Services

Community Foundation Insights Services

Online Benchmarking

The CF Insights database allows member foundations to view comparative reports on financial and operating data for a self-selected peer group of community foundations. An extensive and growing set of reports is available, drawing on data from existing field-wide surveys, Cost-Revenue Studies, and a core set of data points provided yearly by members.

Cost-Revenue Study and Interactive Strategy Model

The Cost-Revenue Study arms commmunity foundations with hard data on the true cost structure of each of their products and services. Foundations use the results to make deliberate, data-driven decisions to better align their financial resources with their mission.

The Interactive Strategy Model (ISM) uses current and past foundation data to forecast the implications of possible strategic changes at the foundation.

All the tools necessary to complete the Cost-Revenue Study and the ISM are available free for download here. CF Insights members receive free technical assistance while completing these projects. CF Insights also offers varying levels of facilitation on a fee basis.

Technical Assistance

In addition to the Cost-Revenue Study and the Interactive Strategy Model, CF Insights provides assistance with other projects on a fee basis. Examples include

  • In-depth analysis of a particular foundation product such as Donor-Advised Funds, featuring a study of the product's current cost and revenue structure as well as implications of possible changes to the product's model
  • Research on external factors influencing the development potential of the community foundation, including analysis of the local market and comparison to similar markets nationwide

    Research

    CF Insights will periodically publish research findings for the community foundation field. Topics will include

  • Annual studies on select financial data
  • Analysis of specific areas such as fees, compensation, gift processing costs, technology use, etc.
  • Research on best practices
  • Findings on the impact of adopting new in-house technology