Nonprofits Serving Southern Jefferson County Encouraged to Apply
ADAMS — The Six Town Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will award up to $5,000 in grant funding this year to nonprofit organizations serving the southern Jefferson County region.
This geographic fund provides support to local projects, programs and initiatives that enhance the quality of life in the Six Town area. Nonprofits are encouraged to complete a grant application for funding consideration. by Friday, Nov. 13, 2020.
Eligible organizations must be actively serving the towns of Adams, Ellisburg, Henderson, Lorraine, Rodman and Worth. Requests may focus on assisting with local needs related to health and wellness, families and youth, arts and culture, history, education and more.
Last year, the Six Town Community Fund provided a $5,000 commitment to help conduct a “Getting Ahead” workshop led by the Community Action Planning Council (CAPC) of Jefferson County. The “Getting Ahead” program is designed to help local residents explore and identify the root causes of their experiences in poverty and generate meaningful solutions. To date, close to 100 participants residing in the greater Watertown area have graduated from “Getting Ahead.” Due to restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, CAPC will lead the “Getting Ahead” workshop in southern Jefferson County in 2021.
“Reaching this part of the county is very important given the location and lack of resources in the area,” said Tammy Kitto, CAPC assistant family director. “We discussed some of the challenges people living in a rural area may have. We are really excited about facilitating this workshop and feel it needs to be conducted in person rather than virtually. I have facilitated many workshops and have found the peer support that investigators receive from one another is a driving force for success.”
The Six Town Community Fund was established in 2015 through the generosity of many donors as a permanent, charitable resource to support nonprofits serving southern Jefferson County. The community fund has awarded more than $30,000 in grants to assist with 31 different community service projects and programs. These have included community improvement projects, youth programs, new events, equipment purchases, and facility upgrades. Projects are evaluated based on their overall community benefit, effective use of grant money, and the ability of the applicant to successfully implement the project.
“We’ve been fortunate to support a great variety of projects since our first round of grants in 2015,” said David Zembiec, Six Town Community Fund committee chair. “We encourage any nonprofit organization with a worthwhile community project to apply.”
Grant applications to the Six Town Community Fund must be submitted or postmarked by Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, to the Northern New York Community Foundation, 131 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601. Interested organizations should contact Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director, 315-782-7110, or max@nnycf.org to learn more.
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.