Promoting community leadership among community foundations: The role of the social capital benchmark survey

Abstract

Community foundations (CFs) are being encouraged to adopt a more proactive, multifaceted approach to philanthropy - one that has come to be known as ''community leadership.'' This article examines how the Social Capital Benchmark Survey (conducted by Robert Putnam and Lew Feldstein and funded by 34 community foundations) supported community leadership work. The study provides evidence that a coordinated national assessment of community conditions can serve as a useful point of departure for community foundations to play a leadership role on critical local issues.