Community foundations are drawing record donation amounts and increasing the numbers of grants they make, according to a new report issued by the Council on Foundations.

The report, Community Foundations in the United States: 1996 Status, shows local and regional foundations, while still small in number, are increasing their financial clout.

Community foundations made up only 1 percent of the nation's grantmaking organizations in 1996 but received nearly 12 percent of all gifts to foundations that year. 1996 is the last year when complete financial information was available for the survey.

Such foundations awarded $951 million in grants, or 6.9 percent of all grant dollars handed out that year, the report says.

Community foundation assets stood at $15.86 billion in 1996. This represents nearly 6 percent of national foundation assets.

The report is based on a survey of 166 respondents, and includes information from 73 percent of all community foundations with assets of $100 million or more, the council reports.

The complete report is available for $60 for council members, or $100 for nonmembers.