What is a Community Foundation?

"Ohio Is the Birthplace of the Community Foundation. "

In 1914 a Cleveland attorney envisioned a single entity that could steward the charitable wishes of many different citizens for the community's perpetual benefit. His vision was compelling. Today, there are more than 600 community foundations across the United States.

Ohio is home to more than 70 community foundations The Scioto Foundation remains within the top 25 of all community foundations in Ohio in terms of asset size.

While the Scioto Foundation has its own unique qualities, it shares many commonalities with all other community foundations, such as:

• A mission to enrich the quality of life in a defined geographic area
  
• A focus upon building permanent endowment with as few restrictions as possible
  
• Service to three primary audiences:
  • Donors as a vehicle for charitable giving and information recourses about local needs;
    
  • Charitable organizations as a source of grants and technical assistance, and as a guardian of nonprofit endowments; and
    
  • The Community at large as facilitator, convener, and catalyst around significant community issues
• An independent local volunteer governing body knowledgeable about and generally representative of the community and
  
• Accountability to the public and openness to its broad participation in the foundation.