about community foundations
Internationally, there are 1,441 community foundations in 51 countries. The number of community foundations globally has grown by 21% since 2005. 54% of the total number of community foundations operate in the USA ; Key countries are the U.S. , U.K. , Canada , Germany and with a growing number in Australia .
The first community foundations operated by a community, not a trustee company, were the Tasmanian Community Foundation, established in 1995 and then the Melbourne Community Foundation, established in 1997. Since then, with particular support from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal and also Philanthropy Australia, community foundations have emerged across Australia – from state-wide foundations in Western Australia and Tasmania, to foundations serving a local community, such as Tumut, Buderim, Ballarat, Mount Gambier, Albury – Wodonga, Geelong or Barossa. Community foundations have achieved many milestones since the first community owned and managed community foundation was established in Australia .
In 2000 a key initiative for the establishment of community foundations was in response to concerns that support and services in rural areas were declining with the focus by government on economic rationalism, service development in major cities, and governments reducing services in rural areas. People felt they did not have the ability to take control and have major input into their own lives, their communities and to have impact on improving the conditions of their communities and the lives of those people in need. Community Foundations have proven to be one mechanism to counteract this trend.Community foundations help communities take charge of their own futures. more>>>