The Community Foundation for South Central New York
Connecting Donors who Care with Causes that Matter
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
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
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
Mini-grants help agricultural businesses root out conditions that cause sickness and injury. A few years ago, experts at the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) identified a flaw in their efforts to keep people who work on farms healthy and safe. NYCAMH would send a specialist to walk through a farm and Read more
Several recent grants support programs based on a simple principle: no one should go hungry. Too many people lack reliable access to nutritious food. Luckily, many community groups are working hard to meet this essential need. Take the Unatego Central School District’s backpack program, which gives students in need healthy food to take home. The Read more
Librarians are champs at squeezing optimal value out of every dollar in a budget. Their ingenuity makes it a special pleasure to support local libraries through the Community Foundation Library Fund. The fund was born in 2008, on the dissolution of the Broome Library Foundation. That group’s board asked the Community Foundation to take over Read more
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
Otsego Rural Housing Assistance (ORHA) helps homeowners of modest means stay in their homes and keep those dwellings comfortable and safe. Although Otsego County is small—with only about 60,000 people—the need for housing assistance there seems almost limitless, says Timothy Peters, executive director of ORHA, in Cooperstown. Beyond Cooperstown and Oneonta, Otsego is largely an Read more
Many small organizations in our region are working to preserve the environment and teach the public about conservation. We supported those efforts with several grants in 2018. For instance, we awarded $3,259 to the Michael Kudish Natural History Preserve in Stamford. Named to honor Dr. Michael Kudish, who has been researching the natural history of Read more
Established in loving memory of (Edward) Decker Ayers III, this scholarship will enable Cooperstown High School students an opportunity to pursue a college degree in history.
This fund was established in memory of Wanda Gallup Busharis (1924-2014), Oneonta High School Class of 1941 and is intended for a student from Oneonta High School who intends to pursue higher education in a health-related field.
The Edward L. Rose Conservancy was founded in 1986 to protect land, preserve natural habitat and increase public awareness through education, research and outreach programs. Your donations support priority land conservation projects as well as environmental programs for youth and families in the Southern Tier.
The Chobani Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Chobani, the number 1-selling Greek Yogurt brand in America. As an expansion of its community wellness efforts, the Foundation has established a Community Impact Fund with the strategic goal of strengthening the region where Chobani employees live and work.
The Community Foundation Arts & Culture Fund supports and promotes the needs of various art and cultural entities within the Foundation’s five county region.
The Community Foundation Library Fund allows donors to direct gifts that will support public libraries for library services, programming, exhibits and historical exhibitions in conjunction with public libraries in the region served by the Community Foundation for South Central New York.
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.
The Mighty Max “Just Because” Fund is established in celebration of the life of Max Gabriel Edell Kranbuhl, known to many of his family and friends as “Mighty Max”. Although challenged by a developmental disability and moderate autism, Max was enthusiastically involved in areas that held his interest. His humor, honesty and grit attracted many to him especially during the last years of his young life spent in treatment for a rare cancer. This Fund is dedicated to bringing simple joys and opportunities to children dealing with challenges, and to assisting parents who need support and guidance during heart-wrenching times.
The Racial Justice and Equity Fund was established in August of 2020 with a $100,000 grant made to the fund by the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation.
Established in loving memory of Sister Joanna Monticello. This memorial scholarship in her memory is an extension of her ministry to help those give back to the community in the spirit of social work.
The Visions Investment Services Community Impact Fund was started in 2019 with the intention to serve the charitable interests of Visions Investment Services and its member/clients… all while supporting the overall giving efforts and philosophy of Visions FCU and Visions Cares.
The Women’s Fund was established as a special fund at the Community Foundation and is comprised of a group of women philanthropists, inspired to help women and girls in our communities to grow and achieve their dreams.
The Selrahc Ah-Wa-Ga Legacy Fund was established in 2012 and focuses on support of Tioga county communities through a number of sub-funds.
The Edward L. Rose Conservancy was founded in 1986 to protect land, preserve natural habitat and increase public awareness through education, research and outreach programs. Your donations support priority land conservation projects as well as environmental programs for youth and families in the Southern Tier.
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.
You may not know the name Marian Blakeslee Butler but she has made a difference in the lives of thousands. In an age when many causes compete for our attention, an individual who gives so prodigiously of themselves in the service of others is remarkable.
Established in loving memory of Constance Elwood Wilk (1931 – 2021), the Connie Wilk Scholarship Fund will provide an educational scholarship to a graduating senior from Binghamton High School pursuing studies in the field of healthcare.