Introduction

Community foundations sit at the heart of civic life. They connect donors with causes, mobilize resources, and convene partners to tackle complex social issues. In 2023 alone, community foundations collectively managed $152 billion in assets and distributed $19 billion in grants. With donor-advised funds (DAFs) representing nearly one-third of total assets, these institutions carry enormous responsibility for ensuring every dollar achieves measurable impact.

Yet despite their promise, many community foundations struggle to sustain collaborative coalitions that turn vision into results. Donor confidence is increasingly tied not only to financial stewardship but also to the ability to demonstrate systemic, lasting change.

This is where Certified Performance Improvement Facilitators (CPIFs) can play a transformative role. Grounded in ten internationally recognized standards, CPIF professionals help community foundations overcome fragmentation, build trust, and create outcomes that inspire donors and strengthen communities.

Why Community Foundations Succeed — and Why They Fail

When They Succeed

High-performing community foundations succeed because they:

• Align vision with strategy: They convene stakeholders to create a shared agenda grounded in local needs.
• Embed accountability: They measure progress transparently and course-correct as needed.
• Build coalitions that last: They invest in trust, cultural sensitivity, and shared ownership of outcomes.
• Earn donor confidence: By demonstrating tangible results, they create a reinforcing cycle of investment and credibility.

When They Fail

Failure is often not about lack of money or ideas. It stems from structural and process issues:

• No shared vision or unclear goals leave partners working at cross-purposes.
• Power imbalances and low trust stall collaboration.
• Inconsistent commitment leads to short-lived coalitions.
• Weak facilitation and sprawling meetings waste energy.
• Fragmented data obscures impact.
• Short-term funding without sustainability planning undercuts momentum.
• Limited community voice erodes legitimacy.
• Cross-sector culture clashes create friction.
• Mission creep and scope bloat dilute resources.
• Policy headwinds and leadership turnover disrupt progress.

Without intervention, these dynamics erode donor confidence. A foundation that cannot demonstrate outcomes risks losing not just dollars but the trust of the very community it serves.

The Opportunity Cost of Under-Performance

Under-performing coalitions represent enormous lost opportunities. Consider the scale:

• A regional coalition investing $10 million annually in education and workforce initiatives that loses just 10% effectiveness through weak facilitation wastes $1 million every year. That lost value could fund 200 industry credentials or 1,000 FAFSA completions.
• Nationally, with $54.92 billion in donor-advised fund assets (2023), even a 1% execution shortfall equals $500 million annually in unrealized community benefit.

Worse, under-performance leads to a loss of donor confidence. Philanthropic donors—particularly next-generation givers—are less patient with vague promises. They demand clarity, transparency, and results. If coalitions fail to deliver, donors may redirect gifts to organizations perceived as more effective. Once lost, this confidence is difficult to rebuild.

CPIF-certified facilitators prevent this waste by embedding structured processes, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring accountability for measurable outcomes.

The Role of Leaders and Boards

Community foundation CEOs and boards play a critical role in shaping collaborative coalitions. Their responsibilities include:

• Setting the tone for collaboration: Leaders model transparency and inclusivity, while boards reinforce the value of partnerships.
• Investing in process, not just programs: Funding facilitation and coalition infrastructure is essential to avoid burnout and fragmentation.
• Sustaining momentum: Boards can anchor initiatives beyond leadership transitions by embedding coalitions into strategy.
• Adopting CPIF practices: Leaders and trustees who embrace CPIF principles ensure that facilitation is professionalized, not improvised.

The most effective community foundations view facilitation as a strategic function, not an afterthought.

Case Studies: Community Foundations Driving Education & Career Preparation

1. Cleveland Foundation – Launched Say Yes to Education Cleveland, a comprehensive coalition providing scholarships and wraparound services. CPIF-aligned facilitation ensured alignment among schools, nonprofits, and local government.
2. Silicon Valley Community Foundation – Partnered with regional employers to build STEM pipelines and workforce pathways. Strong facilitation balanced donor expectations with industry needs.
3. Boston Foundation – Through its Success Boston initiative, the foundation convened colleges, nonprofits, and public agencies to double postsecondary completion rates for graduates of Boston Public Schools.
4. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta – Championed Learn4Life, a cradle-to-career collaborative tracking shared educational metrics across multiple counties. A CPIF approach helped sustain cross-sector trust.
5. Chicago Community Trust – Its Partnership for College Completion addresses equity gaps in higher education. Coalition structures reflect CPIF competencies like systemic analysis and accountability monitoring.

Each of these cases demonstrates the transformative impact of structured facilitation in mobilizing coalitions for education and workforce success.

CPIF Standards as a Solution Framework

The ten CPIF competencies map directly to the ten most common challenges faced by community foundations:

This framework makes clear that every common barrier to coalition success has a direct solution through CPIF facilitation.

Economic Scan of Community Foundations*

• Assets: $152 billion+ managed across U.S. foundations
• Grants: $19 billion disbursed in 2023
• Donor Advised Funds: 30% of all reported assets, 47% of all fundraising dollars, and 57% of all grants deployed
• Performance: ~90% of foundations reported asset growth in 2023, with endowments averaging 14.1% investment returns after the 2022 downturn

Key Takeaway: The sector is financially strong. The real question is whether these resources are being deployed with the processes and accountability necessary to achieve sustainable community outcomes.

*Source: Council of Foundations

Why CPIF Matters Now

Community foundations stand at an inflection point. Donors expect evidence of impact. Communities need systemic solutions. Foundations themselves must prove they are more than grant makers—they are catalysts for lasting change.

CPIF-certified facilitators offer the tools to:

• Move coalitions from talk to action
• Align diverse stakeholders on shared goals
• Establish transparent accountability frameworks
• Build resilience against leadership transitions and policy shifts
• Ensure sustainability of results long after initial funding

Conclusion

Community foundations are uniquely positioned to lead cross-sector coalitions that transform communities. Yet their ability to succeed depends less on money alone and more on how they convene, facilitate, and sustain collaboration.

The Certified Performance Improvement Facilitator (CPIF) model provides the missing skill set that ensures coalitions deliver outcomes, not just meetings. By embedding CPIF standards into leadership, board practice, and coalition processes, community foundations can:

• Maximize donor investments
• Achieve measurable community impact
• Build lasting trust and confidence among donors and stakeholders

The path forward is clear: community foundations that embrace CPIF become high-performing engines of change.

Learn more at TIFPI.org/blog.