The McHenry County Community Foundation is part of larger associations pursuing similar goals. We belong to the Chicago-based Donors Forum, our regional association of grant makers. Donors Forum offers many programs and services for foundations, corporate giving programs and non-profit organizations, including training programs and a resource library.

Representatives of the Alliance of Illinois for Community Foundations meet periodically to build collaboration among the state's community foundations.

The McHenry County Community Foundation and seventeen other Illinois community foundations are engaged in a multi-year partnership with the Grand Victoria Foundation CommunityWorks, an initiative called CommunityWorks. The Initiative aims to build the capacity of each participating foundation to build endowed funds for priorities set by each community in the areas of childcare, workforce training and development, and land use and protection, and to connect foundations throughout the state.

We also belong to the Washington-based Council on Foundations, a national group that provides leadership expertise, legal services and networking opportunities. The council provides its members with the ability to hold conferences and events, and has a wide series of publications concerning philanthropy and foundation management.

The McHenry County Community Foundation is certified by the Council on Foundations as meeting the National Standards for Community Foundations.