Grant Applications Available June 1; Seven Community Projects Supported Last Year
WATERTOWN — Nonprofit organizations serving residents of the Clifton-Fine region may apply for grant support through the Clifton-Fine Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.
The Clifton-Fine Community Fund is a permanent grantmaking resource that supports projects, activities, and initiatives enhancing the quality of life in the communities of Cranberry Lake, Fine, Oswegatchie, Star Lake, Newton Falls, and Wanakena. The most successful projects and programs that garner support demonstrate clear and meaningful impact across the region.
This year, the geographic-specific fund will award up to $6,000 in grants. Interested organizations are required to apply online through the Northern New York Community Foundation’s grant portal at nnycf.org/grants. To be eligible, organizations must have active and federally classified status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Applicants without this classification are encouraged to partner with an eligible nonprofit. The Community Foundation collaborates with the Clifton-Fine Economic Development Fund to facilitate potential grant partnerships.
The Clifton-Fine Community Fund application will be available online Wednesday, June 1. The deadline to apply is Friday, July 22.
“The breadth of impact from Clifton-Fine Community Fund grants has been far-reaching and benefited citizens of all ages,” said Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director. “We have witnessed a number of community partnerships that have led to meaningful and successful projects. We hope nonprofits will pursue this opportunity to seek funding for a community endeavor that will strengthen the Clifton-Fine region.”
Seven projects received grant support totaling $6,000 from the Clifton-Fine Community Fund in 2021. The range of work the community fund assisted included increasing access to books for local students, improvements to community spaces, bolstering arts programs, and more. These grants were also supported, in part, by the Lester Allen and Stephen Moyer Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.
“As our work in the Clifton-Fine region deepens, it is important we identify opportunities to encourage charitable gifts from thoughtful donors to support these essential community projects,” Mr. DelSignore said. “The relationships are lasting and there is clear devotion to help each community thrive. Each gift to the Clifton-Fine Community Fund is a statement that people believe in the future of this region.”
The Clifton-Fine Community Fund was established at the Community Foundation in 2013 as a geographic-specific fund to support projects and programs that positively impact the quality of life in the southeast St. Lawrence County region, specifically in the six towns and hamlets of Fine, Oswegatchie, Star Lake, Newton Falls, Wanakena and Cranberry Lake. This permanent charitable fund is an opportunity for residents to give where they live, while impacting the region forever.
To build initial support for the fund, the Community Foundation awarded a $50,000 challenge grant. By the end of 2014, donors from across the region came together to create a $100,000 community fund. The Clifton-Fine Community Fund has awarded more than 30 organizations nearly $57,000 to support 53 projects and initiatives.
Proposals to the Clifton-Fine Community Fund should clearly demonstrate projected impact on the community, economy, and tourism, as well as other funding partners involved in the effort. Creative solutions to regional challenges are encouraged. Requests will also be evaluated based on the organization’s ability to implement and steward the project. Applications may not be considered for work commencing prior to Oct. 1, 2022. Grant recipients will have up to one year from the date of the award to complete the project.
Contact Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director, at max@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, for more details on grant guidelines, the process to apply for grant support, and ways to make a gift to help build the Clifton-Fine Community Fund.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.