• a community foundation is autonomous, governed by a volunteer board of local leaders, and not tied to any particular group or agenda

• a community foundation is locally focused, dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the local community

• a community foundation offers permanence, as the endowed fund will always exist and support its community

• a community foundation offers flexibility, in types of gifts it can receive and the types of funds it can offer the donor

• a community foundation is a cost effective alternative to a private foundation

• a community foundation offers benefits of pooled investing resulting in higher yields and more growth of the endowed funds

• a community foundation offers relevance, as times change, the foundation can quickly adapt to support changing local priorities

• a gift made to a community foundation can preserve anonymity if the donor wishes so