Philanthropy Magnified Impact Report
May 2016
Ithaca Underground
What empowers youth to help build a vibrant community? Ithaca Underground!
Learn more about this Community Foundation grantee.
Community Foundation is designed for established agencies as well as for programs that sometimes fall below the radar of our wider community, like Ithaca Underground (IU), a fledgling organization. The art-based program is not anything most donors know about-have you heard of Cordial Slime, Naked Noise, or PINKWASH? IU has hosted them all and, in so doing, all ages, but especially youth, are nurtured to develop technical skills and to grow.
How is it important to this community? Hear what young participants are saying:

"I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. In May 2014, I graduated from a private, four-year college, yet I was no closer to making my goals a reality. I was still painfully shy and anxious. In December 2014, [Bubba, President of Board,] helped put me on a concrete career path I've been following to this day. I've grown as a person. I'm more confident and social, I've forged dozens of personal and professional relationships. It led directly to paid work shooting promotional video and still photography." - Benjamin T.

"I discovered IU about 6 years ago as a bored high school student looking for something to do. As a junior at Cornell now, I am grateful to belong to a community of innovative artists. I contacted dozens of media companies (for an internship), but no one wanted a teenager with no connections and no experience. IU helped me gain valuable, transferrable skills that I included in reels, resumes, and applications. I've been able to talk about my positive experiences with IU in interviews that helped me earn paid jobs in videography and an internship at Viacom... Capturing music that is at the forefront of counter cultural expression has not only been rewarding, but has also helped me to build my portfolio and develop my artistic eye. Growing up with Ithaca Underground has enriched my life in so many ways musically, creatively, and socially."- Anna W.

"IU jumpstarted my career, getting my name in papers, magazines, blogs, press kits etc. I'm an equestrian photographer, IU challenged me to shoot in very low light, with moving subjects, with big very excited crowds, working around the needs/wants of bands. In January 2016 I traveled to Switzerland to cover the Winter Polo World Cup, in March to Florida for the Gay Polo World Cup, and then the USPA Open of Polo. You came at a turning point in my life when friends had gone off to college. IU allowed me to meet friends that I will have for a lifetime." - Maxwell P.
Bubba Crumrine
Bubba Crumrine, IU's leader (pictured at left at our 2015 Spring Grant Cycle Awards Celebration), attended a Community Foundation Q&A grant application session, immediately applying for a grant in Spring 2015.

He said, "We clearly feel that the project was a resounding success. Thanks in large part to this grant, the youth bands that play at Ithaca Underground shows are exposed to far more people than ever before, thus expanding their fan base and increasing their confidence in their ability to play in front of larger audiences."
At Community Foundation, our strength is our ability to bring needs to the general public eye to leverage charitable resources. Now aware of the experiences IU brings to young people, our donor advisors are supporting an effort that they would not have otherwise known.

How can you help assemble resources to continue making Tompkins County thrive? Come see us or attend an event, like our 2016 Spring Grant Cycle Awards Celebration, to get information and advice. We are your curious community partner and constantly looking for ways to help.

Thank you to those attended our Annual Meeting on May 23 at The Space @ GreenStar. About 120 attendees celebrated and reviewed our 2015 Annual Report, "The Ripple Effect: One Action, Many Results." A panel of donors and nonprofit leaders discussed how community philanthropy and connections go beyond an initial gift.
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