Challenge Grant Will Help Village Plan for its 150th Anniversary

     CLAYTON — The Cary and Janet Brick Riverside Foundation, a Northern New York Community Foundation affiliate, has provided a challenge grant to the Village of Clayton to help plan its 150th anniversary celebration.

    A $1,000 grant was recently awarded to encourage additional contributions to support planning efforts that kicked off earlier this month. Incorporated on April 17, 1872, Clayton will commemorate its sesquicentennial in 2022 with a historic celebration featuring a symbolic theme relating to its rich history: “150 Years — Where the Tradition Continues.”

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St. Lawrence County Churches, Cemeteries, Places of Historical Significance, and Military Veterans Programs Encouraged to Apply

     WATERTOWN — The Rock Charitable Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation is now accepting applications for 2021 grant funding from qualified charitable organizations, churches, cemeteries, or governmental entities that serve St. Lawrence County residents.

     Grant support is available to organizations whose missions and efforts align with the fund’s charitable purposes, which are: for the maintenance and preservation of churches, houses of worship, and cemeteries in St. Lawrence County; for the preservation and maintenance of places of legitimate historical significance in the county; and to benefit or assist veterans of the United States military with their medical or recreational needs who live in St. Lawrence County. 

     All organizations applying for funding must do so through the Community Foundation’s online Grant Lifecycle Manager, which may be accessed at nnycf.org/grants. A grant information session is scheduled for 2 p.m., Thursday, June 3, via Zoom. Visit bit.ly/rockfund to register for the session today.

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61 North Country Nonprofit Organizations Benefit from Gifts and Community Foundation Matching Grant

     WATERTOWN — More than 300 individuals, families and businesses, and a Northern New York Community Foundation matching grant, helped the 2021 #giveNNY campaign reach a record $42,298 to support nonprofits in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.

     A diverse group of 61 organizations joined a month-long campaign that encouraged nonprofits to work together in ways that transcend fundraising. The number of participants was more than twice the previous collaboration in 2019 and the most since the #giveNNY movement began five years ago. From arts and culture to the environment, health and wellness, recreation, history, animal welfare, youth leadership, human services, education, and essential needs, participating organizations dedicated to strengthening the quality of nearly every aspect of life in the region were represented. 

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     WATERTOWN — Yesterday, our community experienced a devastating loss that leaves our region deeply shaken. Our Community Foundation family feels a particular sense of emptiness and pain as we grieve our friend and colleague. Maxine Quigg joined our board in 2019 and has been a strong advocate for the Foundation’s work and mission. Her leadership has made us a better organization. Her sudden and tragic death leaves us and our entire community with a tremendous void. We share these same sentiments for Terry O’Brien. As we work together to support each other through the pain and grief, we will continue to surround their families, friends, and colleagues with our love and caring. As a board, we will discuss how we can appropriately acknowledge and observe Maxine’s contributions to the Northern New York Community Foundation and all those we serve.

Katherine Fenlon, Chair, Board of Directors
Rande Richardson, Executive Director

Many Opportunities for Post-Secondary Educational Support Still Open to Tri-County Students

     WATERTOWN — The deadline for several scholarship opportunities at the Northern New York Community Foundation for graduating seniors and nontraditional students is fast approaching for Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence county students.

    “There are some unique opportunities for students across the tri-county area to receive help in their educational pursuits,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “These scholarships have special meaning for the individuals and organizations that created them, and we are hoping for a strong and diverse pool of applicants this year.”

     Members of the graduating class of 2021 who plan to enroll in post-secondary programs this fall must complete applications through the Community Foundation’s online scholarship portal by this Saturday, May 1, for the following scholarships:

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