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Northern New York Community Foundation

Northern New York Community Foundation

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Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge

 

The Northern New York Community Foundation’s Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge is presently CLOSED to new applications. The Giving Challenge will open to participants for the 2023-2024 academic year in September 2023. Winning entries will be announced in early January 2024. Contact the Community Foundation, info@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, with questions or to learn more.

Click here to to view an announcement of 2022-2023 winning students and the nonprofit organizations they chose to receive a $1,000 Community Foundation grant.

About the challenge

The Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge began in October 2017 as an effort to engage middle school-aged children in the principles of community and philanthropy. That year, the Community Foundation selected 23 winning entries from more than 60 submissions by 7th- and 8th-grade students in Jefferson and Lewis counties, awarding grants to 19 nonprofit organizations totaling $10,000 in support. The Watertown-based nonprofit Stage Notes was a 2017-2018 Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge partner. The 2018-2019 Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge was expanded to also include 7th- and 8th-grade students in St. Lawrence County. Community Bank N.A., joined the effort as a program partner, providing a corporate gift to help underwrite grant awards.

Through a written essay contest, the initiative strives to help participants explore their concept of community and provide funding to eligible 501(c)(3) charitable organizations that embody and support what students feel makes their community a great place to live, work and play. Students compete for a chance to award a $1,000 grant from a total of $10,000 available that the students themselves recommend. Ten students are selected and each will personally present a $1,000 grant to the nonprofit they have selected while spending time with the nonprofits’ leadership, learning about the organization’s mission and how it serves tri-county residents.

In the past six years, 112 students and an entire class have been selected to present 109 grants totaling $60,000 to 85 different nonprofit organizations that serve tri-county residents. Since the Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge began, 590 students representing 23 school districts across the region have applied to the program, recommending grants to 210 different charitable organizations.

Watch a video here about the challenge and hear from past winners and nonprofit leaders about how they used a Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge grant to help their organizations.

Charitable organizations students selected for funding range from those that provide support for essential human needs, fire protection, and animal welfare to those that strengthen and enrich our communities through education, arts and culture, health and wellness, and recreation.

Click to view a list of nonprofit organizations that presently partner with the Community Foundation.

We are pleased to continue this initiative with a major gift from an anonymous donor, corporate support from Community Bank N.A., as well as all who give to the Friends of the Foundation Annual Community Betterment Fund.

Check back to view a photo gallery of past Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge winners!

Northern New York Community Foundation

131 Washington Street
Watertown, NY 13601

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

info@nnycf.org

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Northern New York Community Foundation

Northern New York Community Foundation

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

We are pleased to introduce the first winner of this spring’s NBC Watertown Classroom Kindness Challenge — Teacher Appreciation edition!

Colton-Pierrepont Central School sixth-grade teacher Bonnie McGee was surprised last week with a celebration and a $250 award from the Northern New York Community Foundation to help with classroom improvements. Thank you to our friends at NBC Watertown who visited Mrs. McGees classroom to present the award. 

Mrs. McGee’s students appreciate their teacher’s hard work to provide meaningful instruction and lessons.

From one of the many nominations for her: “Mrs. McGee is a true gem of a teacher! I’ve known her since I was a student in her class over 20 years ago. She is still the same sweet, loving teacher she was all those years ago. She always made the class a fun place to be, and she was always there to listen and give support. To this day, she is always willing to help anyone in need whether it’s a student, parent, anyone! I hope she is still teaching when my children are old enough to be in her class!

Congratulations to Mrs. McGee, and thank you for setting a great example for your students!

#ClassroomKindness #TeacherAppreciation #NNYCF #NBCWatertown

We are pleased to introduce the first winner of this spring’s NBC Watertown Classroom Kindness Challenge — Teacher Appreciation edition!

Colton-Pierrepont Central School sixth-grade teacher Bonnie McGee was surprised last week with a celebration and a $250 award from the Northern New York Community Foundation to help with classroom improvements. Thank you to our friends at NBC Watertown who visited Mrs. McGee's classroom to present the award.

Mrs. McGee’s students appreciate their teacher’s hard work to provide meaningful instruction and lessons.

From one of the many nominations for her: “Mrs. McGee is a true gem of a teacher! I’ve known her since I was a student in her class over 20 years ago. She is still the same sweet, loving teacher she was all those years ago. She always made the class a fun place to be, and she was always there to listen and give support. To this day, she is always willing to help anyone in need whether it’s a student, parent, anyone! I hope she is still teaching when my children are old enough to be in her class!

Congratulations to Mrs. McGee, and thank you for setting a great example for your students!

#ClassroomKindness #TeacherAppreciation #NNYCF #NBCWatertown
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We are humbled to serve as the permanent home of The Peyton Lane S. Morse Legacy Foundation to help the Morse family perpetuate the life and legacy of their son, fallen Watertown City Firefighter Peyton Morse.

On Friday, Peyton was posthumously honored as a Watertown Rapids “Clutch Player of the Game” during the team’s home opener against the Utica Blue Sox at Toyota Field at the Alex T Duffy Fairgrounds. Peyton’s older brother, Parker, threw out an honorary first pitch as we celebrated Peyton’s legacy of service to others, and the importance of community.

Now in its third season, the “Rapids Support Team,” powered by the Northern New York Community Foundation, is a partnership to help the team with its charitable initiatives off the field to strengthen community and local nonprofit organizations.

Thank you to the Morse family for all your incredible work. We are honored to partner on such an important mission.

#WatertownRapids #RapidsSuportTeam #NNYCF #Partners #PeytonStrong #JusticeForPeytonImage attachmentImage attachment

We are humbled to serve as the permanent home of The Peyton Lane S. Morse Legacy Foundation to help the Morse family perpetuate the life and legacy of their son, fallen Watertown City Firefighter Peyton Morse.

On Friday, Peyton was posthumously honored as a Watertown Rapids “Clutch Player of the Game” during the team’s home opener against the Utica Blue Sox at Toyota Field at the Alex T Duffy Fairgrounds. Peyton’s older brother, Parker, threw out an honorary first pitch as we celebrated Peyton’s legacy of service to others, and the importance of community.

Now in its third season, the “Rapids Support Team,” powered by the Northern New York Community Foundation, is a partnership to help the team with its charitable initiatives off the field to strengthen community and local nonprofit organizations.

Thank you to the Morse family for all your incredible work. We are honored to partner on such an important mission.

#WatertownRapids #RapidsSuportTeam #NNYCF #Partners #PeytonStrong #JusticeForPeyton
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3 days ago
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Nonprofit organizations serving residents of the Clifton-Fine region in southeast St. Lawrence County should apply, for grant support through the Clifton-Fine Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation by Friday, July 21. Up to $6,000 in funding is available through this grant opportunity this year.

Complete details at: nnycf.org/clifton-fine-fund-2023-rfp/

#CliftonFine #NNYCF #Community

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Nonprofit organizations serving residents of the Clifton-Fine region in southeast St. Lawrence County should apply, for grant support through the Clifton-Fine Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation by Friday, July 21. Up to $6,000 in funding is available through this grant opportunity this year.

Complete details at: nnycf.org/clifton-fine-fund-2023-rfp/

#cliftonfine #NNYCF #community
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5 days ago
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