One Opportunity After Another


In the earliest days of COVID-19, James Mullen would sit in his office at the Norwich Family YMCA and hear near-silence. Like all “non-essential” organizations in New York at that time, the Y had halted its programs in mid-March and shut its doors.  One service stayed open, though. “We offered child care for emergency and Read more

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion


Looking inward and outward in 2020, the Community Foundation expanded its work to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), both in our practices and in the region we serve.  Those efforts build on work we started more than two years ago, when we conducted a preliminary assessment of our Board and staff and updated language Read more

Help Her Run


In 2020, women held 26 percent of the seats in the U.S. Senate and 23.2 percent of seats in the House. Across the nation, 29.3 percent of state legislators were women, according to the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University.  Those numbers are better than they used to be. (In 1981, just 12.1 percent Read more

Restart the Arts


While other nonprofits struggled to provide essential services during the pandemic, many arts organizations—theaters, museums, orchestras, dance schools, galleries, and more—simply had to close. That shutdown spurred a financial emergency.  In Broome County, for example, arts organizations lost about $1 million in revenues and missed fundraising opportunities, said Nancy Barno Reynolds, executive director of the Read more

Emergency Animal Care Response Fund


Couple at home with their pet dog sitting on their laps

The Emergency Animal Care Response Fund was created by concerned animal welfare organizations in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. It was clear at the time that animal companions would be affected by the disruption caused by the pandemic, and emergency funding would be needed to support the shelters and foster families that would be caring for them immediately and under similar emergency circumstances in the future.

Great Music, Close Up and Personal


Photos shows performer, Greg Greenway, on stage and the audience applauding.

A small town can play a big role in a region’s cultural life. That’s surely true of Norwich, Oxford and Oneonta, each of which hosts a musical series or venue that draws fans from miles around. Recent grants from the Community Foundation have helped small, volunteer-powered organizations in these places enrich the local arts scene Read more

Greene Community Scholarship Fund


The Greene Community Scholarship Fund was established to provide scholarships to graduating seniors of Greene Central High School, assist in their pursuit of college or trade-school education, and to offer non-traditional scholarship opportunities to adults seeking continuing education.

Young Professionals Advisory Committee Fund


Started in 2019 by an initial gift of $1,500 and further funded by an investment of $15,000 from the board of the Community Foundation, the Young Professionals Advisory Committee Fund will award grants for projects, programs, and organizations that support, develop and/or expand the skill set of young professionals in our region and/or increase their involvement in the community.

The Tina Fund


The Tina Fund was established in loving memory of Tina Turner, who lost her battle to breast cancer in 2013. The fund will provide grants to individuals and families in Broome and Chenango Counties who struggle with costs related to breast cancer diagnosis.