Vision and Mission
The Community Foundation for Nantucket works to enhance the well-being of our community by addressing critical issues and supporting the social, physical, cultural, economic, and environmental conditions essential for all Islanders to flourish and fulfill their potential.
Our mission is to strengthen Nantucket now and for future generations through thoughtful philanthropy and community leadership. In pursuit of this mission we act as a:
- Grantmaker – by strategically awarding grants through the Nantucket Fund™ and donor-directed funds to critical island nonprofits to support their work and provide essential services to our island community.
- Charitable Resource – by maintaining a trusted in-depth knowledge of the nonprofit sector, we provide education, discussion forums, resources, and managerial support to donors, nonprofits, and the broader community.
- Convener – by organizing community leaders to assess Nantucket’s most critical needs and facilitate collaborative solutions.
- Steward – by creating and managing funds to ensure a permanent legacy for charitable solutions and providing donors with informed gift-giving advice.
CFN’s 20 Year History
In 2005 a group of local residents identified the need for an organization to support and enrich the quality of life for Nantucket’s growing community.
The Community Foundation over the last 20 Years:
- Grown assets under management to $31 million.
- Established over 100 philanthropic funds including Donor-Advised, Designated, Scholarship, and Field of Interest Funds.
- Granted over $42 million to nonprofit organizations through all funds held at the community foundation.
- Received $1.85 million in critical federal funding to address food insecurity during COVID-19. State and Federal funding went specifically through Community Foundations because of their ability to address funding needs quickly. Read the full report here.
What Is A Community Foundation?
Learn more about what community foundations do.
National Standards
National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations®
The Community Foundations National Standards accreditation seal represents a community foundation’s commitment to rigorous, sector-driven best practices that exceed federal and state law requirements and demonstrates accountability and excellence to communities, policymakers, and the public. This accreditation, signified by the Seal shown here, indicates that the Community Foundation for Nantucket meets the highest standards for philanthropic excellence.
Candid Seal of Transparency
A program by Candid (formerly GuideStar) provides nonprofits with badges based on online profiles, showing a commitment to sharing information with the public and donors. Nonprofits earn a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum Seal based on the depth of information they provide about their mission, programs, finances, leadership, and impact. The Community Foundation is proud to operate on the highest level of transparency earning a Platinum seal in 2025.
Charity Navigator Encompass Rating System™
Charity Navigator ranks eligible charities through a zero to four-star star rating which is determined by the weighted sum of the organization’s individual beacon scores. The Community Foundation is proud to operate on the highest level earning a Four Star beacon in 2025.