Five North Country Organizations will Share $5,000 in Grants
WATERTOWN — The Youth Philanthropy Council of the Northern New York Community Foundation recently awarded $5,000 in grants to five North Country nonprofit organizations to support their work and mission in the nonprofit sector.
The Council and its grant subcommittee selected the five organizations based on each nonprofit’s mission, success in achieving goals, demonstration of fiscal responsibility, sustainability, and formal presentation. Funding for this important work was made possible through the Herring College Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation. Each of the following tri-county organizations were awarded a $1,000 grant to help with a wide range of community programs and projects:
- The Orchestra of Northern New York, Potsdam, enriches the quality of life in the North Country through live performances of orchestral music by outstanding musicians and emphasizes the engagement of local youth in the appreciation of music.
- Friends of Lewis County Hospice, Lowville, advocates for quality palliative and end-of-life care, while providing humanitarian and financial resources to members of the Lewis County community who face challenges that come with the end of life.
- Mental Health Association in Jefferson County, Watertown, is a leading provider of mental health services, education, advocacy, and information. The Association strives to improve mental health of all people in our communities.
- North Country Public Radio, Canton, informs, enriches, and connects the region on air, online and in our communities. NCPR operates a network of 33 transmitters broadcasting to the entire Adirondack North Country and beyond.
- St. Lawrence Land Trust, Canton, protects privately owned open space through voluntary means within the watersheds of the rivers that flow north from the Adirondack Mountains to the St. Lawrence River.
“We thought it would be valuable to have the students focus on the work and mission rather than the details of a project proposal. This helped them gain a better sense of value each organization brings to the people of the region overall,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director.
This is the first year the Youth Philanthropy Council has awarded mission-based grants to tri-county nonprofits, which is not part of the Council’s annual grantmaking program.
“With my peers on the Grants Committee, we reviewed a well-qualified list of partner organizations of the Northern New York Community Foundation. Based on the organization’s community impact, as shown through their mission, and location in the tri-county area, we chose 10 diverse organizations out of nearly 150 to present to the full Council,” Grants Committee Chairman Maxwell Gray said. “After much consideration and discussion of the missions and presentations of each organization, the Youth Philanthropy Council decided to award grants to five organizations, all of which are well-deserving.”
Council members are now reviewing nearly two-dozen proposals for up to $20,000 in funding that will be announced in June. Each year, the Council provides support to agencies that serve tri-county residents for projects or initiatives that positively impact the quality of life in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. Last spring, the Council awarded eight grants totaling $19,530 in support to nonprofit organizations that serve residents of the tri-county region.
The Youth Philanthropy Council and its grant program is made possible by annual gifts made to the Friends of the Foundation Annual Community Betterment Fund and support from Watertown Savings Bank, the Renzi Foodservice Charitable Foundation of the Northern New York Community Foundation, and RBC Wealth Management.
The Youth Philanthropy Council was chartered in 2010 to promote positive youth development and engage young people in meaningful activities that build their leadership skills while educating them about community philanthropy and its impact on Northern New York. Since its inception 11 years ago, the Youth Philanthropy Council has awarded nearly 100 grants to nonprofit organizations in the tri-county area, totaling $170,870 in support.
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.