CFLeads

What CFLeads does

CFLeads, founded in 2009 and headquartered at a PO Box in Accord, Massachusetts, is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates exclusively as a peer learning and field leadership network for community foundations across the United States and the Americas. The organization runs the Executive Leadership Institute (separate yearlong tracks for CEOs, CFOs, and VPs), cohort-based Issue Networks on civic health, economic mobility, racial equity, community safety, welcoming/belonging, and SDGs, a biennial Forum for CEOs and board chairs, the Community Foundations for Civic Health initiative (with the Rhode Island Foundation and National Civic League), the Economic Mobility Action Network, Connecting Communities in the Americas, the Community Leadership Lab introductory course, and the Going All In web portal. Its digital assets are content/repository tools (Going All In portal and the Community Leadership Assessment Tool) and webinar/online course delivery infrastructure, not a software platform; CFLeads does not publish an API, SDK, or app.

The organization is funded by foundation grants and philanthropic gifts (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation $4.8M in December 2023 for economic mobility programming, an undisclosed MacKenzie Scott gift in 2021, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation funding for the ELI Knight Cities Cohort) along with voluntary "investor" contributions from participating community foundations; CFLeads does not sell products or services commercially. It reaches roughly 168 community foundations representing 45 of 50 U.S. states (15%+ of all U.S. community foundations), has trained 166 CEOs/CFOs/VPs through ELI to date, and is targeting expansion to 170 community foundations via its Gates-funded economic mobility work. Governance is by an independent board under President & CEO Mary L. Thomas (since May 2023), with a staff that is fully remote and distributed across the U.S.

Name

CFLeads

Legal name

CFLeads

Website

https://cfleads.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CFLeads, founded in 2009, is a U.S. national 501(c)(3) peer learning network for community foundations, running leadership institutes, issue cohorts, and field initiatives serving 168 foundations across 45 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Network and Peer Learning Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Professional Organizations (81392), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation networks
• Nonprofit peer learning
• Executive leadership training
• Philanthropic capacity building
• Field leadership development

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants and Philanthropic Funding: CFLeads is a nonprofit organization primarily funded through grants and donations from major foundations. Major funders include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ($4.8M for economic mobility work), John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (for ELI Knight Cities Cohort), and MacKenzie Scott (philanthropic gift).
2. Investor/Membership Contributions: CFLeads works with 'investors' - community foundations that support the organization's work through financial contributions, referred to as investors in the philanthropic sector context.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CFLeads is a national nonprofit network organization that serves community foundations through peer learning networks, leadership development programs (Executive Leadership Institute for CEOs, CFOs and VPs), issue-focused networks (civic health, economic mobility, racial equity, community safety, welcoming and belonging), a biennial Forum, introductory courses, and field research/resources (Going All In web portal, Framework for Community Leadership, Community Leadership Assessment Tool). Its programs are delivered through cohorts, in-person convenings, virtual learning series, and online resources, and are funded primarily by foundation grants and philanthropic gifts rather than commercial sales.

Product overview

CFLeads is a national network organization (not a software product) that provides peer learning, training programs, and resources for community foundations. The organization's core offerings include the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) — a year-long leadership development program with separate tracks for CEOs, CFOs, and VPs — and Issue Networks focused on topics like Economic Mobility, Civic Health, Racial Equity, and Community Safety. Additional offerings include the biennial CFLeads Forum conference, the Community Leadership Lab introductory course, the Going All In web portal documenting field momentum, and various webinars/virtual learning series. The organization does not offer a software product, API, or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Leadership Institute (ELI)

Quantifiable outcome

• 168 community foundations representing 45 states engaged in 2025 civic health initiatives
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Rhode Island FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Community Foundations for Civic Health (CFCH) initiative alongside CFLeads and National Civic League.
• National Civic LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Community Foundations for Civic Health (CFCH) initiative alongside CFLeads and Rhode Island Foundation, focused on strengthening civic health nationwide.
• Urban InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on economic mobility work, providing Upward Mobility Framework, Mobility Metrics, and Planning Guide resources. CFLeads helps community foundations utilize these tools for local action.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint webinar series on affordable housing and homelessness, designed to strengthen communication and coordination between HUD and community foundations.
• Welcoming AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Community of Practice offering to help community foundations advance welcoming work for newcomers. Partnership combining CFLeads' peer learning with Welcoming America's expertise.
• ABFEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer SDGs Community Foundation Cohort program helping community foundations engage with UN Sustainable Development Goals while advancing racial equity agenda.
• Candid's CF InsightssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Igniting the Future of Community Foundations project, surveying the field and supplementing findings with interviews.
• Global Fund for Community FoundationssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted Shift the Power summit in Bogotá, Colombia with TerritoriA, bringing together community foundations and nonprofits from around the globe.
• The Democracy CollaborativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for community wealth building content, with Ted Howard providing overview of community wealth building strategies in CFLeads webinars.
• Nonprofit VOTEsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on voter engagement webinar introducing the Philanthropy for Voter Engagement Toolkit to community foundations.
• Press ForwardsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint webinar on local journalism, exploring how community foundations can start Press Forward chapters to support local news.
• Council on FoundationssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Community Leadership Video Catalogue and various collaborative initiatives.
• The Bridgespan GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting partner that led CFLeads 2.0 strategic business plan development with staff.
• Foundation For The CarolinassupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted CFLeads staff advance meeting in Charlotte, NC.
• Long Beach Community FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted ELI for CEOs 2023 cohort meeting in Long Beach, CA.
• San Diego FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted ELI for VPs 2023-24 cohort meeting in San Diego, CA.
• Community Foundation for Greater AtlantasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted ELI for CEOs 2024 cohort meeting in Atlanta, GA.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Independent Sector: A broad national membership coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs. It competes for the same funder mindshare as CFLeads and convenes community foundations on policy, research, and advocacy, though at a much broader nonprofit-sector scope.
• National Council of Nonprofits: The largest U.S. network of nonprofit organizations, providing advocacy, training, and resources. Overlaps with CFLeads' role in supporting community foundation capacity, though it serves a much broader nonprofit universe.
• Candid (formerly Foundation Center + GuideStar): The leading source of philanthropic data and transparency, including CF Insights which CFLeads already partners with. Candid serves as a data and research backbone for the foundation field, overlapping with CFLeads' field-leadership role but at a much larger institutional scale.

Direct peers

• Council on Foundations: The largest U.S. membership organization for grantmaking foundations (including community foundations). It overlaps directly with CFLeads in serving community foundation CEOs, offering peer learning, conferences, and field research, though its scope is broader (private, family, corporate, community foundations).
• Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers: A network of regional philanthropy-serving organizations that support community foundations and other grantmakers. Operates as a parallel regional-level infrastructure to CFLeads' national peer learning, with potential for both partnership and overlap.
• Global Fund for Community Foundations: A peer network organization exclusively serving community foundations globally. GFCF is a direct international counterpart to CFLeads, with overlapping focus on community philanthropy, peer learning, and field leadership; the two organizations co-host events such as Shift the Power.
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO): A community of philanthropic practice focused on grantmaker effectiveness and learning. GEO serves similar foundation leaders with peer learning and field resources, making it a close functional peer to CFLeads' ELI and issue networks.
• ABFE (Association of Black Foundation Executives): A membership organization advancing philanthropic leadership in Black communities, and a current CFLeads partner on the SDGs Community Foundation Cohort. Overlaps directly on racial equity, community foundation leadership, and field-building for an under-served segment.

Emerging players

• Welcoming America: A nonprofit that leads a movement of inclusive communities, and a current CFLeads strategic partner on the Welcoming & Belonging Community of Practice. While not a direct competitor, it operates in adjacent community-leadership space and shares member overlap on community foundations doing welcoming work.
• National Center for Family Philanthropy: A peer-learning and resource network exclusively for family philanthropies. While not community foundations, NCFP is structurally similar in its member-based, leadership-development model and competes for the same pool of senior philanthropic leaders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cfleads

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CFLeads