What is a Community Foundation?

A community foundation connects people with causes they care about-- education, the arts, human services or any other area of concern.

The Hampton Roads Community Foundation is among more than 700 community foundations in the United States -- 27 of them in Virginia. Each manages gifts from people from all walks of life and uses them to benefit a specific geographic region. In our case that is the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Because of our generous donors we can award grants and scholarships to nonprofits and students throughout our region.

The Council on Foundations in Washington D.C. names six key characteristics that define a community foundation:

• A flexible, yet permanent collection of funds supported by a wide range of donors.
• Relative independence to determine the best use of those funds to meet the community needs.
• A governing board of volunteers, knowledgeable of their community and recognized for their personal involvement in civic affairs.
• A commitment to provide leadership on pervasive community problems.
• A commitment to assist donors to identify and attain their philanthropic goals.
• Adherence to a sense of "community" that overrides individual interests and objectives.