Assets, gifts, and grants
There was a slight uptick in asset growth across the field after a virtual flattening in FY 2015, though the growth rates of individual community foundations remain relatively neutral.
Total assets
Median change in assets: 5.2%
Total reported gifts & grants
Total reported assets, gifts, & grants over time
Focusing on asset, gift, and grant totals for the Top 100 largest community foundations allows for a consistent sample which remains reflective of overall field growth. A significant increase in overall gift and grant activity was observed in 2016, while total assets saw a higher rate of growth than from 2014-2015.
Year | Assets | Gifts | Grants |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | $38,745,273,278 | $4,399,130,412 | $3,889,137,826 |
2009 | $40,261,538,382 | $3,521,150,643 | $3,571,937,978 |
2010 | $43,540,978,750 | $3,947,717,032 | $3,661,200,092 |
2011 | $44,683,923,413 | $4,426,344,102 | $3,588,905,569 |
2012 | $49,381,436,925 | $5,855,919,025 | $3,892,319,922 |
2013 | $57,659,595,685 | $6,791,713,359 | $4,353,402,359 |
2014 | $63,642,993,843 | $7,730,259,210 | $5,275,754,284 |
2015 | $65,571,544,761 | $7,141,854,972 | $5,932,878,430 |
2016 | $69,189,650,543 | $8,165,290,641 | $6,838,775,835 |
Changes in gift and grant activity
The proportion of respondents who experienced a dramatic decrease in gifts doubled from 2015, though as in previous years, gift change rates remain difficult to predict. Grants are predictably more stable, driven by fund holders and in keeping with the community foundation’s mission and payout goals. More than half of all survey respondents saw grantmaking totals change by less than 20%.
Median change in gifts: -1.3%
- Dramatic decrease
- Moderate decrease
- Neutral
- Moderate increase
- Dramatic increase
Median change in grants: 7%
- Dramatic decrease
- Moderate decrease
- Neutral
- Moderate increase
- Dramatic increase
Type of activity | Dramatic decrease | Moderate decrease | Neutral | Moderate increase | Dramatic increase | Median change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gifts | 14% | 28% | 17% | 19% | 22% | -1.3% |
Grants | 3% | 21% | 31% | 31% | 13% | 7% |
Median gifts and grants per capita
The concentration of high net worth donors in large urban centers is reflected in per capita gift and grant totals at larger community foundations.