Marin Community Foundation
Marin Community Foundation is a Novato, California-based community foundation serving 550+ donors and Marin County nonprofits through donor-advised funds, philanthropic advisory, multi-year grant initiatives, and affordable-housing loans, having distributed over $2 billion in grants since 1986.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersNovato, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Marin Community Foundation does
Marin Community Foundation (MCF) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation established in 1986/1987 and headquartered in Novato, California. It serves two primary customer sets: (i) approximately 550 individual donors and families seeking structured philanthropic vehicles, and (ii) a portfolio of nonprofit organizations and community-based initiatives concentrated in Marin County. Its core products include donor-advised funds, the Family Office of Philanthropy, the Venture Impact Program (mission-related investments and impact funds), Imprint Legacy Funds, and "The Lens" equity framework, complemented by three strategic initiatives: Building Resilient Communities (Climate Justice, launched 2023), Affordable Housing & Homelessness (2024), and the $30 million three-year Community Power Initiative (June 2024).
Underlying service delivery runs on a community-foundation digital platform with donor and grantee login portals (givingcenter.marincf.org and grantcenter.marincf.org), grant management systems, and online giving infrastructure, supplemented by operations support offered externally as "Upsource." Loan products are delivered through the CommunityFirst Loan Fund, currently with 16 active loans supporting 310 permanently affordable housing units, and a Visual Artist Support Program operated under the Pirkle Jones Fund sub-brand.
MCF's business model is a hybrid of (a) AUM-based administrative fees and investment management revenue on donor-advised and endowed funds, (b) philanthropic advisory and strategy services for high-net-worth families, and (c) contributed revenue from donors earmarked for specific initiatives. Grantmaking is not revenue but the primary outflow; MCF has cumulatively distributed over $1 billion in Marin County grants over 36 years and over $2 billion under Dr. Thomas Peters' 23-year tenure (1998-2021). The organization employs 51-100 staff, is governed by an 11-person consolidated board, and holds Charity Navigator's 100/100 rating and Candid Gold Transparency designation.
Marin Community Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Marin Community Foundation
- Legal name
- Marin Community Foundation
- Website
- https://marincf.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Marin Community Foundation is a Novato, California-based community foundation serving 550+ donors and Marin County nonprofits through donor-advised funds, philanthropic advisory, multi-year grant initiatives, and affordable-housing loans, having distributed over $2 billion in grants since 1986.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Marin Community Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Foundation and Philanthropic Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Marin Community Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Novato
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Marin Community Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Fund Management: Manages donor-advised funds, family foundation funds, and charitable endowments for individuals and families. Revenue is generated through management fees and investment returns on endowed assets.
- Grantmaking Services: Provides strategic philanthropy advisory, donor services, and investment management for donors who wish to direct charitable giving to community causes.
- Emergency Response Fundraising: Mobilizes rapid response funding during crises (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic) by aggregating donor contributions and distributing emergency grants to community nonprofits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Donor-advised fund management services for individuals and families |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Marin Community Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Marin Community Foundation is a community foundation that manages donor-advised funds, family foundation funds, and charitable endowments for more than 550 individual donors and families. It distributes grants and loans to nonprofit organizations in Marin County, with strategic initiatives focused on affordable housing, homelessness prevention, climate justice, and multi-year general operating support. The foundation also provides philanthropic advisory services, donor education, impact investing programs, and loan products through its CommunityFirst Loan Fund.
Product overview
Marin Community Foundation is a community foundation offering a comprehensive portfolio of philanthropic products and programs. Core offerings include Donor-Advised Funds, The Family Office of Philanthropy, Venture Impact Program, Imprint Legacy Funds, and The Lens Equity Program. The foundation operates three major strategic initiatives: Community Power Initiative (providing multi-year general operating grants to nonprofits), Affordable Housing & Homelessness Initiative (focused on housing solutions), and Building Resilient Communities (climate justice). Additional programs include the Pirkle Jones Fund Visual Artist Support Program, MOMentum Guaranteed Income pilot, and CommunityFirst Loan Fund. Services include advising, professional advisor resources, Upsource operations support, and investment strategies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pirkle Jones Fund: A fund established to honor Marin photographer Pirkle Jones who died in 2009, offering a Visual Artist Support Program grant for emerging and mid-career visual artists in Marin County.
- Community Power Initiative
- The Lens
- MOMentum
- CommunityFirst Loan Fund
Products and services
- Donor-Advised Funds Philanthropic giving vehicles allowing donors to make charitable contributions and recommend grants to nonprofits over time; core product of MCF serving 550+ donors.
- The Family Office of Philanthropy Comprehensive philanthropic services for high-net-worth families including advisory, reporting, and strategy development.
- Venture Impact Program
- Imprint Legacy Funds Legacy giving vehicle that allows donors to create a lasting philanthropic legacy.
- The Lens Equity Program Equity framework program enabling donors to apply race equity and gender equity lenses to philanthropy through giving, investing, and connecting with learning opportunities.
- Advising Services Philanthropic advisory services helping donors develop giving strategies and maximize impact.
- Professional Advisor Resources Resources and education for professional advisors to help their clients with philanthropic planning.
- Upsource Operations Support Services Operations support services for foundations and nonprofits.
- Marin Investment Strategies Marin Investment Strategies offering for donors seeking specific investment approaches.
- CommunityFirst Loan Fund Loan program supporting nonprofits with favorable lending terms for community development projects.
- Community Power Initiative Three-year, $30 million multi-year general operating grants program supporting nonprofits to reduce administrative burden and increase flexibility.
- Affordable Housing & Homelessness Initiative Strategic initiative focused on preventing homelessness and protecting, preserving, and producing affordable housing through grants, loans, research, and convening.
- Building Resilient Communities (Climate Justice) Initiative Climate justice initiative focusing on sea level rise, flooding, wildfire, and clean energy with equity focus for vulnerable communities.
- MOMentum Guaranteed Income Program Pilot program providing $1,000/month unconditional cash assistance to 125 low-income mothers for two years to test guaranteed income concept.
- Pirkle Jones Fund Visual Artist Support Program Annual grant program supporting emerging and mid-career visual artists in Marin County with $50,000 grants.
Quantifiable outcome
- Built hundreds of affordable housing units for lower-income community members
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Marin Community Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Marin Community Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Marin Community Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Community Foundation Climate CollaborativecoreEstablished with New York Community Trust, Pittsburgh Foundation, and Denver Foundation to accelerate climate justice initiatives throughout the country. MCF participates as a founding member of this collaborative of community foundations working to move from disaster recovery to proactive climate resilience.
- All HomecorePartnership with All Home and County of Marin to bring an evidence-backed targeted homelessness prevention program to Marin, using latest research to target direct financial assistance to households at greatest risk of homelessness.
- County of MarincoreOngoing partnership with County of Marin on homelessness prevention, affordable housing, and community initiatives including BAHFA ballot measure to raise hundreds of millions for housing.
- West Marin FundcoreCo-funded the Growing Together housing study and collaborate on West Marin housing solutions, particularly for agricultural workers and their families.
- Canal AlliancecorePartnership to prevent displacement of Canal district residents by preserving affordable housing. MCF provided grant and loan dollars for Canal Alliance to purchase a 9-unit building preventing displacement of 30+ family members.
- CLAM (Community Land Alliance of Marin)corePartnership to develop 40 affordable interim homes for West Marin families affected by Point Reyes National Seashore ranch closures, working with County and West Marin Fund.
- Youth in ArtsmajorCollaborative partner in Community Power Initiative working with County of Marin's Department of Cultural Services and Marin County Office of Education to expand equitable access in arts education for Marin's TK-5th grade students.
- 10,000 DegreesmajorGrantee and collaborative partner supporting low-income students through education programs, part of Marin Promise Partnership county-wide collaborative.
- Redwood Credit UnionminorPartnership for MOMentum guaranteed income program, holding financial literacy sessions for program participants.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Marin Community Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- San Francisco Foundation: Bay Area community foundation providing donor-advised funds, endowment management, and place-based grantmaking focused on equity and racial justice. Directly comparable in mission, product set (DAFs, advising, impact investing), and Bay Area geography.
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation: One of the largest community foundations in the U.S., serving the Silicon Valley/Bay Area region. Directly comparable to MCF as a regional community foundation offering donor-advised funds, philanthropic advising, and place-based grantmaking to local nonprofits.
- Pittsburgh Foundation: Major community foundation serving the Pittsburgh region with DAFs, competitive grantmaking, and equity-focused initiatives. Co-founding partner with MCF in the Community Foundation Climate Collaborative—directly comparable in operating model and climate justice focus.
- California Community Foundation: Major Los Angeles-based community foundation providing DAFs, endowment services, and place-based grantmaking in California. Directly comparable to MCF in California footprint and product set, though operating at larger geographic scale.
- New York Community Trust: One of the oldest and largest community foundations in the U.S. Co-founding partner with MCF in the Community Foundation Climate Collaborative. Comparable in grantmaking scale, donor services, and place-based community focus, but serving NYC rather than Marin.
- Denver Foundation: Community foundation serving the Denver metro with donor-advised funds, place-based grantmaking, and equity-focused programming. Co-founding partner with MCF in the Community Foundation Climate Collaborative, making it a near-perfect operational peer.
Broad incumbents
- Tides Foundation: Large philanthropic intermediary offering donor-advised funds, fiscal sponsorship, and impact investing with strong focus on social justice and climate. Overlaps MCF in mission and product set but operates nationally with a broader portfolio focus.
- Fidelity Charitable: Largest national donor-advised fund sponsor, competing with MCF's core DAF product on scale, fee, and convenience. Comparable in donor-advised fund product category but not place-based or community-focused.
Regional players
- The San Diego Foundation: Regional community foundation serving San Diego County with DAFs, scholarship programs, and place-based grantmaking. Highly comparable product and operating model but in a different California geography.
Emerging players
- The California Endowment: California-focused health foundation making place-based grants to address health equity. Compares to MCF's equity-focused, multi-year general operating model but specialized in health rather than multi-issue community philanthropy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Marin Community Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceMarin Community Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Marin Community Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Marin Community Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Marin Community Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Marin Community Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Marin Community Foundation
What does Marin Community Foundation do?
Marin Community Foundation is a community foundation that manages donor-advised funds, family foundation funds, and charitable endowments for more than 550 individual donors and families. It distributes grants and loans to nonprofit organizations in Marin County, with strategic initiatives focused on affordable housing, homelessness prevention, climate justice, and multi-year general operating support. The foundation also provides philanthropic advisory services, donor education, impact investing programs, and loan products through its CommunityFirst Loan Fund.
Is Marin Community Foundation a public or private company?
Marin Community Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Marin Community Foundation founded?
Marin Community Foundation was founded in 1987. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Marin Community Foundation based?
Marin Community Foundation is headquartered in Novato, United States, in the North America region.
How does Marin Community Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Fund Management is the primary driver. The others are grantmaking Services and emergency Response Fundraising.
Who are Marin Community Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are San Francisco Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Pittsburgh Foundation, California Community Foundation, New York Community Trust and Denver Foundation. Broad incumbents are Tides Foundation and Fidelity Charitable. The San Diego Foundation is listed as a regional player. The California Endowment is listed as an emerging player.
Does Marin Community Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Marin Community Foundation.
What industry is Marin Community Foundation in?
Marin Community Foundation's product category is Community Foundation and Philanthropic Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.