Up to $20,000 Available to Support Tri-County Nonprofit Organizations
WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Council welcomes grant requests from nonprofit organizations of all types for programs, projects, or initiatives that strengthen the quality of life in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. The council will evaluate each proposal for up to $20,000 in available grant funding.
For consideration, completed grant applications must be submitted no later than Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. Council members will notify finalists selected to present proposals. The council will recommend grants for funding to the Community Foundation’s board of directors. This past round, the Youth Philanthropy Council awarded six grants totaling $17,200 in support to nonprofit organizations that serve tri-county residents.
“This is one of the most meaningful ways we can instill civic pride, awareness and engagement across the generations. This only works when a wide cross section of charitable organizations participate,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We believe we can receive a diverse pool of applications from across the region. Our goal is to make the decision-making process as challenging and thought-provoking as possible for the student experience.”
The Youth Philanthropy Council 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 Kraig Everard, Community Foundation director of stewardship and programs, kraig@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, with questions or to learn more.
“The council invites all eligible nonprofits in the region to submit grant applications. Our members look forward to seeing a broad range of proposals that will help strengthen programs and services across Northern New York,” said Romi LaClair, Youth Philanthropy Council chair. “With the addition of new, dynamic and enthusiastic council members, we look forward to supporting many deserving organizations.”
The Youth Philanthropy Council and its grant program is made possible by annual gifts to the Friends of the Foundation Community Betterment Fund and underwriting from Watertown Savings Bank, the Renzi Foodservice Charitable Foundation at the Northern New York Community Foundation, and RBC Wealth Management.
This year’s Youth Philanthropy Council includes 16 student delegates, representing Immaculate Heart Central School, General Brown Central School, South Jefferson Central School and Watertown High School. Representatives from each school district are:
Immaculate Heart Central High School: Julian St. Croix, junior. General Brown: Kaylee Fields, sophomore; Lucas Lavarnway, junior. South Jefferson High School: Katherine Banazek, senior; Zachary Blevins, junior; Hailyn Buker, senior; Jack Buckingham, junior; Romi LaClair, senior; Jack Mangan, sophomore; Owen Newton, junior; and Sidney Wheeler III, senior. Watertown High School: Ella Arnott, senior; Trey Augliano, junior; Anmolika Bolla, senior; Zachary Kilburn, junior; Adelaide Weir, junior.
Council members elected the following officers for the 2021-2022 program year during their October meeting: Romi LaClair, chair; Anmolika Bolla, vice chair; Ella Arnott, secretary. The following members were appointed as committee chairs: Kate Banazek, Grants Committee; Hailyn Buker, Service Committee; Sydney Wheeler III, Communications Committee.
The Youth Philanthropy Council was chartered in 2010 to promote positive youth development and engage young people in meaningful activities that build their skills while educating them about community philanthropy and its impact on Northern New York. Council members grow to become critical thinkers as they engage in lessons that may never be taught in a classroom.
Since its inception 11 years ago, the Youth Philanthropy Council has awarded 112 grants totaling $180,070 in support to nonprofit organizations that serve tri-county residents, and nearly 140 students from seven different North Country high schools have served as Council members.
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.