Northern New York Community Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Northern New York Community Foundation supports human services, health and wellness, arts and culture, education, families and youth, community development, and recreation in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties in New York.
IP TAKE: This funder appears to be responsive and accessible, but it is somewhat vague about its areas of interest and grantmaking goals. Nonprofits working in New York’s North Country may choose to reach out to individual staff members to discuss opportunities stemming from individual funds at this large community foundation. Many grantees receive ongoing support, making this an excellent source of funding for organizations serving communities in this geographic region.
PROFILE: Established in 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation (NNYCF) is a community foundation based in Watertown, New York. Led by community members, NNYCF made its first grant in 1934 and has since expanded its interests and to a broader geographic region. It currently manages more than 100 unrestricted, designated and advised funds and maintains assets of over $100 million. The foundation aims to “inspire and celebrate giving, steward resources honorably, and foster vibrant North Country Communities.” NNYCF funds local efforts for health, human services, arts and culture, education, community development and recreation, working broadly to support local nonprofits of all sizes and stages of development. While this funder does not name specific geographic restrictions to its giving, New York’s North Country is generally considered to comprised of seven counties: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence.
Grants for Housing, Homelessness, Community Development, Arts and Culture and Environment
A majority of grants made by NNYCF appear to work broadly to improve the quality of life of residents of New York’s North Country. Some of the specific funds that name community development, arts and culture and environmental causes as areas of priority include the Wilcox Community Fund for Theresa, the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund, the Carolyn Whitney Fund, the Clinton-Fine Community Fund, the John and Dorotha VanNess Family Fund and the Six Town Community Fund, many of which name specific cities and towns as the targets of their grantmaking. Grantees in these areas include the City of Watertown, the Heuvelton Historical Association, the Thousand Islands Land Trust, the Frederic Remington Art Museum and the St. Lawrence Valley Renewal House for Victims of Family Violence, which provides temporary housing to homeless victims of abuse in Canton, New York.
Grants for Work and Economic Opportunity, Women and Girls
A handful of NNYCF’s funds name work and economic opportunity as an area of grantmaking focus. These include Jefferson Economic Development Fund, the John and Dorotha VanNess Family Fund and the Maxine Quigg Women in Business Fund, which “supports the advancement, development, and betterment of women who are beginning or growing a business in Northern New York.” Grantees of these funds have included Lewis County Opportunities, the Clifton-Fine Economic Development Corporation and the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce.
Grants for Education
Many funds managed by NNYCF name education as an area of interest, while others give exclusively to local schools and educational programs. This funder also awards scholarships to students from the area pursuing higher education. K-12 funding appears to prioritize out-of-school learning. Recent grants have gone to the Elmcrest Children’s Center, the North Country Children’s Museum, the Ogdensburg Boys and Girls Club and the Indian River Backpack Program. Higher education grantees include Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University and the State University of New York at Potsdam.
Grants for Public Health and Mental Health
A significant portion of NNYCF grants go to nonprofits providing health and mental health services to residents of the north county each year. The foundation does not, however, name specific areas of priority for giving in these areas. Public health grants have recently supported the Hospice of Jefferson County, Lewis County Hospital and Mercy Hospital in Watertown, New York. In mental health, the foundation has made grants to the Credo Community Center for the Treatment of Addictions, the Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County and the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of the St. Lawrence Valley.
Important Grant Details
This funder made about $900,000 in grants in a recent year. Grants generally ranged from $1,000 to $50,000. Grants support a broad range of organizations, with many nonprofits receiving multi-year or ongoing support. For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s recent grant recipients page.
This funder streamlines the application process for grants stemming from its many individual funds through a single grant application portal. The foundation maintains four grantmaking cycles each year, with due dates usually falling in the third weeks of January, April, July and October. Questions about the application process may be directed to the director of steward ship and programs, Kraig Everard, or the assistant director, Max DelSignore, via email or telephone at (315) 782-7110.
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