In July representatives from Local Action Hubs (prospective community foundations) from North Macedonia, along with the support organisation, Association Konekt, took part in a study visit to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. They engaged with the Trag Foundation, foundation leaders, community members, and local stakeholders to learn from diverse models of grassroots action explored how community foundations are driving local development, fostering civic engagement, and cultivating a culture of philanthropy. Below Nikola
Trajkovski, Programme Associate, Association Konekt reflects on a deeply emotional, intellectual and transformative experience.
Kathrin Dombrowski
Coordinating Director
ECFI
The European Forum Alpbach is a unique place where reflection meets action. It brings together young people alongside leaders from politics, business, civil society, and science to shape ideas for a stronger democratic Europe. At this year’s forum, Kathrin Dombrowski, Coordinating Director at ECFI, contributed the perspective of community foundations. In this article, she shares her key takeaways from a two-day workshop exploring how philanthropy can embrace system change approaches.
James Magowan
Senior Advisor
ECFI
This opinion piece in Spanish argues that place-based philanthropy offers a powerful pathway to systemic change by grounding action in local realities. Community foundations, deeply embedded in their territories, combine long-term commitment, local knowledge, and relationship-building to address complex challenges holistically. Moving beyond crisis response, they act as connectors, facilitators, and catalysts of social transformation. The article highlights their unique capacity to build trust, strengthen social fabric, and reconfigure systems by working across sectors and mobilising diverse forms of capital at the local level.
James Magowan
Senior Advisor
ECFI
Place-based philanthropy offers a powerful approach to tackling complex local issues and driving systems change. Rather than relying on distant policies, real change may begin within communities themselves. Community foundations, rooted locally, are well-positioned to lead this transformation. This piece was first published on Philea’s website in June 2025.
Róisín Wood
CEO Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has a long history of fostering hope and reconciliation. Now, faced with incidents of hate-motivated violence in their community, their 'Equity in Action' initiative is tackling disinformation, hate and social division head-on. Róisín Wood, CEO of the community foundation, shares in this article their vital long-term and rapid interventions.
Kathrin Dombrowski
Coordinating Director
ECFI
ECFI joined Stiftungstag 2025, one of the biggest gathering of philanthropy practitioners across Germany and beyond. In this piece, Kathrin Dombrowski, Coordinating Director at ECFI, shares her insights from the event and highlights some key discussion points from the ECFI panel on the role of community foundations in contributing to "social tipping points" on climate.
James Magowan
Senior Advisor
ECFI
In this piece, James Magowan, Senior Advisor at ECFI, shares his reflections and main takeaways from the global gathering, organised by Fagaras Research Institute, focused on bringing to the forefront concrete local initiatives of community foundations that contribute to sustainable development and community engagement.
European Community Foundation Initiative
Over 100 leaders from community foundations support organisations (CFSOs) representing 34 countries across four continents gathered in Bucharest, convened by Inspire, to reflect and exchange on the present and possible future roles for CFSOs. Here, we share some of the insights gathered by the ECFI team.
European Community Foundation Initiative
Our next destination of our Interail mini-series is Portugal. Discover how community foundations are emerging and how the Portuguese Foundation Centre is supporting the development of the movement.
Participation is not just a method; it is a culture shift. Below is a summary of the approach and lessons of the implementation of a participatory approach implemented by Two Ridings Community Foundation (UK). Key insights are that not only was the financial asset utilised effectively in order to address persistent social challenges, but there were also valuable outcomes in relation to inclusion, building social capital, stronger (more resilient systems), meaningful relationships, and overall, a healthier civic culture.
