The ECFI Knowledge Centre is a place where you will find information and resources for, and about, community foundations in Europe. No two community foundations are the same, but they share certain characteristics and challenges. The animation and publications below draw on our analysis of the field and consolidate learning. In addition we offer links to other relevant web sites and resources. As the movement grows and matures in Europe we will continue to build our collective knowledge and will regularly add to the publications and links here.
Community foundations explained in simple terms
Community foundations are non-profit institutions that mobilize and invest technical and financial resources in a specific geographical area. Their goals are to improve the quality of life of a population, rallying people and organizations to promote community development. Take a brief look!
ECFI Downloads
The ECFI Knowledge Centre is a place where you will find information and resources for, and about, community foundations in Europe. No two community foundations are the same, but they share certain characteristics and challenges. The animation and publications below draw on our analysis of the field and consolidate learning. As the movement grows and matures in Europe we will continue to build our collective knowledge and will regularly add to the publications here.
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ECFI Report: State of the Community Foundation Field in Europe 2020
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Angazhimi i Fondacioneve Komunitare me OZHQ-të (Connecting Community Foundations with the SDGs - Albanian Version; December 2020)
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Cómo conectar las fundaciones comunitarias con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) (Connecting Community Foundations with the SDGs - Spanish version; December 2020)
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Report: Achieving social cohesion whilst social distancing (Sept. 2020)
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ФОНДЫ МЕСТНЫХ СООБЩЕСТВ И ЦЕЛИ УСТОЙЧИВОГО РАЗВИТИЯ (Connecting Community Foundations with the SDGs - Russian version; July 2020)
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Connettere le fondazioni di comunità con glie obiettivi di sviluppo sostenibile (Connecting Community Foundations with the SDGs - Italian version; July 2020)
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#17 Ziele - Was die Nachhaltigkeitsziele der UN mit der Arbeit der Bürgerstiftungen zu tun haben (Connecting Community Foundations with the SDGs - German version; July 2020)
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PEX - Philanthropy Resilience Building storybook (June 2020)
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Conectarea fundaţiilor comunitare la obiectivele de dezvoltare durabilă (Connecting Community Foundations with the SDGs - Romanian version; July 2020)
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What will CFSOs do differently - Covid-19 challenges and positive spin-offs (May 19, 2020)
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Implementation of emergency response and recovery funds and programmes - lessons and implications (April 28,2020)
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Community foundations through and beyond the Covid-19 crisis (April 7th, 2020)
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ECFI Guide: Connecting Community Foundations with the SDGs (Feb. 2020)
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ECFI Guide: Community Foundations in Hungary (Nov. 2019)
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ECFI Activities contribute to building a community foundation movement (Sept. 2019)
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How are the SDGs relevant to community foundations? (July 2019)
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Community Foundations and Democracy in Europe (May 2019)
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Community foundations and their support ecosystem in Europe (blog post March 2019)
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ECFI Guide: Community Foundation Support Organizations and National Champions in Europe (2018)
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ECFI Guide: Community Foundations in Romania (2018)
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ECFI Guide: Community Foundations in Italy (2018)
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Building Bridges for Local Good - a guide to community foundations in Europe (2017)
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ECFI Guide: Community Foundations in the United Kingdom (2017)
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ECFI Guide: Community Foundations in Germany (2016)
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Support Organizations for Community Foundations in Europe (2016)
Other relevant links and resources
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Community foundations: a new territorial actor for participatory planning and co-design of social-ecological innovation (Antonia Autuori and Carola Carazzone, Oct 2019)
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Sustaining Civil Society – Lessons From Five Pooled Funds In Eastern Europe (Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, CUNY, Oct 2019)
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Martha Wilkinson's presentation at the UKCF conference Glasgow 2019
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Global Fund for Community Foundations
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Global Challenges Local Solutions
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How Community Foundations can Engage with the SDG (Community Foundations of Canada, July 2018)
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Local Leadership, global impact: Community Foundations and the SDGS (Council on Foundations, February 2018)
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What is a Community Foundations (Community Foundations of Canada, July 2018)
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Giving Circles (2016)

James Magowan
Co-ordinating Director