Within the framework of its role as an advisor and facilitator for Germanys community foundations, the Community Foundations Initiative also concentrates on selected special projects with a topical or regional focus, for example, the appraisal of cross-generational project work or the special initiative „Community Foundations in East Germany.“ The international exchange of ideas and opinions - especially with the Anglo-American community foundations and foundations in Central and Eastern Europe - is of enormous importance to the German community foundation movement, which is why the Community Foundations Initiative maintains close contact to internationally-oriented organisations (TCFN, WINGS-CF, CoF, CFC, efc).

Das Transatlantic Community Foundation Network (TCFN) ist ein europäisch-amerikanisches Netzwerk zur Förderung von Bürgerstiftungen in Deutschland und Europa, das mit einer eigenen TCFN-Website im Netz vertreten ist. Als Reaktion auf das wachsende Interesse an Bürgerstiftungen und die zahlreichen Neugründungen haben die Bertelsmann Stiftung und die Charles Stewart Mott Foundation eine strategische Allianz zur Förderung von Bürgerstiftungen in Deutschland und Europa vereinbart.

Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (WINGS) is a global network of more than 140 membership associations and support organisations serving grantmakers, which have joined together to:

• create opportunities to learn from and support one another
• develop modes of communication and collaboration among themselves
• contribute to the strengthening of philanthropy worldwide

Formally created in January 2000, WINGS evolved out of the recognition that grantmaker support organisations need a forum in which to discuss the variety of common issues related to their support of grantmakers worldwide. WINGS serves as a meeting place for those engaged in building the institutional infrastructure to support philanthropy everywhere in the world.