History of Community Foundations

The first community foundation was formed in the United States city of Cleveland in 1908, the brainchild of lawyer Frederick Harris Goff. His aim was to pool bequests from wills and collect donations - large and small - from the wider community, allowing more people to become involved in philanthropy.

Goff’s idea spread across the United States and to Canada between 1915 and 1930. Today there are more than 700 foundations in the USA and 144 in Canada. The United Kingdom took up the concept in the 1980s and the movement is continuing to grow strongly with more than 55 foundations established.

Australia joined the trend in 1983 with the creation of the Victorian Community Foundation, with others following over the next 12 years. In 2000, the establishment of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) boosted the community foundation cause, helping to establish new foundations across Australia. There are now 26 established community foundations with Public Fund and DGR status, one in the process of being incorporated and 10 community foundations in various stages of feasibility study and development.

• For further details on the history of community foundations in both Australia and overseas, see the History of Community Foundations on the PhilanthropyWiki.