Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
This new initiative from PSI centers on a challenge facing community foundations seeking to expand their impact: how to evolve their business models from traditional “community bank” that raises, stewards, and disperses funds to transformational “community asset” that can successfully take on a growing civic role?
In recent years, some community foundations have invested in local journalism, built new spaces in marginalized neighborhoods, and devoted resources to responding to crises like COVID-19, hurricanes, and wildfires. They are actively working to expand their impact and build thriving communities where all belong.
But a challenge remains: evolving the community foundation business model from traditional “community bank” that raises, stewards, and disperses funds to transformational “community asset” that can successfully take on this growing civic role.
Since 2023, the Aspen Institute Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation has been working with a core group of 10 community foundation CEOs and their respective CFOs to meet this moment. As some community foundations experiment with their business models, what insights can we gain from innovations well underway or those just beginning? What can these community foundations, of varied asset, staff, and endowment sizes, teach us?
In 2025, PSI released a report that highlighted four areas of business model experimentations and seven recommendations for action, gleaned from conversations with community foundation CEOs, CFOs, vice presidents or directors of philanthropy, infrastructure organization leaders, and private foundation leaders.
We’re continuing that work, expanding to include community foundations in cities, towns, and regions across the country. For more information about the Community Foundations Initiative, please contact Sarina Beges at [email protected].
