A Foundation for Peace: A Case Statement and Guidebook for Community Foundations
As place-based institutions with deep local knowledge, convening power, and public trust, community foundations are uniquely positioned to bring together stakeholders, shift narratives, mobilize resources, and elevate solutions driven by those most impacted by community safety issues. This guidebook exists to support community foundations, regardless of where they are on their journey, with the inspiration, insights, and tools needed to engage in community safety work.
CFLeads developed this resource in response to growing interest from community foundations across the country in community safety work and as a complement to our Gun Violence Prevention Network, now named Foundations for Community Safety. It draws from the lived experiences and lessons of Network participants and other community foundations advancing safety work in their own communities.
This document includes:
- Insights on how to make the case for why community foundations are essential leaders in community safety work; and
- A practice guide with real-world examples, roles foundations can play, common barriers, and strategies for readiness, equity, and accountability.
While this guidebook was developed with community foundations in mind, it is also a resource for other types of philanthropic institutions—family foundations, health conversion foundations, place-based funders, and others—that are working to advance community safety.
In addition, community members, nonprofit leaders, and advocates may find this guide useful as a tool to start conversations with local funders, build shared understanding, or advocate for new approaches. Our hope is that this guide can support everyone, wherever they sit in the ecosystem, towards working to create safer, more just communities.
Whether you are just beginning to explore this issue or seeking to deepen your impact, this guidebook offers a starting point, a roadmap, and a community of support.
