Up to $20,000 in Funding Available Through LEAD Impact Grant Program
WATERTOWN — Nonprofit organizations serving the tri-county region have made a meaningful impact across the North Country during the past 18 months. The LEAD Council of the Northern New York Community Foundation is pleased to offer additional funding support to local nonprofits as needs in our communities evolve.
The LEAD Council is an advisory committee of young professionals empowered to make key investments in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties through community grants and volunteerism. The council wants to learn more about the current work of nonprofits and is offering up to $20,000 in grant support through its LEAD Impact Grant Program.
Nonprofits are invited to present a program or project that will have a positive and tangible impact on their organization and the people it serves. Requests that demonstrate innovative approaches to service and strengthening missions and community will be strongly considered.
“Our group of young professionals is excited to offer this opportunity and looks forward to seeing what nonprofit programs and projects we might be able to help fund,” said Erin Simser, LEAD Council chair.
The LEAD Council is comprised of 24 young professionals who live in the tri-county area with an interest in enhancing the quality of life in the North Country. LEAD is an acronym that reflects four important guiding principles tied to the Community Foundation’s mission and values: Leadership, Engagement, Access, and Direction. LEAD and its grant program are supported through the thoughtful generosity of the Hyde-Stone Charitable Foundation of the Northern New York Community Foundation, Carthage Savings and Loan Association, Morgia Wealth Management, and donors to the Friends of the Foundation Annual Community Betterment Fund.
“Thanks to the generosity of so many, LEAD has a unique opportunity to award grants to innovative and deserving organizations,” said Andrew Boulter, LEAD Council vice chair. “Throughout the past year, we have heard organizations talk about the many ways they have had to adjust to our ever-changing environment. We are eager to learn about projects our local nonprofits are planning, and we hope to see some impactful solutions to new and existing needs in the tri-county region.”
The LEAD Impact Grant Program application can be completed online through the Foundation’s Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) portal at nnycf.org/grants. All 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are invited to apply. Organizations should register as a user in GLM before applying. Nonprofits already registered with a GLM account should use existing login information to access and start the application. Contact Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director, max@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, with questions or to learn more.
The application deadline for the LEAD Impact Grant Program is Friday, October 22, 2021. Proposals will be reviewed in November with grant funding decisions made in December.
Since its inception in 2014, the LEAD Council has helped several creative initiatives that have benefitted the community and region. Strategic efforts include its active “LEADing the Way” volunteer program, enhancements toward child care and early childhood development programs, hyperlocal support for anti-poverty initiatives, community giving challenges, and building philanthropic values in the region’s schools through student-led projects.
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.