Community Foundation for South CNY

Back to Progress 2008 Listing

Chenango County residents who made contributions to the Community Foundation for South Central New York – the regional community foundation serving Chenango County, as well as Broome, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego and Tioga – didn’t have to look very far afield during 2007 to see their gifts hard at work.

Grants awarded by the Foundation to local nonprofits were helping to create an innovative therapeutic multi-sensory environment for traumatized children at the Children’s Home RTF near Greene, supporting the needs of cancer survivors and their families at Chenango Health Network in Norwich, purchasing sound and lighting equipment to help the new Chenango River Theater get its inaugural season off to a good start. And through an ‘06 grant to Catholic Charities, Foundation funds continued to help families victimized by severe flooding as they traveled the long road to recovery.

New grants awarded in 2007 included funding for “The Place” for an engineering study to explore expanding and renovating their facility, a grant to the Sherburne Public Library for a microform scanner, and a grant from the Women’s Fund at the Community Foundation to Chenango Health Network in support of the “Going Red in Chenango County” campaign to promote women’s heart health.

The Community Foundation also celebrated its 10th Anniversary during 2007 with the theme “Cultivating Philanthropy,” and the Foundation’s volunteer Board of Directors – including its members from Chenango County – worked hard to make it a year of achievement, as well as one of sound planning for the future.

A new strategic plan was completed which will guide the Foundation’s activities for the next several years. That plan includes the formation of specific geographically-focused funds to address needs in several of the counties served by the Foundation.

In October the Foundation held a luncheon/workshop attended by more than one hundred representatives from area nonprofits, with the goal of helping the agencies to strengthen their marketing and communications efforts.

Contributions to the Community Foundation, along with return on investments, helped move the endowment from $15.1 million at the end of ’06 to $17.66 million as of December 31, 2007.

On the agenda for 2008: The Community Foundation will continue its mission to “connect donors who care with causes that matter.” It will offer additional training workshops to nonprofits throughout the region. Visits to grantees and others throughout the region are on the docket to gather information and get to know the people doing good work in the community. The Foundation will redouble its efforts to serve the needs of its donors. And of course, it will continue its all-important grantmaking programs.

The deadline for receipt of proposals for the Foundation’s next competitive grant cycle is March 3rd. Go to the “Forms and Guidelines” section of the Foundation’s web site at www.cfscny.org for application guidelines and instructions.

To request a copy of the Community Foundation’s 2006 Annual Report, call (607) 772-6773. The executive director of the Community Foundation is Diane L. Brown. The Foundation is located at 70 Front St., Binghamton, NY 13905.

Back to Progress 2008 Listing