Madison Community Foundation’

What Madison Community Foundation’ does

Madison Community Foundation (MCF) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation established in 1942 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. It stewards charitable funds on behalf of individual donors, nonprofit organizations, and professional advisors across the Greater Madison region, including Dane, Columbia, Green, Iowa, and Sauk counties. The foundation manages 1,304 funds with $460 million in total assets under management and distributed $22 million to the community in 2024 through donor advised fund grants, endowment distributions, and Community Impact grants.

MCF's core product is a portfolio of fund types — Donor Advised Funds, Designated Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Scholarship Funds, Nonprofit Endowment Funds, and Charitable Gift Annuities — each with defined minimum establishment amounts ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. The foundation is supported by an underlying technology stack that includes an online donation and fund catalog portal (godonate.akoyago.com), a GoApply grant application portal, and the Greater Madison Nonprofit Directory covering five counties. It also operates sub-brands including A Fund for Women (a permanent endowment managing over $4 million), the Goodman Nonprofit Center (nonprofit capacity-building, currently in a $12.5 million endowment campaign), and a Community Impact Fund focused on Arts & Culture, Community Development, Environment, Learning, and Nonprofit Capacity Building.

The business model is a fee-based community foundation structure. MCF charges annual administrative fees on endowed funds starting at 1% and declining on a sliding scale to 0.1% as fund balances increase; these fees support MCF operations rather than generating profit, with surplus redistributed to the community. Go-to-market is community-led and advisor-driven, anchored by an annual Advisor Seminar, professional advisor referral relationships, and partnerships with six Regional Giving Partners (Columbus, Lodi, Middleton, Monona, Portage, Rio). Revenue scale is therefore a function of AUM growth rather than transactional volume, and is best understood as a fee on managed charitable capital.

Name

Madison Community Foundation’

Legal name

Madison Community Foundation

Website

https://www.madisongives.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Madison Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation established in 1942 that manages $460 million across 1,304 charitable funds, distributing $22 million annually to nonprofits, donors, and professional advisors in the Greater Madison, Wisconsin region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation & Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Donor advised funds
• Nonprofit endowment management
• Philanthropic fund administration
• Community grantmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Administrative Fees on Funds: MCF charges administrative fees on endowment funds starting at 1% and decreasing on a sliding scale to 0.1% as fund balances increase. These fees support MCF operations.
2. Charitable Contributions: The foundation receives charitable contributions from donors to establish and grow endowment funds, donor advised funds, and field of interest funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Madison Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that stewards charitable funds on behalf of individual donors, families, nonprofits, and professional advisors, then distributes grants throughout the Greater Madison region. Its offerings span donor advised funds, designated funds, field of interest funds, scholarship funds, nonprofit endowment funds, charitable gift annuities, and legacy/estate planning, supported by grantmaking programs (Community Impact Fund, A Fund for Women, Field of Interest grants) and the Goodman Nonprofit Center.

Product overview

Madison Community Foundation operates as a philanthropic services platform offering multiple fund types including Donor Advised Funds, Designated Funds, Community Impact Fund, Field of Interest Funds, Scholarship Funds, and Charitable Gift Annuities. The foundation manages over 1,300 funds totaling $460 million in assets, distributing approximately $22 million annually to the community. Key platforms include the GoApply Grant Portal for nonprofit grant applications and a Fund Catalog for donor donations. Additional services encompass Legacy and Estate Planning, Nonprofit Endowment Fund management, Regional Giving Partner programs, A Fund for Women, and the Goodman Nonprofit Center providing professional development. The foundation serves donors, nonprofits, and professional advisors through flexible giving options and community grantmaking in Dane County, Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• A Fund for Women: A permanent endowment fund that supports women and girls in Dane County, managing over $4 million in assets focused on economic empowerment. Established in 1993.
• Goodman Nonprofit Center
• Community Impact Fund

Products and services

• Donor Advised Fund Flexible, tax-smart charitable giving vehicle allowing donors to recommend grants to nonprofits while receiving immediate tax deductions and involving family members as fund advisors.
• Designated Fund Permanent endowment providing annual support to one or more specific nonprofit organizations, ensuring long-term financial health and stability for designated beneficiaries; minimum $15,000.
• Community Impact Fund Flexible permanent fund supporting local causes in Arts & Culture, Community Development, Environment, Learning, and Nonprofit Capacity Building across Dane County, with competitive annual grant rounds.
• Field of Interest Fund Endowed fund supporting a specific area of interest or geographic region, with MCF staff distributing grants annually to organizations working in the donor's designated area; minimum $100,000.
• Scholarship Fund Fund supporting students through scholarships awarded to high schools, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations based on donor-established criteria; minimum $25,000.
• Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) Planned giving product providing guaranteed lifetime income for donors while leaving a permanent source of support for a nonprofit of the donor's choice.
• Legacy and Estate Planning Comprehensive planned giving services including bequests, retirement plan beneficiary designations, life insurance gifts, and charitable gift annuities for lasting community impact.
• Nonprofit Endowment Fund Permanent endowment funds for nonprofit organizations to build sustainable sources of income, starting at $50,000 with administrative fees starting at 1% on a sliding scale.
• Goodman Nonprofit Center Center housed at MCF's offices connecting nonprofits in the Greater Madison region to information, professional development, and networking opportunities; subject of a $12.5 million permanent endowment campaign.
• Regional Giving Partners Partnerships with local communities (Columbus, Lodi, Middleton, Monona, Portage, Rio) to promote philanthropy and support local causes through community endowments; grants range from $100 to $6,000.
• A Fund for Women Permanent endowment supporting women's economic empowerment through grants to Dane County nonprofits, managing over $4 million in assets.
• GoApply Grant Portal Online grant application portal for submitting Letters of Inquiry and full grant proposals for Community Impact and Field of Interest grants.
• Fund Catalog / Donation Portal Online platform for searching MCF funds and making credit card donations to various community and field-of-interest funds.

Quantifiable outcome

• $22 million distributed to community in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Columbus Area Endowment (CAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Giving Partner established 2008 by volunteer Columbus-area citizens. CAE enhances cultural, educational and economic vitality of Columbus area. MCF provides fund management, investment, and administrative services.
• Lodi Area Community Endowment (LACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Giving Partner founded 2009 by seven local citizens to preserve and enhance Lodi's legacy. LACE provides charitable resources for educational and civic projects within School District of Lodi boundaries.
• Middleton Endowment (ME)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Giving Partner established 2007 with mission to enhance quality of life in Middleton area. MCF provides investment management and administrative support. Fund has grown from initial $32,000 to approximately $220,000.
• Monona FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Giving Partner established to support Monona community by backing charitable causes with vast outreach. MCF provides fund management expertise and oversight.
• Portage Area Community Fund (PACF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Giving Partner established 2016 to bring awareness to philanthropy in Portage area. MCF provides field expertise, administrative and investment services, marketing opportunities and legal status.
• Rio Community Foundation (RCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Giving Partner dedicated to preserving and enhancing quality of life in Rio, Wisconsin. Focuses on education, agriculture, and community development. MCF provides fund management and investment services.
• A Fund for WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPermanent endowment established 1993 supporting women's economic empowerment in Dane County. Partners with MCF to manage over $4 million in assets. Community volunteers guide annual grantmaking.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cleveland Foundation: First established U.S. community foundation (1914) managing roughly $2B in assets across donor advised funds, scholarship funds, and competitive grant programs. Direct peer with comparable 100+ year history, diversified fund types, and anchor community foundation role.
• Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo: Western New York's community foundation managing donor advised funds, endowments, and regional grantmaking programs. Direct peer with similar single-region community foundation scope and product structure.
• Chicago Community Trust: One of the oldest and largest community foundations in the U.S. (founded 1915), managing donor advised funds, endowments, and impact investing across the Chicago region. Direct peer with similar regional community foundation model, multi-fund structure, and grantmaking focus.
• Dayton Foundation: Ohio-based community foundation managing ~$800M in assets through donor advised funds, scholarship funds, and competitive grant rounds. Direct peer with comparable regional community foundation model and mid-size AUM profile.
• Boston Foundation: Greater Boston's community foundation managing over $2B in assets with donor advised funds, pooled investments, and civic leadership programs. Direct peer for mid-sized U.S. community foundations with endowed fund management and competitive grantmaking.
• Greater Milwaukee Foundation: Wisconsin's largest community foundation managing over $1B in assets and offering donor advised funds, endowments, and grantmaking across the Milwaukee region. Direct peer as another Wisconsin-based community foundation with comparable product suite and target donor base.
• Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF): Indianapolis-based community foundation managing multiple subsidiary funds, including The Indianapolis Foundation, with donor advised funds and impact grantmaking. Direct peer with comparable multi-affiliate community foundation structure.

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Charitable: The largest U.S. donor advised fund sponsor with over $100B in DAF assets, operating nationally with a low-fee, digital-first platform. Broader incumbent that competes directly with MCF's DAF product from a national scale and brand advantage.
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: One of the largest community foundations globally, managing over $13B in assets with a heavy emphasis on donor advised funds serving tech wealth. Broader incumbent with similar product mix but materially larger scale and broader geographic mandate.

Others

• National Philanthropic Trust: Independent national DAF sponsor managing over $10B in donor advised fund assets, providing infrastructure for individual giving and institutional grantmaking. Comparable as a DAF-focused nonprofit peer but operates nationally without a local community-embedded model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@madisoncommunityfoundation4426
• Facebookfacebook.com/madisoncommunityfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/madison-community-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/madisoncommfdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Madison Community Foundation’