Against a backdrop of increasing community polarisation, racism, erosion of trust, violence, fear, mis/dis-information, shrinking civil society space, and repression of the freedoms of expression and association; community foundations find themselves at the forefront of the defence of democratic values at local level. They are being challenged to think more about their role as more than place-based philanthropic institution, focused on financial transactions, but as catalysts for change investing also in relationships, providing an important bridge between public bodies, private sector, and civil society.
Moreover, the self-understanding of community foundations as neutral convenors is becoming harder to sustain when the very values that underpin their work are under pressure. In a rapidly changing and polarised environment, neutrality can no longer mean silence. Many community foundations are recognising the need to take a more principled stance – openly speaking out and acting to support democratic and inclusive values in their communities, even when doing so may at first feel uncomfortable or contested. This requires empathy, in order to understand the needs and ambitions of all in the locality, and the building of trusted relationships among stakeholders. With their convening and connecting power, along with their ability to deploy a range of assets, they are particularly well-placed to ‘take a stand’ through progressive (bold) action that contributes to the social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being of the area in which they work – consistent with democratic principles. Coming to this conclusion, participants brought their diverse knowledge and experience to explore collectively how.
Despite obvious contextual differences in different countries, there were many common threads and lessons to suggest that we all need to bring the issue of ‘democratic backsliding’ , in whatever way it could manifest itself, into our foresight thinking and to consider how it can undermine community resilience.
Community foundations need not only to take cognisance of trends but also to be attuned to signals of change within their communities and community foundation work – both those whose lives are, or could be, affected by change, and those with assets (donors, and service providers). Some of these signals might be weak or seem initially benign, e.g. apathy, casual comments, behavioural change, others are more insidious such as those associated with declining life satisfaction, societal fragmentation, donor push-back. This, however, also tests organisational and personal resilience. The risks, many of which have already been experienced, such as smear campaigns, threats, personal attacks, and excessive scrutiny, were considered to be out-weighed by the risk of not taking a stand and perpetuating the status quo.
The Jean-Paul Sartre quote ‘There may be more beautiful times, but this one is ours. ’ came up as a reference for community foundations to accept the realities of the present, however difficult, and to seek out the opportunities to work towards a better future. Participants pointed to actions that could drive positive change even under difficult conditions and help to rebuild trust, shift narratives and strengthen the civic fabric of their communities. These were numerous and included:
- Creating spaces for dialogue: opening up opportunities for honest conversation within communities, even when discussions are uncomfortable or divisive.
- Activating local ecosystems: fostering co-responsibility and sharing risk among a broad range of stakeholders across sectors.
- Engaging young people: ensuring youth are meaningfully involved in strategic thinking, decision-making, and community action.
- Preparing for systemic shocks: helping communities develop contingency plans to respond to crises such as natural disasters, power outages, or civil unrest – moments when trust in institutions is most fragile.
- Countering disinformation: strengthening credible local sources of information and supporting efforts to rebuild trust in facts and journalism.
- Acting upstream: shifting focus from symptoms to root causes, addressing the systems and structures that perpetuate social challenges.
- Building personal and team resilience: recognising the emotional and psychological toll of working in a “polycrisis” context and strengthening psychological safety, adaptability, and courage.
- Nurturing joy: putting joy and celebration at the heart of community work – noticing where it exists and intentionally creating space for more of it.
For ECFI, the retreat affirmed both the depth of expertise within the community foundation field and the enormous value of learning from one another. Across Europe, community foundations face different realities, yet the underlying challenges – from democratic backsliding to social fragmentation – are strikingly similar. The opportunity lies in sharing and adapting the solutions that peers have already tested, strengthening the movement’s collective capacity to respond with courage and creativity, even under difficult conditions. Looking ahead, ECFI will continue to foster this exchange among movement leaders, amplify the voice of community foundations, and position them as key actors in rebuilding trust and democratic resilience at the local level – aspiring, together, towards building the foundations for more beautiful times.
