Transformative Learning: A Tale of Two Organisations. CF2CF Exchange Report
This report shares practical insights and inspiring stories from a peer learning exchange between the Romanian Federation of Community Foundation (FFCR) and the Spanish Association of Foundations (AEF). It highlights the transformative power of collaborative learning and offers valuable lessons for community engagement, event-based fundraising, and capacity building. The report also showcases innovative approaches and grantmaking schemes, providing valuable insights.
To learn and undestand the SDGs in order to be able to communicate the idea of SDGs and their benefits to FFL members and develop guidelines for including the SDG in the day-to-day activities of FFL and its members
This publication explores how community foundations can use the SDGs as a practical framework for guiding strategy, grantmaking, and community engagement. It highlights that while awareness of the SDGs remains uneven, they offer a powerful tool to connect local action with global challenges. By integrating SDGs into everyday operations—through partnerships, education, and funding priorities—community foundations can strengthen their long-term impact and support more sustainable and inclusive community development.
Lessons from an Exchange: Via Foundation and Trag Foundation
This report captures lessons from a peer exchange between Via Foundation in Czechia and Trag Foundation in Serbia. It highlights practical approaches to developing new community foundations, supporting advocacy, designing multi-stage grantmaking processes and strengthening grantees through training, mentoring and capacity building. Personal reflections also show how international peer learning can inspire organisations to adapt effective practices, improve impact measurement and build stronger networks among supported initiatives.
Community foundation building: Identifying key capacities for the Spanish context
This article examines how the community foundation model can be adapted to Spain and identifies six capacities needed for its development. These include community leadership, listening and engagement, growing local philanthropy, strengthening local organisations, preparing for disaster response and adapting to territorial context. Drawing on literature, expert interviews and analysis of existing Spanish foundations, it also proposes practical tools and recommendations for organisations supporting new and emerging community foundations.
The Role of Community Foundations in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
This research paper examines how community foundations are incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals into their strategies, programmes and grantmaking. Drawing on examples from North America, Europe, Asia and Africa, it highlights their role in generating local knowledge, educating and engaging communities, building cross-sector partnerships and connecting global goals with local action. The paper also considers the potential development of community foundations in Albania and their contribution to locally driven sustainable development.
Community Foundations and Refugees
This report captures learning from an ECFI meeting on how community foundations responded to the refugee crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Drawing on experiences from Romania, Poland and Germany, it examines operational pressures, volunteer mobilisation, fundraising, cooperation with public bodies and the need for long-term integration strategies. It also highlights the distinctive value of community foundations as trusted local institutions able to act quickly, connect stakeholders and combine local knowledge with national and international support.
Exchange Learning Outcomes report from the Banat region (Serbia – Romania)
This learning report documents a peer exchange between the emerging Pančevo Community Foundation and the more established Timișoara Community Foundation. It shares practical lessons on fundraising, community mobilisation, grantmaking, governance, organisational development, staff wellbeing and partnership building. The report also shows how peer learning can help a new community foundation develop realistic priorities, strengthen relationships, establish appropriate structures and adapt tested approaches to its own local context.
From Responsive to Strategic Grantmaking: Lessons from Galati Community Foundation
This paper reflects on Galati Community Foundation’s journey from responding to immediate opportunities towards developing a more intentional and strategic approach to grantmaking. Drawing on organisational experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, it explores strategic planning, community mapping, leadership, capacity building and the balance between responsive and proactive philanthropy. The publication also introduces practical tools and frameworks that can help community foundations strengthen their grantmaking, deepen community engagement and increase their long-term impact.
Digital Transformation – reports from the field
This summary report reflects on the digital transformation journeys of fourteen community foundations across Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies three main types of change: accelerated digital development, enforced practices that may remain useful, and continuous adaptation of programmes and engagement. The report also introduces practical examples covering donor relations, fundraising, grantmaking, stakeholder consultation, remote teamwork and community engagement, encouraging organisations to assess which digital practices should be retained and developed further.
Adapting in-person programs to online delivery
This case study documents how the Healthy City Community Foundation Banská Bystrica adapted its programmes and fundraising activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the shift to online grantmaking, virtual events and digital fundraising, while reflecting on the opportunities and limitations of remote engagement. The publication also highlights the challenges of reaching digitally excluded communities and considers the evolving role of community foundations in promoting inclusion and strengthening local partnerships.
