La Epifanía del Lugar
This opinion piece in Spanish argues that place-based philanthropy offers a powerful pathway to systemic change by grounding action in local realities. Community foundations, deeply embedded in their territories, combine long-term commitment, local knowledge, and relationship-building to address complex challenges holistically. Moving beyond crisis response, they act as connectors, facilitators, and catalysts of social transformation. The article highlights their unique capacity to build trust, strengthen social fabric, and reconfigure systems by working across sectors and mobilising diverse forms of capital at the local level.
The Epiphany of Place
Place-based philanthropy offers a powerful approach to tackling complex local issues and driving systems change. Rather than relying on distant policies, real change may begin within communities themselves. Community foundations, rooted locally, are well-positioned to lead this transformation. This piece was first published on Philea’s website in June 2025.
Bolder Questions, Bolder Solutions: A Collective Reflection to Imagine a New Vision for Philanthropy
This blog reflects on discussions at the European Forum Alpbach about how philanthropy can act more boldly in pursuit of systems change. It considers flexible funding, shared decision-making, power redistribution and greater trust in communities. The article highlights the value of community foundations as locally rooted, community-owned institutions that support long-term processes, strengthen participation and connect local experimentation with wider systemic change.
The SDGs Are Good For Us
This workshop report explores how community foundations and their support organisations can use the Sustainable Development Goals as a strategic framework. It presents Northamptonshire Community Foundation’s experience of embedding the SDGs across its vision, strategy, donor engagement, partnerships, community conversations and impact reporting. The report also examines effective partnership models and identifies practical roles for support organisations in building capability, sharing evidence and helping community foundations connect local action with global goals.
Community and Citizen Organising: What Works and the Role of Community Foundations
This illustrated storybook captures learning from an ECFI meeting on community and citizen organising involving practitioners from across Europe. Using the Community Organising Framework, it explores how community foundations can reach and listen to communities, build connections, support inclusive local groups, strengthen leadership and help people mobilise for action. It also highlights the importance of trust, realistic expectations, collaboration and long-term systemic change.
Applying the 4Cs creatively: everyone can be a changemaker
This blog reflects on how Assifero used the 4Cs framework—Capacity, Capability, Connections and Credibility—to reshape its strategy, organisational mindset and approach to evaluation. It describes a shift from service delivery to systems change, from activities to processes, and from responding to needs to mobilising a wider range of assets. The article also shows how the framework supported more flexible funding practices, collective impact and Assifero’s development as a learning organisation.
