What The Funders Network does

The Funders Network (TFN) is a U.S.-based nonprofit membership organization founded around 2000 and headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida, operating with a staff of approximately 23 people (firmographics). It convenes more than 130 national, regional, and community foundations across the United States and Canada that are committed to advancing sustainable, prosperous, and just communities at the intersection of environment, economy, and equity. Its core offerings include the PLACES Fellowship for professional development of philanthropy staff (launched 2015), the Partners for Places matching-grant program run jointly with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network since 2012, a portfolio of issue-focused working groups (GREEN, Inclusive Economies, Mobility & Access, PPREP, Urban Water, Smart Growth California), an annual conference, the Systems Transformation Learning Series, and a member portal.

TFN is not a technology company. Its platform consists of a public website, email marketing (MailChimp/MadMimi), social aggregation (Juicer), analytics (Google Analytics), and GuideStar transparency widgets; it carries WCAG 2.1, ADA, Section 508, and GDPR compliance certifications. Revenue is generated through foundation membership dues, conference registration fees ($499 members / $699 non-members for the 2021 virtual conference), and paid learning programs ($1,350-$1,850 per participant for the Systems Transformation Learning Series). TFN does not publish financial results and is governed by a board drawn from its member foundations, with no parent company, PE, or VC ownership.

The organization's go-to-market is community-led, leaning on peer relationships, the PLACES alum network, working groups, and an annual conference to engage members and drive collaborative grantmaking on sustainability, equity, and environmental justice. Strategic distribution is anchored by deep partnerships with large institutional funders - Kresge, California Endowment, JPB, Kendeda, NY Community Trust, Pisces, Spring Point Partners - which both fund TFN programs and co-invest through Partners for Places, generating more than $13 million in grants and nearly $26 million in leveraged investments across North America over the past decade.

Name

The Funders Network

Legal name

The Funders Network

Website

https://fundersnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Funders Network is a nonprofit membership organization of more than 130 U.S. and Canadian foundations that runs the PLACES Fellowship, the Partners for Places matching-grant program, and issue-focused working groups to advance equitable, sustainable community philanthropy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy Network Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Foundation membership network
• Place-based philanthropy
• Matching grant programs
• Philanthropy professional development
• Funder collaboration services

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: TFN generates revenue through membership fees from national, regional, and community foundations across the U.S. and Canada who join the network.
2. Conference Registration: Annual conference fees charged to members and non-members for attendance at TFN's virtual and in-person conferences.
3. Professional Development Programs: Learning series and fellowship programs with registration fees for accepted participants, including discounted early bird rates for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Funders Network operates a membership network of 130+ national, regional, and community foundations across the U.S. and Canada. It sells foundation memberships and delivers a portfolio of fee-based services including the PLACES Fellowship professional development program, the Partners for Places matching grant program, the Systems Transformation Learning Series, and an annual conference, supported by issue-focused working groups on climate, inclusive economies, mobility, water, and disaster recovery.

Product overview

The Funders Network is a membership organization of more than 130 national, regional, and community foundations across the U.S. and Canada. The organization offers a platform of interconnected programs including the PLACES Fellowship for professional development, Partners for Places grant programs for community sustainability projects, and multiple issue-focused working groups (GREEN, Inclusive Economies, Mobility & Access, PPREP, Urban Water). TFN also hosts an annual conference, learning series, and produces publications to help funders deepen connections, ignite action, and improve outcomes in creating sustainable, prosperous, and just communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Partners for Places: A successful matching grant program that improves communities by supporting equitable sustainability projects that build partnerships between local government leaders, community groups, and place-based foundations in the U.S. and Canada. Led by TFN in partnership with USDN.
• PLACES Fellowship
• Partners for Places Jobs and Inclusive Infrastructure Initiative

Products and services

• TFN Foundation Membership Annual membership service for grantmaking institutions providing access to working groups, conferences, publications, member portal resources, and PLACES Fellowship eligibility. Designed for foundation CEOs, program officers, trustees, and staff.
• PLACES Fellowship (Professionals Learning About Community, Equity and Sustainability) A fellowship program for philanthropy professionals providing tools, knowledge, and best practices to embed an equity lens into their work through immersive site visits, peer learning, and equity-centered leadership development.
• Partners for Places A matching grant program that supports equitable sustainability projects that build partnerships between local government leaders, community groups, and place-based foundations in the U.S. and Canada. Awards range from $25,000-$75,000 for one-year projects or $75,000-$150,000 for two-year projects with a 1:1 match required.
• Partners for Places Jobs and Inclusive Infrastructure Initiative A pilot matching grant program under Partners for Places that helps community partnerships unlock public dollars, increase opportunities for small businesses, and create career pathways for local workers through infrastructure projects.
• TFN Annual Conference TFN's signature annual event bringing together funders to explore strategies and stories creating more equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities through plenary sessions, critical conversations, and networking opportunities. Members $499, Non-members $699.
• Systems Transformation Learning Series A five-part learning series helping funders gain frameworks, methods, and tools to catalyze and support systemic change, focusing on systems thinking and collaborative network practices for addressing complex interconnected problems. Early Bird: Members $1,350; Non-members $1,550. Regular: Members $1,650; Non-members $1,850.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than $13 million awarded through Partners for Places, leveraging nearly $26 million in total investments
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFN partners with USDN to operate the Partners for Places matching grant program, which improves communities by supporting equitable sustainability projects through partnerships between local government leaders, community groups, and place-based foundations.
• Green Infrastructure Leadership ExchangesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerA practitioner network that supports communities seeking to grow green stormwater infrastructure programs, partnering with Partners for Places to support outreach efforts.
• CoCreativesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCoCreative leads TFN's Systems Transformation Learning Series, specializing in developing multi-stakeholder innovation networks to solve complex problems like revitalizing economically distressed communities and closing racial equity gaps.
• Federal Reserve-Philanthropy InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between TFN and Federal Reserve exploring connections between monetary policy and philanthropic work on inclusive economies.
• Community Foundation Water InitiativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative initiative focused on water-related issues through TFN's Smart Growth California working group.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Independent Sector: National membership organization of nonprofits, foundations, and corporations advocating for the charitable sector. Comparable as a broad coalition convener for foundations and nonprofits, but its scope extends well beyond grantmaking infrastructure into policy advocacy.
• Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers: National network of regional philanthropy associations serving place-based and community foundations. Comparable to TFN as an infrastructure organization for regional/place-based funders, though more federated and broader in scope than TFN's direct member model.
• Council on Foundations: Largest U.S. membership association for grantmaking institutions, including private, family, and community foundations. Highly comparable to TFN as a peer-network convener, but operates at much broader scale across all foundation types and issue areas, making it a broad incumbent in TFN's space.

Direct peers

• United Philanthropy Forum: Membership network of regional and national philanthropic-serving organizations, including place-based and identity-based funders. Directly comparable to TFN as a peer convener focused on supporting and connecting grantmakers, with overlapping membership and similar value proposition.
• Neighborhood Funders Group: Membership network of foundations investing in neighborhood- and community-level change, with strong equity framing. Directly comparable to TFN as a peer network for place-based, equity-centered funders running grant programs and learning communities.
• Funders Together to End Homelessness: Membership network of foundations and grantmakers working to end homelessness. Comparable to TFN as a peer-driven funder network with working groups, learning series, and collaborative grant programs in a defined issue area.
• Environmental Grantmakers Association: Membership association of foundations and grantmakers focused on environmental issues. Directly comparable to TFN given TFN's GREEN working group and environmental sustainability focus, with similar peer-learning and convening model for funders in a specific issue area.
• Hispanics in Philanthropy: Transnational network of foundations and donors committed to Latino communities, equity, and place-based investing. Directly comparable to TFN as an equity-centered funder network running leadership programs (e.g., HIP Fellowship), convenings, and grant programs.
• Funders' Committee for Civic Participation: Membership network of foundations supporting civic participation and democracy grantmaking. Directly comparable to TFN as a peer funder network operating working groups, convenings, and shared-learning infrastructure for grantmakers in a defined issue space.
• ABFE (Association of Black Foundation Executives): Membership organization for Black foundation professionals and the institutions they lead, focused on racial equity in philanthropy. Directly comparable to TFN as a peer funder network with a racial-equity mission, professional development, and convening activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Funders_Network
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/funders-network

Compliance4 records

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

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Funders Network