Approximately $100,000 in Funding Available for St. Lawrence County Churches, Cemeteries, Places of Historical Significance, and Military Veterans Programs
WATERTOWN — The Rock Charitable Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation is now accepting applications for 2023 grant support from qualified charitable organizations, houses of worship, cemeteries, or governmental entities that serve St. Lawrence County residents.
Grant funding 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.
While projects that focus on each charitable purpose will be evaluated for funding, those that aid St. Lawrence County U.S. military veterans will receive priority consideration this year.
All organizations applying for funding must do so through the Community Foundation’s online Grant Lifecycle Manager, which may be accessed at bit.ly/grant-portal. A grant information session is scheduled for 2 p.m., Thursday, July 6, via Zoom. Visit bit.ly/rockinfosession23 to register for the session today.
Approximately $100,000 in grant funding is available, and successful applicants may receive full or partial funding of their requested amount. While one sole project could be funded, it is the committee’s practice to accommodate several grants that are meaningful in nature with the total funding available.
In 2022, 10 projects were awarded grant funding totaling $115,000 that include: $25,000 to First Presbyterian Church of Potsdam for building improvements; $16,200 to American Legion Champion-Hobkirk Post 420, Waddington, to help complete an outdoor recreation space for veterans; $15,000 to St. James Church, Gouverneur, to help restore the large stained-glass window behind its altar; $13,000 to Galilee United Methodist Church, Oswegatchie, to help replace the roof on its main building and bell tower; $11,800 to First United Methodist Church of Norfolk for roof-related maintenance and other critical repairs to its church building; $10,000 to First Presbyterian Church of Ogdensburg to support repairs to several damaged stained-glass windows and installation of safety glass coverings; $10,000 to St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Norwood, to help restore its Good Shepherd stained-glass window; $6,000 to St. Andrew’s Church Calvary Cemetery, Norfolk, to repair the foundations of 16 monuments that date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s; receive $5,000 to Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY), Canton, to support facade restoration and installation of new front doors at the downtown TAUNY Center; $3,000 to Fairview Cemetery Association, Canton, to remove eight deteriorating trees from its property that are dangerous to nearby stones and roadways.
Organizations that have received a grant award from this charitable fund must wait three years before applying for new funding. Awards to support veterans may only be made to qualified organizations that serve veterans and cannot be made directly to individuals. Grants are not, however, restricted to Veterans Service Organizations and can be awarded to help with programs or initiatives that directly support veterans.
The Rock Charitable Fund was established at the Community Foundation in 2019 through a bequest from St. Lawrence County resident and retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Marjorie J. Rock, who passed away in February 2017 at the age of 96.
“We anticipate that we will continue to see opportunities to make a difference in ways that move meaningful projects and programs solidly forward,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We are continually grateful that Marjorie chose to make a lasting gift that clearly addresses identified needs in St. Lawrence County in ways that were consistent with her beliefs.”
The Community Foundation administers this permanent charitable legacy fund in collaboration with a seven-member board of advisors that will review applications and make funding recommendations. Advisors include Ruth McWilliams, South Colton; Erik Backus, Potsdam; Fred Hanss, Hannawa Falls; Sarah Maneely, Canton; Chris Rediehs, Canton; Mark Thompson, Watertown; and Keith Zimmerman, Canton.
Requests for funding will not be considered for work that begins before Dec. 31, 2023. Successful applicants will have up to three years to complete their project or program. Applications and guidelines for the Rock Charitable Fund may be accessed through the Foundation’s Grant Lifecycle Manager portal. However, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Community Foundation to discuss requested amounts and project details before submitting grant proposals.
Complete grant proposals must be submitted online by 5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Grant decisions will be made in December 2023. The Community Foundation will notify all applicants of the status of their proposal by Friday, Jan. 19, 2023. Contact Kraig Everard, Community Foundation director of stewardship and programs, with any application or grant questions at kraig@nnycf.org or 315-782-7110.
About Marjorie J. Rock
Ms. Rock grew up in St. Lawrence County and graduated from Heuvelton High School in 1937. In 1941, she graduated from the three-year nursing program at Flower Fifth Avenue School in New York City. The following year, she joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, serving in North Africa and Italy during World War II. After the war, she attended Teachers College at Columbia University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1948 and a Master of Arts in 1950.
She spent six years teaching in nursing programs, first as an instructor for Hartford Hospital in Connecticut and later at New York City’s Lennox Hill Hospital. She returned to active Army service in 1954 to assist with medical courses for enlisted personnel and helped to establish a medical education system, particularly in the United States, Japan, and Germany. She served as a supervisor, chief nurse, instructor and director of an advance medical technician school. Her last overseas duty was in Vietnam.
In 1970, she retired from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant Colonel and returned to St. Lawrence County, joining her mother in Ogdensburg to help with her care. She earned many honors during her Army service, including the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal. Her only sibling, a brother, was killed in 1944 while piloting a P-47 Thunderbolt plane over Normandy. For the rest of her life, Ms. Rock made St. Lawrence County her home while traveling with friends, caring for others, and assisting her church and other organizations, including the Army Nurse Corps Association and other veterans’ groups. She maintained a keen interest in documenting local history and furthering the education of others in the county.
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.