On January 2, 1914, the world’s first community foundation was born.
Frederick Goff, an influential businessman and former mayor of Cleveland, convinced the Cleveland Trust to adopt a Resolution and Declaration of Trust, which established the Cleveland Community Foundation. Goff’s “vision was to pool the charitable resources of Cleveland’s philanthropists, living and dead, into a single, great, and permanent endowment for the betterment of the city.”
Today, more than 700 community foundations span the U.S., holding over $48 billion assets and granting $4.5 billion across the nation. More than 1,700 community foundation exist world wide, engaging in place based philanthropy to support the causes that matter.
Learn more about the Cleveland Foundation at www.clevelandfoundation.org/about/history and join the centennial celebration of community foundations nationwide with #CF100.
