Energy, Ideas and Renewed Conviction – A Spontaneous Reflection After the 4th Meeting of Community Foundations in Spain
The 2025 Spanish Community Foundations Meeting in Madrid brought together foundations, universities, support organisations and international guests to exchange ideas, strengthen networks and celebrate impact. Over two days of dialogue, reflection and workshops, participants reaffirmed the growing movement in Spain, highlighted the power of collective intelligence, and welcomed the launch of the country’s tenth community foundation —the first in Madrid, the Hortaleza Filanda Community Foundation.
Community Foundations in Ukraine: Resilience in Times of War
Despite the ongoing war, Ukrainian community foundations continue to play a crucial role in supporting local populations, adapting to new
challenges, and fostering resilience. Viktoriia Zablotska from the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development shares insights into their efforts, highlighting the experiences of three foundations operating under extreme conditions.
Generating the will to give
The Novarese Community Foundation has embraced fund development by thinking long term and by getting out into the territory. Here, Gianluca Vacchini, describes their approach of asset building through generating knowledge and trust. This has resulted in over 100 active funds, and importantly created the opportunity for attracting the ‘unexpected’ donor.
Community Foundations and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This report reflects on the proceedings of an online meeting that explored the opportunities and challenges, for wider society and community foundations specifically, associated with evolving developments in, and the application of, Artificial Intelligence (AI). The meeting, hosted by ECFI on 20th March 2024, convened representatives from community foundations and support organisations across Europe. Chris Worman, Co-founder and Strategic Advisor at Connecting Humanity and Alex Tveit EmergingTech Fellow, Community Foundations of Canada, initiated discussions, sparking a lively exchange.
Local Philanthropy and Community Foundations in European Capital Cities. Challenges and opportunities.
This report explores the challenges and opportunities faced by community foundations in European capital cities, focusing on local development and philanthropy. Drawing on case examples and wider experience brought by participants, it underscores key learnings related to scalability, meaningful partnerships, and social innovation. The exploration of a variety of locally oriented approaches aims to contribute to the promotion of sustainable urban development.
Community foundations through and beyond the Covid-19 crisis
Summary and visual harvesting of the presentations and discussion on the challenges and lessons from the establishment and implementation of Covid-19 crisis response and recovery funds – reflects on actions through a 4Cs lens, and sets out proposed next steps
SDGs and Vital Signs – a powerful combination to shape a leadership role (North Milan Greater Area Foundation)
The North Milan Greater Area Foundation (NMGAF) has become a pioneer in Italy by linking the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the Vital Signs approach. Working with the University of Milan-Bicocca, it gathered community data, facilitated focus groups, and created a shared agenda for action. By translating global goals into local indicators, NMGAF empowered NGOs and municipalities to align their work with the SDGs—turning abstract principles into practical community action. The foundation is now recognised as a trusted local leader and hub for knowledge and collaboration.
ECFI Guide: Community Foundations in the United Kingdom
The guide presents the long-established and vibrant community foundation movement in the United Kingdom — one of the strongest in Europe. UK Community Foundations (UKCF) acts as the national network, supporting 47 accredited community foundations that cover nearly every part of the country. These foundations connect donors with local causes, provide grants, and foster community leadership. Their collective impact includes significant contributions to local resilience, social cohesion, and inclusive growth. Rooted in trust and local knowledge, UK community foundations exemplify how philanthropy can strengthen communities and reduce inequalities while working in partnership with public and private sectors.
