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A Message from our CEO, George Ferrari
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We continue a look back at our 15th anniversary timeline. In 2004-2006, Community Foundation worked with new donors to grow our assets and grants to higher levels. We also learned from new connections to state and national philanthropic service organizations. We experienced, with gratitude, our first bequest, which was facilitated by a number of local professional advisors such as estate planning attorneys.
- 2004, achieves assets of $1.5 million
- March 2005, receives first bequest creating the Lenore Coral Fund
- July 2005, becomes a member of the Grantmakers Forum of NY
- 2005, awards annual grants of $250,000
- Spring 2006 achieves compliance with Council on Foundations' National Standards for community foundations
Next month we will look at growing grants by more than 100%, at community volunteers in grant application review, and how donor advisors learn more from grant cycles to achieve their philanthropic goals.
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Giving Is Gorges: Thank You
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By Amy LeViere, Donor Services Officer
We made history on August 28 with an amazing level of spirit, generosity, and optimism as part of Giving is Gorges, Tompkins County's first 24 hour online day of giving.
THANK YOU to the 38 donors contributing $13,852 to the Community Foundation. You were part of the 1,655 donations from 1,050 donors who contributed $118,048.29 to 120 local nonprofits.
Here is some of what your Community Foundation heard from our donors:
"In support one of our greatest local assets"
"What a generous community"
"Community Foundation does so much to support our community's services! I am proud to become a supporter!"
"Thanks for all your help in organizing this amazing day of giving!"
"The Community Foundation touches the lives of so manyin Tompkins County and will do so in perpetuity. How cool is that!"
"The Community Foundation of TC is doing extraordinary philanthropic work in the community and I am glad to support it."
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| | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoHXuGmM_Tw&feature=youtu.be |
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By Janet Cotraccia, Program Officer
Martha Preston, representing CFCU Community Credit Union, was the lucky winner of the special drawing for a philanthropic plan consultation, which included the privilege of directing a grant of $1,500 to a Tompkins County nonprofit of her and her organization's choice. Martha wrote the following when nominating Historic Ithaca as the grantee:
"As a native Ithacan, I'm a huge fan of Historic Ithaca and all that they do to encourage historic preservation and the reuse of historic house parts (through their Significant Elements program).
"They also offer instructional workshops throughout the year, and special programs like the tour of historic homes and gardens in Cayuga Heights this summer in honor of the 100th anniversary of incorporation as a village.
"I've been a supporter of the organization for several years and served on their Board for a few years, too. With all of the new development in Ithaca and Tompkins County going on at the moment, I feel it is important to balance that excitement with the recognition and appreciation of the historic built environment, which is what organizations such as Historic Ithaca help to do." This grant was also made in honor of Alphonse Pieper's leadership as Executive Director of Historic Ithaca for over seven years. Read about his tenure here. Thank you to Martha and to CFCU Community Credit Union for joining us in celebrating 15 years of philanthropic excellence and for improving the quality of life for all in Tompkins County by inspiring and supporting enduring philanthropy. If your business would like to learn more about philanthropic advising to guide your corporate giving program, please contact Amy LeViere, Donor Services Officer to schedule a free consultation to review your goals and to learn more about how the Community Foundation can serve you.
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| Who Are Our Community Leaders? |
By Nancy Massicci, Chief Development Officer
You made the Community Foundation a leading grantmaker in Tompkins County - celebrating our 15th year with more than $8 million in nearly 2,200 grant awards!
How is that possible? Grants made from the Foundation's endowment and by people like you and many generous donors address emerging concerns and critical, unresolved problems as identified by the community. These grants represent the current philanthropic goals and interests of donors as well as the grantmaking priorities and strategies of your Community Foundation Board of Directors, as informed by our Listening & Learning focus sessions and work with the Tompkins County Funders group. Between us, we are spotting the ways to improve life in Tompkins County and deploying our assets wisely. Please read more about our grantmaking philosophy. You are doing a good job, Tompkins County donors. Keep it up! Your Community Foundation serves as a place for gifts, no matter how great or small, from all who have lived or worked in - and care about - Tompkins County. Thank you for your support.
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| Why Success Sometimes Eludes Community Efforts to Fight Social Problems |
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Credit: Willa Seldon and Meera Chary, Chronicle of Philanthropy
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Grant makers have an increasing number of opportunities to invest in community efforts to tackle big social problems, from better schools to teen pregnancy. But even in the most successful efforts, supporters are finding that achieving the hoped-for results takes many more years - and lots more perseverance - than anybody expected.
That is what we found examining 11 joint efforts we first studied three years ago to aid the White House Council for Community Solutions, and recently revisited. On average, the collaborations we studied have been operating for a dozen years. We initially picked this group of programs because they had produced measurable improvements in communities, and most continue to get results. For example, violent crime in the East Lake community of Atlanta dropped 95 percent from 1995 to 2011 and remains at that lower rate; Milwaukee has seen a continued decline in the pregnancy rate - indeed, has achieved a 56-percent reduction since 2006. In both of these communities, as in others we researched, at least some grant makers have continued to contribute to the efforts year after year.
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2015 Philanthropy Learning Exchanges
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Financial Planning 101 for Young Professionals
- *NOTE NEW DATE* Sept. 24, 2015
- 12 p.m. for professional advisors
- 5 p.m. for donors
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- November 7, 2015
- Saturday evening
- Celebrations
2331 Slaterville Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
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Women's Fund Fall Gathering
- November 19, 2015
- 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Ithaca Town Hall
215 N Tioga Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
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Other Events - By Invitation
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Philanthropy Magnified Reception for HEROES Circle and Legacy Society Members
- October 8, 2015
- Cornell Plantations
- 1 Plantations Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
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Odysseus Reception for Board Members and Former Board Members
- December 1, 2015
- 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
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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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