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A Message from our CEO, George Ferrari
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As we continue up our 15th anniversary timeline, we see milestones marking our very first grants:
- May 14, 2001, awards first human services grant (to the Family Reading Partnership)
- December 10, 2001, awards first arts and culture grant (to the History Center)
- December 10, 2001, awards first community building grant (to the First Baptist Church)
- December 10, 2001, awards first education grant (to the Ithaca City School District)
- February 8, 2002, awards first environment grant (to the Cayuga Waterfront Trail)
Next month, we will recall our first knowledge leadership activity as well as the start of both our field of interest funds and our designated funds, two special types of resources that community foundations specialize in to serve locales.
As always, keep connected by visiting our website at www.cftompkins.org
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Announcing Our Fall 2-Year Grant Cycle: Collective Impact: Building Relationships, Building Our Future
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By Janet Cotraccia, Program Officer
Our Fall Grant Cycle started in 2010 with the growth and prioritization of our unrestricted grantmaking. We carry out Listening Learning sessions every year, which inform our Fall Grant Cycle guidelines. This has resulted in Fall Grant Cycles focused around rural outreach, capacity building, strengthening strong programs in the face of the economic downturn, and the birth of a two-year grant cycle in 2013. All of these models have opened up our grants to a broad range of nonprofits in Tompkins County.
Over the past year, we have been listening to and learning about the Collective Impact model and its potential for transformative social impact. Collective Impact is an approach that communities are using across North America to move the needle on complex problems. Collective Impact is a paradigm shift from what we think of as collaboration between agencies; it engages all sectors of the wider community (business, government, non-profits, and those who experience the problem being addressed - called "context experts") to address a problem in a comprehensive way.
Organizations across our community are now engaging in initiatives, some nascent, some more established, using a Collective Impact approach, addressing a wide range of community issues. This grant cycle is intended to nurture the growth of the Collective Impact approach in our community. The spirit of this grant cycle is to foster principles embraced by a Collective Impact Approach by:
- Focusing on supporting the 5 conditions for Collective Impact:
- Common Agenda
- Shared Measurements
- Mutually Reinforcing Activities
- Continuous Communication
- Backbone Organizations
- Fostering ownership of ideas, decision-making, action plans, and activities by those whom programs are intended to serve.
- Fostering dynamic cross-sector engagement around issues of local concern (including government, nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate sectors as partners).
- Emphasizing a focus on systems (rather than programs) by increasing coordination - finding ways to re-align existing programs and stakeholders to maximize system efficacy.
This grant cycle will also utilize a new online application format that will be launched in August. Online applications will be due on September 30th.
Visit our website for more information.
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Giving is Gorges was established by a collaborative group, including Community Foundation, United Way, and AFP Finger Lakes, to celebrate the spirit of philanthropy in Tompkins County and surrounding areas. The purpose of this powerful giving experience is to unite our community members around causes in which they truly believe and help support local nonprofit organizations.
On August 28, 2015, we all will collectively embrace new tools and strategies that generate excitement and multiply resources for organizations doing great work all over Tompkins County. This is a unique opportunity to highlight how we can work together to share commitments and build a stronger sense of community.
Go to the Giving is Gorges website
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| What are Charitable Remainder Trusts all about? |
By Nancy Massicci, Chief Development Officer
Many people like the idea of leaving bequests to favorite charities in their wills (and it continues to increase with most professional advisors providing vital services to reach out to community foundations for philanthropy education). Another option you can consider is to put assets into a charitable remainder trust and collect income while you are still alive. Charitable remainder trusts (CRT's) have many advantages, including reducing your income and estate taxes and diversifying your assets.
A charitable remainder trust is an irrevocable trust that provides you (and possibly your spouse) with income for life. You place assets into the trust and during your lifetime, you receive a set percentage from the trust. When you die, the remainder in the trust goes to the charity (or charities) of your choice.
A charitable remainder trust has many benefits:
- At the time you create the trust, you will receive an income tax deduction for charitable giving.
- Any profit from the sale of investments within the trust are not subject to capital gains tax, which means the trustee may have more freedom in managing the assets.
- When you die, the assets in the trust will pass outside your estate and be eligible for the estate tax charitable deduction.
However, please note, a charitable remainder trust is irrevocable, meaning once you create the trust, you can't cancel it. While you can't revoke the trust, you may have the ability to change the beneficiary if you decide to give to a different charity. You may also serve as trustee, giving you control over how the trust assets are invested. In addition, income you receive from the trust will be subject to income taxes.
To find out if a charitable remainder trust is right for you, talk to a qualified attorney.
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Take the PLUNGE for Philanthropy
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By Amy LeViere, Donor Services Officer
A big THANK YOU to Sigma Chi Fraternity at Cornell and all those who took the "PLUNGE" with the goal of benefiting the community of Tompkins County! Thank you to the many fraternities, sororities and Cornell students engaging in PHILANTHROPY MAGNIFIED! Thank you Jennie, Claire, Kristina, Logan, Mich, Pam, Phoebe, Annie, Alton, Flora, Dani, Ayah, Papa Brown, Peter, Josh, Maha, Andrew, Ian, Cole, Mautner, Cameron, Nick, Bill, Maddy, Blair, Ani, Deon, Soula, Spencer, Chris, Josselyn, Paulette, and many others.
At the Community Foundation, we promote philanthropy education, bringing people together -campus life meets community needs. Social media, peer-to-peer fundraising, and mobile giving continue to rise, especially in a college town like Ithaca. The Giving USA 2014 report finds that the majority of Millennials (about 60%) donate to charitable organizations.
Thank You to the Cornell Community!
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The Future of 'Community' for Community Foundations
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Credit: Philanthropy News Digest
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Community foundations have existed for more than a hundred years by adhering to a simple proposition: they exist to serve their local communities. Today, this proposition is being challenged by an increasingly global, twenty-first century mindset and amazing new technologies that strengthen connections even as they weaken the importance of place. As a result, the definition of "community" is changing, and community foundations must ask themselves: Will we change with it?
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2015 Philanthropy Learning Exchanges
(continuing education credits available pending content approval)
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Financial Planning 101 for Young Professionals
- *NOTE NEW DATE* Sept. 24, 2015
- 12pm for professional advisors
- 5pm for donors
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- November 7, 2015
- Saturday evening
- Celebrations
2331 Slaterville Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
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Creating Community Connections.
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What Are Community Foundations?
Community Foundations are not-for-profit organizations founded and staffed by people who are dedicated to seeking out what is needed in our community and what is valuable about Tompkins County and to helping those valuable assets grow important results. We understand our community's needs and help you to turn your charitable passions into results-oriented philanthropy. We show donors how to make gifts go further and accomplish more.
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Meet the Board and Staff
Board of Directors
Chair
Alan Mathios
Vice Chair
Randy Ehrenberg
Secretary
Sandra Dhimitri
Treasurer
Diane McDonough
Immediate Past Chair
Robin Masson
Richard Banks
Mary Berens
Susan Brown
Fabina Colon
Ross Feldman
Marcie Finlay
Sara Knobel
Robin Masson
Philip McPheron
Alice Moore
Bill Murphy
Susan Murphy
Stephen Pope
Ron Poole
Nancy Potter
Kevin Shreve
Carol Travis
Lucia Tyler
Baruch Whitehead
Stephanie Wiles
Incorporating Board
Jeff Furman
Howard Hartnett
Bill Myers
John Semmler
Diane Shafer
Robert Swieringa
Staff
Click on a name to send an email.
Chief Executive Officer
George Ferrari, Jr.
Chief Development Officer
Nancy Massicci
Program Officer
Janet Cotraccia
Donor Services Officer
Amy LeViere
Administrative Assistant
Matthew Fisher
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