bring your questions and ideas to this virtual space where peers will exchange actionable insights while developing and building deeper connections. The call is free for community foundations with the Council’s Plus Membership add-on. Note that the conversation will not be recorded. If you’re interested in learning more about the Plus Membership add-on, or are considering upgrading, visit cof.org/cfinsights, or email cfinsights@cof.org. Community Foundation Executive Leaders Retreat Intended for executive leaders (CEOs, Presidents, Executive Directors) of community foundations who have been in their current executive role for three years or less, this retreat (Nov. 6-7), hosted by Dallas Foundation president and CEO Julie Diaz, equips you with the skills and relationships needed to be successful, including the work of navigating change and staff expectations, transforming operations, and building institutions for the future. Only a few spots remain! Don't miss your chance to register for this in-person retreat in Dallas with your fellow community foundation executives (Nov. 6-7). Better Stories, Better Language Trainings Building on our Philanthropy's New Voice report, the largest study of narratives in philanthropy, this new training series will provide you with the skills to tell more complex, robust stories about the charitable sector and your work to build trust with your key audiences. Meet your fellow communications professionals in the sector, join our first session on Oct. 30, and register for all three this fall for a discounted rate! Philanthropy Exchange Conversations for You Typical Size of Community Foundation Board Community Force Software Collaborative fund News Articles Barron's: Foundations Shored Up Endowments in 2024. Nonprofits Need the Funding The Chronicle of Philanthropy: A New Playbook: How Nonprofits Are Reinventing Themselves Inside Philanthropy: How Community Foundations Can Help Local Public Media Withstand Federal Funding Cuts The Associated Press: Presidents are taking longer to approve disaster aid. For some, the wait is agonizing Opinions expressed in articles belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council. | | --- | | | | --- | | Keep in Touch! Share your organization’s impact story with us at communications@cof.org. View this email as a web page. | | --- | | Shared purpose. Collective voice. Greater impact. Council on Foundations \| 1255 23rd Street NW, Suite 200  \| Washington,  DC  20037 You received this email because you are subscribed to receive emails from the Council on Foundations. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. View our Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe from all future emails. | | --- | | | | --- |