This page will be updated as the situation develops.
Last updated November 13, 2020
Community Foundations have a critical role to play at this time. Here we are collating examples of practice and resources that may be of help to you in relation to your operations and your work in respect of immediate response and longer-term recovery.
ECFI has for the meantime cancelled all face to face meetings but will facilitate learning and exchanges on-line where possible. We want to ensure that you can engage interactively and are not overloaded with information and encourage community foundation practitioners to join our Community Foundation Practice Exchange on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/CFpracticeexchange/ and to follow and respond to our tweets @ECFINews
Below is information and selected resources of specific relevance to community foundations.
Community Foundation practice
-
CANADA: Community Foundations of Canada (CFSO) Dealing with Covid as a CF Resources, guides, webinars and much more also for CFs in general, not only Canada
-
EUROPE: The results of a GCLS survey of Community Foundations vs Coronavirus in Europe (March 2020) by Global Challenges Local Solutions
-
GERMANY: Alliance of Community Foundations in Germany (CFSO) Information, legal and practical advice, and resources (in German)
-
GERMANY: Stiftung Aktive Bürgerschaft (CFSO) A website dedicated to Community Foundations and Coronavirus with resources links to events and examples of community foundation actions
-
ITALY: Open letter from community foundations in Southern Italy Petition to sign the letter (in Italian)
-
ITALY: An example of a community foundation appeal, from community foundation Agrigento, Sicily
-
NETHERLANDS: Community Foundation for Amsterdam “Mensen Maken” Coronavirus page promoting neighbourhood funds, providing other relevant information e.g. volunteer engagement opportunities, and other funding resources. by Mensen Maken
-
ROMANIA: The Bucharest Community Foundation has set up an emergency fund. The emergency fund is dedicated to support vulnerable people and communities affected by the Covid-19 crisis and has a national outreach.
-
ROMANIA: Federation of Community Foundations and ACR’s program for SMS giving To facilitate organisations including CFs to raise money for medical equipment for hospitals through SMS giving the platform donatie.ro colaborates with the Federation of Romanian Community Foundations.
-
ROMANIA: Association for Community Relations ACR has launched a Disaster Relief Fund and, with the help of local CFs, identifies local needs and distributes the funds based on emergencies and coordination of efforts.
-
UK: Foundation Scotland The report highlights impact and sets out recommendations for Foundation Scotland and other funders in delivering next phases of the Response, Recovery and Resilience Fund.
-
UK: Northamptonshire Community Foundation Report on the impact of the first 100 days of its Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund - tracks by SDGs with case study examples relating to five Goals.
-
UK: An example of a community foundation response and recovery fund from community foundation Tyne and Wear, England
-
UK: An example of a national appeal by UKCF
-
UKRAINE:Podilska Community Foundation in collaboration with the City Adminstration has set up a special Stop Virus fund. by Podilska Hromada Community Foundation in Vinnytsia
-
US: How the SDGs Can Help Community Foundations Respond to COVID-19 and Advance Racial Equity by Mott Foundation - The report aims to help community foundations unpack the SDG framework and use it to create an organized approach to their work toward systemic change
-
US: An overview with links to Coronavirus Relief funds across all US States by Community Foundation Public Awareness Initiative
-
US: Community Foundation CEO Roundtable: the new normal Covid-19 Recorded discussion organized by the Council on Foundations on March 24, 2020
Other useful resources
-
EUROPE: European Philanthropy and Social Investing Hub. A space for sharing information, resources, and good practices by DAFNE, EFC, EVPA, GSG and NEF
-
EUROPE: “COVID-19 and Philanthropy” European Resource Hub A living document initiated by DAFNE
-
EUROPE: European Philanthropy Statement on COVID-19: We stand together in the spirit of European solidarity by DAFNE and EFC
-
EUROPE: Open List for everybody to contribute and supplement Activities of foundations in times of Corona – written mostly in German but with international information and links
-
EUROPE: Reimagnining European Philanthropy Report by McKinsey June 2020
-
Global: A Transformative Moment for Philanthropy McKinsey article (May 21, 2020)
-
Global: Thompson Retuers Coroavirus news feed Thompson Reuters Foundation
-
Global: Philanthropy's response to Covid-19 A blog based on CANDID's research (which shows that 67% of Covid-19 (May 7, 2020) related funds are hosted by community foundaitons
-
GLOBAL: Facing the global pandemic: Dispatches from Alliance’s global editorial advisory board Alliance Magazine (March 24, 2020)
-
GLOBAL: Resources in response to COVID-19 by Worldwide Initiative for Grantmaker Support (WINGS)
-
ROMANIA: Code4Romania and Federation of Romanian CFs have created a digital platform to connect resources to needs. Rohelp is a digital platform where organisation can publish the needs they have to tackle the effects of Covid-19 and users can find local projects around the country that they can support with their own resources.
-
UK: "11 things on my mind as a funder" - A blog piece on issues for consideration by funders by Cassie Robinson (April 11, 2020)
-
UK: Series of good blogs on what funders can do at a time of crisis Blog by the Institute of Voluntary Action Research
-
UK: Excellent resource material on diversity equity and inclusion and webinar Covid 19 and racial disparity in UK by ACF
-
US: A Call to Action: Philanthropy's Commitment During COVID-19 (many CFs have signed) by the Council on Foundations

James Magowan
Co-ordinating Director