We are there: community foundations in emergency response and recovery
This practice-oriented publication explores how community foundations in Poland, Romania and Spain responded to severe floods in 2024. Through case studies and cross-cutting reflections, it examines how trust, proximity and long-term relationships shaped emergency response and recovery, highlighting the role of community foundations as locally rooted actors that coordinate support, sustain civic infrastructure and navigate difficult choices under pressure.
Community Foundations in Europe 2026: The State (and Future) of the Field
This report provides an overview of the community foundation field in Europe in 2026, highlighting its growth, diversity and the pressures it faces. Using a futures thinking lens, it explores how community foundations respond to present challenges, draw on past legacies, and shape more resilient and inclusive local futures.
Transformation in funding practice – listening, learning, and acting
In 2019, Community Foundation Wales initiated a community consultation process to better understand the needs of its grantees. The results were strikingly consistent: the main concern was short-term, project-related funding, which prevented them from focusing on and delivering their mission. The foundation responded swiftly by reviewing its funding strategy to include support for core costs and for multi-year funding. In this interview, Andrea Powell, Director of Programmes (and Deputy Chief Executive), shares the organisation’s journey, the challenges it has faced, and the opportunities ahead.
From inside Ukraine
This blog offers a first-hand account of how Ukrainian community foundations responded during the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion. It describes their rapid mobilisation to support civilians, displaced people, volunteers, hospitals and local defence efforts, while maintaining social cohesion and community resilience. The article also highlights the coordinating role of the National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy and presents practical examples of humanitarian, cultural, medical and housing initiatives.
Learning Lab paper 2021 – Community foundation resilience in response to the Covid-19 pandemic
This paper examines how community foundations adapted their strategies, operations and funding practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on interviews with practitioners and wider research, it highlights flexible grantmaking, digital transformation, community engagement, cross-sector cooperation and emergency response. The publication also considers the financial pressures faced by community foundations and shows how trust, local knowledge and strong relationships enabled them to respond quickly to changing social, health and economic needs.
COVID-19 Community Foundations in Action: France – uncertainty remains our biggest challenge
his case study highlights how the Community Foundation Metz Mécènes Solidaires responded rapidly to the COVID-19 crisis by providing emergency funding, coordinating local partners and adapting its grantmaking processes. It illustrates the importance of flexibility, collaboration and locally rooted philanthropy in addressing immediate needs while preparing for the long-term social consequences of the pandemic.
Seeing the crisis as an opportunity
This short piece reflects on how community foundations in Germany adapted to the Covid-19 crisis by embracing digital formats for exchange and learning. It highlights the role of peer dialogue in maintaining social cohesion, addressing challenges such as digitisation and financial sustainability, and reaffirming community foundations as resilient and flexible actors in times of uncertainty
COVID-19 June 2020 Community Foundations in Action: Slovakia – Trust in our communities is priceless
This case from Slovakia highlights how long-term trust and relationships enabled community foundations to respond quickly and effectively during the COVID-19 crisis. By mobilising volunteers, coordinating support and leveraging existing partnerships, they provided immediate help while demonstrating the value of sustained community engagement and diversified local resources.
Roots and Wings takes a ‘Leap into the Future’ in Hungary
This publication presents concrete examples of how community foundations in Hungary responded to the COVID-19 crisis through rapid, locally embedded action. From supporting healthcare workers and vulnerable residents to sustaining local economies and strengthening civic initiatives, the cases illustrate the multifaceted role of community foundations as coordinators, funders and connectors. The text also highlights how crisis response can reinforce long-term community resilience and solidarity.
ECFI Guide: Community Foundations in Hungary
The Guide to Community Foundations in Hungary portrays a decade of perseverance and innovation within a restrictive civic environment. Despite political pressure, Hungarian community foundations—supported by the Roots & Wings Foundation—have built trust, mobilised local resources, and inspired civic participation in cities like Budapest, Pécs, and Miskolc. Their initiatives, from the Swimathon to community media projects, show how grassroots philanthropy fosters solidarity, creativity, and hope. The guide is both a chronicle of resilience and a call to strengthen democracy from the ground up through community-led action.
