Investing in the work that builds stronger communities
Our portfolio reaches from neighborhood programs to multi-state initiatives. We partner with community-based organizations, regional collaboratives, and fellow funders to support work that lasts longer than a grant cycle and reaches deeper than any single program.
A connected portfolio, not a checklist
We organize our work around five focus areas because the lives of the people we serve do not divide neatly into categories. A family's economic stability shapes a child's education. A neighborhood's health depends on its civic strength. We treat those connections as the work itself, not a complication.
The way we work with communities
Common Ground Foundation convenes residents, practitioners, and fellow funders throughout the year for working sessions that shape where, how, and with whom we invest.
What we are and what we are not
Clarity about how we work, and where our role ends, keeps our partners well-served and our commitments honest. Here is what to expect, and not to expect, when you work with Common Ground.
What we are
- A community-rooted funder investing in long-term, locally-led change.
- A backer of leaders and institutions, not just discrete projects.
- A pairing of flexible capital with research, learning, and peer convening.
- A multi-year partner. Our typical commitment runs three to seven years.
- A measurer of community outcomes, not foundation outputs.
What we are not
- A short-cycle grant program responding to one-year proposals.
- A direct service provider competing with the partners we fund.
- A lobbying or partisan-political organization.
- A vendor or consulting firm offering paid services.
- A passive check-writer disconnected from the work on the ground.
Partner with us on the work ahead
If your organization is rooted in community and ready for a long-term funding partner, or if you represent a fellow funder looking to pool capital around place-based change, we would welcome a conversation.