Community foundation support organisations (CFSOs) are sometimes described as the scaffolding of our field – the structures that hold networks together and help movements grow. But during this year’s CFSO gathering in Vienna on 24–25 November, another metaphor felt far more fitting: CFSOs as the plumbing of the philanthropy ecosystem. Not the most glamorous image, perhaps. But stay with us.
Good plumbing is one of those things you only appreciate when it’s missing. Most of the time it works quietly in the background: unseen, under-celebrated, yet essential for keeping everything flowing smoothly. It needs to deliver irrespective of the conditions prevailing on the outside – hot and cold, in times of scarcity and excess. And in a moment when instability is no longer an abstract concern but a lived reality across much of Europe, good plumbing (i.e. support infrastructure) matters more than ever. After all, no one wants to discover a leak after the pressure has built.
The energy in Vienna showed just how committed the field is to keeping the ecosystem healthy. Thirty-five participants from over 20 European countries gathered at the Kulturankerzentrum in Floridsdorf with sleeves rolled up (metaphorically, though sometimes literally) and a clear sense of shared purpose.
Across Europe, albeit to different degrees, communities are faced with targeted misinformation, rising polarisation, and deepening inequalities. Against this backdrop, CFSOs need to double down on strengthening community foundations as anchors of democratic resilience.
Standout practical examples came from Germany and Romania, where support organisations are helping community foundations:
- tackle mis- and disinformation at the neighbourhood level
- reconnect with young people in rural areas and bridge the urban–rural divide
- create spaces where divided communities can rediscover common ground
- strengthen belonging without erasing difference
It became clear that support organisations have a unique role in helping community foundations deepen their convening skills, become trusted bridge-builders, and host conversations that acknowledge complexity rather than run from it. The participants acknowledged that this requires intention, courage and the willingness to stay present in difficult conversations.
A growing movement comes with growing responsibility
Across the continent, new community foundations are emerging in Spain, Belgium, Austria, Czechia and throughout the Balkans. This is happening in many cases under very challenging conditions and comes with the serious responsibility of ensuring the movement grows in ways that are coherent, values-driven, and resilient in turbulent times.
CFSOs play a central role in this. They guide new foundations through their early steps, support them in defining their mission and identity, help anchor them in their community while staying connected to the broader field through learning, credibility, and a shared sense of direction. In other words: they keep the whole system from becoming a patchwork of disconnected pipes.
Why futures thinking is essential for the community foundation movement
In a world shaped by rapid and complex change (from climate disruption to widening inequality) reactive approaches simply don’t cut it anymore. Forward thinking is no longer optional but a necessary skill for maintaining agency, agility and direction.
Foresight can help community foundations shift from short-term responses to intentional preparedness, fostering a sense of agency. For place-based funders rooted in specific communities, futures thinking becomes a tool for imagining with the community rather than planning for it. It helps identify emerging risks and opportunities, strengthen local resilience, and stay ahead of the curve rather than constantly racing behind it.
So we took the CFSO participants on a signals scavenger hunt – a playful but powerful method to detect early signs of future change that may affect community foundations.
Participants surfaced signals related to:
- technological disruption and AI
- labour mobility and migration
- shifting expectations among young people
- widening urban–rural gaps
- discrimination in access to opportunities
- changing patterns in volunteerism
- new forms of corporate and individual philanthropy
What became clear is that these shifts affect not only the context in which community foundations work, but how they work – how they build trust, who they engage, and what new skills they will need in the coming years.
After two days of rich discussions, one truth stood out: the quiet work of CFSOs is more essential than ever. They clear blockages, connect people who rarely meet, repair cracks where trust is leaking, and make sure the whole structure can withstand pressure. This is why the community foundation movement in Europe needs a strong support infrastructure, and why support organisations are the central partners for ECFI.
