Extensive Opportunities for Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence County Students

     WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications from Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence county students who plan to enroll in any accredited post-secondary educational program in the fall of 2026.

     An online application streamlines the process for most scholarships. Students may access the scholarship portal, create a user account, and begin an online application by clicking on a button found on the home page at nnycf.org. The universal application process asks questions that will determine the scholarships for which students are eligible. There is no application fee to apply for Community Foundation scholarships.

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Tri-County Seventh, Eighth or Ninth Graders Could Win One of Ten $1,000 Grant Awards to Support a Favorite Local Charity

     WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation’s 2025-2026 Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge is now open to tri-county students. The challenge seeks to engage seventh, eighth, and ninth graders in learning about their communities while they compete for an opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local nonprofit organization of their choice.

     This is the ninth year of the program, which is made possible by donors to the Community Foundation’s Friends of the Foundation Community Betterment Annual Fund, major corporate support from Community Bank and a major gift from an individual donor.

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Support will continue Thanksgiving meal tradition and aid purchase of new van

     WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation is pleased to announce a total of $19,000 in grant funding for the Salvation Army Watertown Corps. Of that, $4,000 is to provide for the annual Thanksgiving Day meal open to all community members in need at the State Street facility.

    The support is made possible thanks to the generosity of Community Foundation donors who give to the Community Support Fund and the Friends of the Foundation Community Betterment Annual Fund. A portion of the funding is also supported by the LaVerne R. VanDeWall Jr. Legacy Fund and the Allen L. and Martha M. Smith Community Fund.

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Up to $25,000 Available to Support Tri-County Nonprofit Organizations

     WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Council welcomes grant proposals from nonprofit organizations of all types for programs, projects, or initiatives that strengthen the quality of life in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.

     The Council will evaluate each proposal for a share of up to $25,000 in available grant funding. This opportunity is not limited to youth programs or initiatives.

     For consideration, completed grant applications must be submitted no later than Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Council members will notify finalists selected to present proposals. The Council will recommend grants for funding to the Community Foundation’s board of directors. This past round, the Youth Philanthropy Council awarded five grants totaling $25,000 in support to nonprofit organizations that serve tri-county residents.

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Students Welcome New and Returning Council Members from Six Jefferson County High Schools for Yearlong Leadership Program

     WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation recently named its 2025-2026 Youth Philanthropy Council class, welcoming 12 new and five returning students to the leadership program.

     The Youth Philanthropy Council is a Community Foundation advisory committee that was chartered in 2010 to promote positive youth development and engage young people in meaningful activities that build their skills. Throughout the yearlong program, students deepen their understanding of community needs while learning about community philanthropy and its impact across Northern New York. Council members grow to become informed critical thinkers and philanthropic leaders as they engage in lessons that may never be taught in a traditional classroom.

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