• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Northern New York Community Foundation

Northern New York Community Foundation

  • About
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Contact
    • Employment
    • Philanthropy Center
    • Milestones
    • News & Media
      • Recent News
      • News Archive
      • Publications
      • Northern New York Community Podcast
  • Donors
    • Give Online
    • Gift Information “At A Glance”
    • Making A Gift
      • Top 10 Things You Can Do To Leave A Legacy
      • NNYCF vs. A Private Foundation
    • Memorials
    • Investment Performance
  • Students
    • Scholarship Overview
    • Applications
    • Scholarships Available
    • Next Step Education Program
  • Nonprofits
    • Grants for Good
    • Apply for a Grant
    • Nonprofit Partners
    • Partner & Grantee Resources
    • Recent Grant Recipients
    • Glenwood Cemetery Revitalization Campaign
    • CAR-FRESHNER Corporation Charitable Fund
  • Programs
    • Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge
    • Youth Philanthropy Council
      • Canstruction for Northern New York 2026
    • LEAD Giving Circle

Top 10 Things You Can Do To Leave A Legacy

1. Establish a Community Foundation fund to continue your annual giving after your lifetime to your favorite charities or church, knowing that if an organization ceases to exist, the fund is protected and can be repurpose

2. Establish a named fund to allow your children and grandchildren to make community grants in perpetuity.

3. Create a legacy fund to support a specific city, village, town, or county, and designate the type of things that will be supported within that geographic area.

4. Establish a charitable gift annuity with tax-deductible benefits to provide a guaranteed income during your lifetime with the remainder supporting my charitable interests or a specific Foundation fund after my death.

5. Name the Community Foundation as a beneficiary of an IRA or life insurance policy either to support the Foundation or a specific Foundation fund.

6. Start a Community Foundation fund to support your interests now and endow it later as part of your estate planning.

7. Start a fund to support your church, providing stipulations on how it will be directed, i.e., music ministry, buildings & grounds, education. This provides assurance that if the church should ever cease to exist, your charitable provisions can be re-purposed for another designated interest or charitable cause?

8. Create a scholarship fund for a specific school district or college, with certain criteria, or support some other aspect of your school or college, i.e., music, arts, athletics, library, reading, professional development.

9. If you own a business, establish a fund to give more effectively, efficiently, and in a more formal and structured way to enhance visibility, coordination, branding, and impact.

10. Make a gift of appreciated stock to start a Donor-Advised Fund, avoid capital gains, receive a tax deduction and then make grants to charitable causes you recommend over time.

Northern New York Community Foundation

131 Washington Street
Watertown, NY 13601

Phone: 315-782-7110
Fax: 315-782-0047

info@nnycf.org

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Northern New York Community Foundation

Northern New York Community Foundation

4,762

Working with donors to benefit the community through grants and scholarships since 1929.

Play

High school seniors: Be like Vince!

A 2025 Watertown City School District High School graduate, Vince Knapp was awarded $3,000 in Northern New York Community Foundation scholarship support to help study biology at Le Moyne College.

Complete your application for scholarship support by Sunday, March 15, at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships

#NNYCF #scholarships #EducationalSupport #FundingYourFuture #classof2026
... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 18
  • Shares: 9
  • Comments: 2

Comment on Facebook

Wtg, Vince!!

I wish they could help with teacher debt

View more comments

We are excited to share the Week 3 Scholarship Challenge Leaderboard!

In Jefferson County, Sackets Harbor Central took the lead with 50 percent student participation; In Lewis County, South Lewis Central held onto the lead, increasing to 25.35 percent student participation; and in St. Lawrence County, Colton-Pierrepont Central held onto the lead, still with 23.08 percent student participation.

All schools have a chance to win Community Foundation grant funding by increasing student participation in the scholarship program to at least 25 percent of the senior class. 

The first round of grants will be determined in a Facebook Live event on Monday, February 23! That means schools only have one more week to increase student participation to 25 percent or more of the senior class to be eligible for the first round of Scholarship Challenge grants. So far, only THREE schools meet the threshold for the first round of grants!

Seniors: Do you plan to continue your education in college or trade or technical school? Winter break is the perfect opportunity to complete the Community Foundation’s online common application at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships today and help your school win!

Learn more about this year’s challenge at: nnycf.org/scholarship-challenge-2026

#NNYCF #ScholarshipChallenge #ClassOf2026 #FundingForYourFutureImage attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

We are excited to share the Week 3 Scholarship Challenge Leaderboard!

In Jefferson County, Sackets Harbor Central took the lead with 50 percent student participation; In Lewis County, South Lewis Central held onto the lead, increasing to 25.35 percent student participation; and in St. Lawrence County, Colton-Pierrepont Central held onto the lead, still with 23.08 percent student participation.

All schools have a chance to win Community Foundation grant funding by increasing student participation in the scholarship program to at least 25 percent of the senior class.

The first round of grants will be determined in a Facebook Live event on Monday, February 23! That means schools only have one more week to increase student participation to 25 percent or more of the senior class to be eligible for the first round of Scholarship Challenge grants. So far, only THREE schools meet the threshold for the first round of grants!

Seniors: Do you plan to continue your education in college or trade or technical school? Winter break is the perfect opportunity to complete the Community Foundation’s online common application at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships today and help your school win!

Learn more about this year’s challenge at: nnycf.org/scholarship-challenge-2026

#NNYCF #ScholarshipChallenge #ClassOf2026 #FundingForYourFuture
... See MoreSee Less

7 days ago
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 15
  • Shares: 10
  • Comments: 2

Comment on Facebook

I’m

Do you plan to continue your education in college or trade or technical school? Great continuing education options; consider

View more comments

We are pleased to announce a pair of strategic initiatives to support the longevity and capacity of tri-county nonprofits.

The Northern New York Community Foundation is launching a $250,000 matching commitment to build existing nonprofit endowment funds the Foundation stewards. Ten individual matching grants of $25,000 will be awarded to each participating organization on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Foundation is also introducing the Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative, a new grant program to help strengthen the effectiveness of local nonprofits.

Complete details below.

#NNYCF #nonprofits #partners #endowment #capacitybuilding #StrongerTogether
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Community Foundation Announces Two Efforts to Support Nonprofit Strength

www.nnycf.org

Community Foundation Announces Two Efforts to Support Nonprofit Strength February 9, 2026 By admin $250,000 Endowment Matching Challenge, New Capacity Building Grant Opportunity Offered WATERTOWN — ...
1 week ago
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 13
  • Shares: 5
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

View more comments

Load more

Copyright © 2026 · Northern NY Community Foundation · Site Design: Riverside Media, LLC.