London Community Foundation

Community foundations are charities that receive gifts from generous local citizens. These gifts are held forever as capital in an endowment. The income is distributed annually as grants to local charities and major leadership initiatives while the principal remains untouched. Community foundations have three major roles:

• Endowment Building/Donor Service: We help donors, their families and their advisors satisfy their philanthropic impulse in a way that suits their goals and circumstances.
• Grantmaking: Because we are a local organization with a local board and staff, we know about local needs and opportunities, monitor community needs, conduct research, gather information and work closely with local agencies and programs, and direct resources to appropriate areas.
• Community Convening and Leadership: We act as a catalyst for change by bringing people and organizations together to convene community dialogues and build partnerships to address local issues and leverage opportunities.

At the London Community Foundation, an individual can also make a one time or annual donations with instructions to grant the full amount that year. This is called flow through granting. The LCF handles the receipting and communication with charities on behalf of the donor. Some donors like this method as it alleviates getting placed on numerous charitable mailing lists.

There are more than 1,100 community foundations in 42 countries. Canada is a recognized leader in this growing global movement, with close to 160 community foundations across the country. Each community foundation is autonomous and governed by a volunteer board of local leaders.

The London Community Foundation was established in 1954.

The Foundation is governed by a local board of directors of community leaders and is administered by professional staff.

• Community Fund grants are based on changing community needs and emerging opportunities and support organizations active in arts and culture, environment, and recreation, as well as community initiatives. Community Fund grant applications are reviewed by the Grants Committee.
• Grants from donor-directed funds are determined by the donors themselves and can be directed either to specific charities or to a field of interest.
• See the Grants section for deadlines and applications

A community foundation is supported and funded by a broad group of unrelated individuals, families, businesses, associations and charitable organizations with the common connection being a desire to improve the local community. Private foundations by contrast, are generally supported by a single individual, family or business.

Donors can give to any number of charities through a community foundation and foundations handle the receipting. They can also choose various types of funds, different ways in which gifts can be made and their own degree of personal involvement. As well, they can benefit from significant time, cost and tax savings and our grant making expertise.

Responsibility for the Foundation's investment portfolio is vested in the board of directors with the guidance of the Investment Committee. The Investment Committee works closely with professional staff and investment advisors to recommend policy, establish performance benchmarks and monitor the performance of the portfolio.

Donations to the community foundation are generally used to establish one or more of several types of funds, any of which can bear the name of an individual, family, corporation or charitable cause; or the fund can be anonymous. Please see Types of Funds for more information.

By law, provides grants only to registered Canadian charitable organizations and others qualified as described in Section 110 of the Income Tax Act.

We are located on the second floor of the Covent Garden market in London Ontario. Our address is 130 King Street. See map.