By the People, For the People
WHO ARE WE? We are a 501(c)(3) public charity composed of more than 820 charitable funds begun by people just like you. Those funds, and the gifts that started them, bear the mark of many donors, not just a select few, which differentiates us from a private foundation.
In short, we’re the foundation by the people, for the people. Learn more about community foundations.
Our Vision
We embrace and enhance the work of charitable people who make a permanent commitment to the good of the community.
Our Mission
To improve the quality of life in Greater Akron by building permanent endowments and providing philanthropic leadership that enables you to make a lasting investment in the community.
We accomplish this by:
- Building a civic endowment, a permanent source of funding to benefit all of Summit County
- Helping fundholders plan, carry out and celebrate their charitable giving in Greater Akron, the region and across the country
- Partnering with fundholders and agencies, including nonprofits, funders, government groups and businesses, to gain and share knowledge that improves the community
- Encouraging philanthropy among Summit County residents of all means and backgrounds
Our Values
- We get excited about our donors’ charitable dreams
- We celebrate our partners’ philanthropy and one another’s successes
- We serve the community and one another with energy and joy
- We empower and equip all partners in the organization to be zealous ambassadors of Akron Community Foundation
- We are role models at work and in our community
- We constantly seek opportunities for individual and organizational growth
- We enthusiastically strive to exceed the expectations of our partners, the public and ourselves
- We continuously seek and embrace feedback as a source of improvement
- We exercise personal discipline and diligence in everyday activities
- We proactively take responsibility to be informed and to inform others
- We value open, honest and timely dialogue within and across departments
- We hold ourselves and others accountable for behaviors, actions and results
- We embody honesty, integrity and mutual respect in everything we do
- We take our jobs seriously but not ourselves
- We respect one another’s backgrounds, lifestyles and interests
- We value a healthy balance between work and family
- We strive to maintain a positive outlook, regardless of the situation
- We can accomplish more together than we can individually
- We trust the capabilities, character and judgment of our colleagues and charitable partners, and we empower them to make decisions
- We constantly seek ways to bring together people, organizations and resources to benefit the community
- We share a common strategic vision and work together to make it a reality
Meet Everyone
Our Staff
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Our History
In 1955, a $1 million bequest from Edwin Shaw established Akron Community Trusts, now Akron Community Foundation – a place where charitable people from all walks of life join together to improve their community forever. Since that day, the community foundation has grown to nearly $260 million in assets and has distributed more than $217 million in grants back into the community.