About The Community Foundation
How to contact us
Visit us: 8260 College Parkway, Suite 101, Fort Myers, FL 33919
in the Fountain Court office complex.
Here is a Map for you!
Call us: 239-274-5900 (Main), 239-274-5930 (Fax)
E-mail us: Contact us online HERE.
What People Say about SWFLCF
Visit our profile pages on GreatNonprofits.org to see what people are saying about us. While you're there, why not leave an uplifting comment of your own?
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION?
A community foundation is a nonprofit, independent organization created by and for local citizens to benefit their community. Community foundations make up one of the fastest growing sectors of philanthropy. There are more than 700 community foundations in the United States today.
OUR HISTORY
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation (SWFLCF) was formed in 1976 with $500 from First National Bank of Fort Myers by a small, dedicated group of attorneys, trust officers and community leaders who had the vision and foresight to plan for the future needs of our rapidly growing community.
For over 33 years, SWFLCF has been supporting the communities of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry counties through over 330 endowed funds. With those endowed funds, we have provided more than $46 million in grants and scholarships to the communities we serve.
VISION
Our vision is to be "The leading resource in Southwest Florida for compassionate and flexible charitable giving."
MISSION
The mission of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation is to connect donors and their philanthropic aspirations with evolving community needs.
NATIONAL STANDARDS
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation is proud to be recognized and confirmed as being compliant with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.
Why National Standards Are Important for Community Foundations*
U.S. community foundations serve tens of thousands of donors, administer more than $31 billion in charitable funds, and address core concerns of more than 650 communities and regions. There are many reasons that standards are important for both established and new community foundations.
National Standards guide sound policies and accountable practices, distinguish the field from others, and build the capacity of community foundations to carry out their missions.
Community foundations use standards to promote self-regulation in a manner viewed positively by the Internal Revenue Service, which has increased its scrutiny of charities offering donor-advised funds.
* The above information comes from the Council on Foundations. For more information on National Standards and the Council on Foundation, please contact them at 202-466-6512 or visit their website at www.cof.org.
Affiliations
Council on Foundations
The Council on Foundations is a national nonprofit association of some 2,000 grantmaking foundations and corporations. As a leader in philanthropy, they strive to increase the effectiveness, stewardship, and accountability of their sector while providing their members with the services and support they need for success.
This body oversees the National Standards for U. S. Community Foundations (see above). These standards promote excellence in six key areas: Mission, Structure, and Governance, Resource Development, Stewardship and Accountability, Grantmaking and Community Leadership, Donor Relations, and Communications.
Florida Philanthropic Network
Florida Philanthropic Network is an association of community, private, corporate, operating and family foundations from Miami to Jacksonville and Naples to Panama City, connecting Florida grantmakers to one another through educational opportunities, networking and regional convenings. They provide news, information and resources to the philanthropic community in Florida, advocate on behalf of philanthropy locally and nationally, and commission objective research on the nonprofit and philanthropic sector to disseminate to public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Community Foundations of Florida
Community Foundations of Florida is a statewide collaboration of more than 20 community foundations working together to promote philanthropy in our neighborhoods and throughout Florida. Each Florida community foundation in this collaboration is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization created by and for the people of a particular area.