Sharing Knowledge. Growing Impact.

Take a Tour of the Benchmarking Tool

See how you can select a peer group using over 60 different criteria and view reports on data in several important content areas.

Take the Tour

CF Insights Members The Field
Services Expert Guidance and Analysis Checked
Peer Learning and Connections Checked
Technical Assistance
with Tools		 Checked
Consulting and Project Support Checked Checked
Tools Benchmarking and Custom Reports Checked with Annotation
Dashboard for Board Presentations Checked
Activity-Based Costing Analysis Model Checked Checked
Economic Scenario Planning Model Checked Checked
Interactive Strategy Model Checked Checked
Knowledge Member Research Briefs Checked
Trend Analysis and Rankings Checked Checked
Reports on Key Issues and Ideas Checked Checked

* Columbus Survey Participants have on-demand access to a select subset of
benchmarking reports

Data Collected by CF Insights

All data collected by CF Insights is available to members as criteria with which to build peer groups and as the basis for over 60 on-demand reports.

Foundation Basics:

  • Fiscal Year End Date
  • Year Foundation Created
  • Staffing by Function
  • Strategic Operating Priorities
  • Affiliations with Other Foundations
  • Software Type Used
  • Engagement in the Following Areas:
    • Community Leadership
    • Fiscal Sponsorship/Fundraising
    • Fundraising for Operations
    • Nonprofit Resource Center
    • Services to Private Foundations
    • Special Initiatives

Geographic:

  • Urban vs. Rural
  • Population of Area Served
  • Geographic Area Served
  • State
  • Region

Assets and Funds:

  • Total Assets
  • Total Assets by Product Type
  • Total Number of Foundation Funds
  • Total Number of DAFs
  • Total Number of Funds Held at SOs
  • Total Number of SOs
  • Operating Endowment and Reserves

 

Expenses:

  • Total Operating Expenses
  • Special Initiative Operations Expenses
  • Operating Expenses as Percent of Assets

Contributions:

  • Total Foundation Contributions - $ and #
  • Total Contributions to DAFs - $ and #
  • Total Contributions to SOs - $ and #

Grants:

  • Total Foundation Grants - $ and #
  • Total Grants from DAFs - $ and #
  • Total Grants from SOs - $ and #

Activity-Based Costing Results:

  • Contributions/Subsidies by Product - $
  • Total Cost by Product - $
  • Total Cost by Activity Type - $

Administrative Fee Schedules:

CF Insights collects the following fee information by specific product and fund type.

  • Total Fees
  • Minimum Fees
  • Minimum Fund Balance

Investment Data from the COF Investment Survey:

The Council on Foundations provides CF Insights with the results of their annual and quarterly investment surveys.

  • Annualized Returns
  • Overall Allocation
  • Equity Allocation
  • Fixed Income Allocation
  • Alternate Allocation

Contact info@cfinsights.org for more information.

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History, Funders and Governance

History

CF Insights was created by the community foundation field in 2006 as a partnership between the Council on Foundations and FSG. Since then – thanks to wide ranging contributions – CF Insights has achieved its initial vision of helping community foundations make more informed, effective decisions about their operation models.

From 2007 to 2010, grants from 39 community foundations, 2 private foundations, and the Council on Foundations provided CF Insights with startup capital to develop infrastructure.

Council on Foundations’ Community Foundations Leadership Team

CF Insights is an implementation partner of the Community Foundations Leadership Team in addressing the goal of organizational effectiveness in the Plan of Action (2007-2010).

The Legacy of The Columbus Foundation

CF Insights offers special thanks to The Columbus Foundation, which conducted the hallmark community foundation survey on behalf of the field from 1988-2007. We are grateful for the opportunity to now manage the important work of collecting and reporting field-wide data.

List of Funders

  • Arizona Community Foundation
  • Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
  • The Baltimore Community Foundation
  • Berks County Community Foundation
  • Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
  • The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
  • Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County
  • The Boston Foundation
  • California Community Foundation
  • The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region
  • The Chicago Community Trust
  • The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
  • The Cleveland Foundation
  • The Columbus Foundation & Affiliated Organizations
  • The Dallas Foundation
  • Grand Rapids Community Foundation
  • Hampton Roads Community Foundation
  • Johnson County Community Foundation
  • Kalamazoo Community Foundation
  • The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
  • The Community Foundation of Louisville
  • Maine Community Foundation
  • Marin Community Foundation
  • The Minneapolis Foundation
  • New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
  • The New York Community Trust
  • Oklahoma City Community Foundation
  • The Pittsburgh Foundation
  • Rochester Area Community Foundation
  • The San Francisco Foundation
  • The Seattle Foundation
  • Silicon Valley Community Foundation
  • Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan
  • Minnesota Community Foundation and The Saint Paul Foundation
  • Communities Foundation of Texas, Inc.
  • Toledo Community Foundation, Inc.
  • Vermont Community Foundation
  • Community Foundation of Wabash County
  • The Winston-Salem Foundation
  • Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
  • W. K. Kellogg Foundation
  • Council on Foundations

Advisory Board

Brent Christopher
Chair, President and CEO,
Communities Foundation of Texas

Mike Batchelor
President,
The Erie Community Foundation

David Bennett
Executive Director,
Community Foundation for Greater Fort Wayne

Mari Ellen R. Loijens
Chief Philanthropic Development and Information Officer,
Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Scott McReynolds
Vice President for Finance and Administration,
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Alicia Philipp
President,
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Judy Sjostedt
Executive Director,
Parkersburg Area Community Foundation

Susan Springgate
Vice President for Finance and Administration,
Kalamazoo Community Foundation

500 Boylston Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02116 | 617.357.4000 | info@cfinsights.org

Created by Community Foundations // Propelled by FSG