Akron Community Foundation
Akron Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1955 that manages nearly $340 million in charitable assets across more than 900 funds, serving donors, nonprofits, and students in Summit County, Ohio through charitable funds, grantmaking, and philanthropic services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1955
- HeadquartersAkron, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Akron Community Foundation does
Akron Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 1955 in Akron, Ohio, through a $1,033,533 bequest from Edwin Coupland Shaw, former B.F. Goodrich Vice President. Originally chartered as Akron Community Trusts and renamed in 1982, the foundation has grown to manage nearly $340 million in charitable assets across more than 900 individual funds and has distributed approximately $280 million in grants since inception. Its primary service area is Summit County, Ohio, with additional historical reach into Medina County prior to the January 2024 spin-off of Medina County Community Foundation as an independent entity.
Akron Community Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Akron Community Foundation
- Legal name
- Akron Community Foundation
- Website
- https://akroncf.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1955
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Akron Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1955 that manages nearly $340 million in charitable assets across more than 900 funds, serving donors, nonprofits, and students in Summit County, Ohio through charitable funds, grantmaking, and philanthropic services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Akron Community Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Foundation / Philanthropic Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)
Keywords
Where Akron Community Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Akron
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Akron Community Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Fund Administration and Investment Fees: Annual fees of approximately 1.93% for donor-advised and designated funds, and approximately 2.68% for scholarship funds, covering administration and investment management. Fees are deducted directly from funds after donors receive full tax deduction.
- Charitable Contributions: Accepts donations of various asset types including cash, publicly traded securities, closely held stock, life insurance, real estate, and other property to establish or contribute to charitable funds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Charitable Funds - $5,000 minimum to establish |
| Subscription | Annual | Scholarship Funds - $25,000 minimum to establish |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Akron Community Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Akron Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that manages nearly $340 million in charitable assets across more than 900 charitable funds for individual donors, families, companies, and nonprofits in Summit County, Ohio. It offers six types of charitable funds (donor-advised, designated, agency endowment, scholarship, field-of-interest, and board discretionary funds), competitive quarterly community grantmaking in Arts & Culture, Civic Affairs, Health & Human Services, and Education, and planned giving services to establish permanent philanthropic legacies.
Product overview
Akron Community Foundation operates as a community foundation offering a comprehensive suite of philanthropic products and services centered around charitable fund management and community grantmaking. The organization's core offerings include six types of charitable funds (Donor-Advised Funds, Designated Funds, Agency Endowment Funds, Scholarship Funds, Field-of-Interest Funds, and Board Discretionary Funds), competitive quarterly community grants in Arts & Culture, Civic Affairs, Health & Human Services, and Education, plus seven Affiliate Funds serving specific community populations. Supporting infrastructure includes The Center for Family Philanthropy for multigenerational giving, The Institute for Emerging Philanthropists for emerging donor education, Planned Giving vehicles for legacy creation, and Special Grants & Initiatives for proactive community investment. The foundation connects donors to over 900 charitable funds while distributing grants back to the Summit County community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Center for Family Philanthropy: A resource center launched in 2018 featuring state-of-the-art, multigenerational philanthropic services, including education, community needs assessments, and grantmaking expertise for charitable families.
- The Institute for Emerging Philanthropists
- The Institute for Emerging Philanthropists Alumni Network
Products and services
- Charitable Funds
Quantifiable outcome
- 7.3% 10-year annualized net return on investments
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Akron Community Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Akron Community Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Akron Community Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- GAR FoundationcoreCo-funder of the Unified Early Learning System initiative alongside Akron Community Foundation and PNC Bank to support childcare providers in Greater Akron.
- PNC BankcoreCo-funder of the Unified Early Learning System initiative to support childcare providers and increase preschool enrollment in Akron.
- Bath Community FundcoreAffiliate fund established in 2014 to preserve Bath Township's historical and environmental legacy and meet community needs.
- Black Giving Collective FundcoreAffiliate fund established in 2023 to invest in Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organizations to transform generational health, wealth, and well-being of the Black community in Greater Akron.
- Gay Community Endowment FundcoreAffiliate fund established in 2001 to support programs that advance the LGBTQ+ community's right to live safely, openly and authentically.
- Green Community FundcoreAffiliate fund established in 2022 to strengthen the Green community by supporting meaningful civic and community initiatives.
- Women's Endowment FundcoreAffiliate fund established in 1993 to support programs that improve the health and wellness, safety, and economic empowerment of women and girls in Summit County.
- Vernon L. Odom FundcoreAffiliate fund established in 1993 to support programs that promote diversity and enrich the quality of life within Greater Akron's communities of color.
- Millennium Fund for ChildrencoreAffiliate fund established in 1999 in partnership with Akron Beacon Journal to support grassroots children's programs in the newspaper's circulation area.
- Edwin C. ShawcoreOriginal benefactor who established Akron Community Foundation in 1955 with a $1 million bequest. The Edwin C. Shaw legacy society recognizes donors who include the foundation in their estate plans.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Akron Community Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cleveland Foundation: Ohio's oldest and largest community foundation, headquartered in Cleveland. Operates the same community foundation model in a neighboring Northeast Ohio metro, with comparable charitable funds, donor services, and competitive grantmaking—making it the closest functional peer.
- Columbus Foundation: Ohio's second-largest community foundation, based in Columbus. Runs an identical community foundation model with donor-advised funds, competitive grants, and affiliate funds for the central Ohio region, making it a strong same-state peer.
- Greater Cincinnati Foundation: Community foundation serving the Greater Cincinnati region with donor-advised funds, competitive grantmaking, and community impact initiatives. Closely comparable in scale and operating model to Akron Community Foundation.
- The Dayton Foundation: Community foundation serving the Dayton, Ohio region with charitable funds and grant programs. Operates the same community foundation playbook as ACF in a comparable mid-size Ohio market.
- Pittsburgh Foundation: Community foundation serving the Pittsburgh region with donor-advised funds, competitive grantmaking, and affiliate funds. Comparable to ACF in operating model, scale (~$1.7B AUM), and focus on regional community investment.
- Toledo Community Foundation: Community foundation serving the Toledo, Ohio region with donor-advised funds, competitive grants, and scholarship programs. Closely comparable mid-size Ohio community foundation peer.
Broad incumbents
- Fidelity Charitable: The largest donor-advised fund sponsor in the U.S., offering a national DAF product that competes directly with ACF's donor-advised funds for affluent donors, but at far greater scale and with national reach.
- Schwab Charitable: National donor-advised fund sponsor affiliated with Charles Schwab. Competes directly with community foundation DAFs including ACF for donor-advised fund assets, particularly among Schwab's client base.
Emerging players
- Foundation Source: Provider of administrative services for private family foundations. Competes with ACF's Center for Family Philanthropy offering for ultra-high-net-worth families choosing between a private foundation structure and ACF's community foundation services.
Regional players
- The Indianapolis Foundation (Central Indiana Community Foundation): Central Indiana community foundation operating donor-advised funds, competitive grants, and affiliate funds serving the Indianapolis region. Comparable in structure and product set but serves a different Midwestern geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Akron Community Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceAkron Community Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Akron Community Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Akron Community Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Akron Community Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Akron Community Foundation
What does Akron Community Foundation do?
Akron Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that manages nearly $340 million in charitable assets across more than 900 charitable funds for individual donors, families, companies, and nonprofits in Summit County, Ohio. It offers six types of charitable funds (donor-advised, designated, agency endowment, scholarship, field-of-interest, and board discretionary funds), competitive quarterly community grantmaking in Arts & Culture, Civic Affairs, Health & Human Services, and Education, and planned giving services to establish permanent philanthropic legacies.
Is Akron Community Foundation a public or private company?
Akron Community Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Akron Community Foundation founded?
Akron Community Foundation was founded in 1955. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Akron Community Foundation based?
Akron Community Foundation is headquartered in Akron, United States, in the North America region.
How does Akron Community Foundation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fund Administration and Investment Fees are the primary driver. The others are charitable Contributions.
Who are Akron Community Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cleveland Foundation, Columbus Foundation, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, The Dayton Foundation, Pittsburgh Foundation and Toledo Community Foundation. Broad incumbents are Fidelity Charitable and Schwab Charitable. Foundation Source is listed as an emerging player. The Indianapolis Foundation (Central Indiana Community Foundation) is listed as a regional player.
Does Akron Community Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Akron Community Foundation.
What industry is Akron Community Foundation in?
Akron Community Foundation's product category is Community Foundation / Philanthropic Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAE, Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries. Its NAICS code is 813211.