Of all of the honors bestowed upon Josephine Allen, Cornell University's College of Human Ecology professor emerita of policy analysis and management, one stands out -- the distinction of being the first African-American woman to receive tenure at the university.
On receiving tenure, Dr. Allen said, "It reinforced my ongoing commitment to social justice and action, knowing that I needed to do more to get other people of color on board as students and faculty at Cornell and other prestigious universities. It is important for all students to have opportunities to hear from faculty with diverse life experiences in every discipline."
Retired since 2009, Dr. Allen focused her research on comparative social welfare policy, intergenerational communication and reproductive health, empowerment and family support, juvenile justice, and gender.
"To use the words of Mahatma Gandhi, we need to be the change we want to see in the world," she says. "By actively advocating for that change and by creating an environment in which every person can succeed, we can be assured of better lives for all of us."
Chamber New Event:
Our co-sponsorship with Visions FCU
Community Conversations in Rural Areas
Network and enjoy coffee, tea, and pastries from Gimme!
Community Conversations serve as a forum for the Chamber to engage businesses who are based outside of Ithaca and allow us to better understand and support the unique needs of each community. Earlier this month, Trumansburg business owners, non-profit leaders, and government officials enjoyed the first of the conversations!
In April, the forum engages Lansing residents and businesses.
You may find this article helpful to your giving to our organization or elsewhere. You can save money and have a bigger impact on the causes you care about.
‘I was fortunate in 2021 to have stock that had appreciated considerably given the strong market. Rather than deplete my cash reserves, I chose to donate shares of stock for my year end gift to our Community Foundation. It was a very simple process, thanks to the support of staff members, Nancy and Amy.” - Susan Murphy
Stock Gifts
In 2021, Community Foundation received multiple stock and IRA gifts.
Put simply, stock gifts are donations of shares of stock or mutual funds. And stock giving is not only for financially-savvy supporters.
Did you realize by donating stock you don’t have to pay capital gains tax? A capital gain is the difference in the price you paid for your shares and the price they’re valued at now. For example, if you bought Apple shares for $100 a share, and they’re now valued at $500 a share, then you’d be taxed on the $400 you made if you sold it. But by donating it, you’ll save on those taxes.
IRA Gifts
Another popular gift option is commonly called the IRA charitable rollover or a qualified charitable distribution (QCD).
To make a QCDIRA gift, a donor: Must be 70.5 or older and give from a traditional IRA (401Ks are not eligible.) Donors can give any amount up to $100,000 as a tax-free QCD per year.
Your gift will be put to use today, allowing you to see how your gift makes a difference.
You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.
Seek the advice of your financial advisor. Ask your IRA administrator about making a direct transfer to the Community Foundation of Tompkins County. Our tax ID is 16-1587553.
Did you know that we offer many services in addition to making grants? One service is to hold endowments dedicated to the benefit of other organizations. These endowments can be created directly from groups like nonprofits and includes faith communities. Individual donors can also contribute funds, often from their estates, designated for a specific entity. Here are three examples of both approaches for local faith communities:
Temple Beth-El Fund
First Baptist Church Fund
Harris Family Immaculate Conception Church Fund
YOUR GIFT TO A FUND OF YOUR CHOICE HELPS STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY!
We are partnering with three other community foundations as well as LOCUS in a generational transfer of wealth study in our region. Over the next ten years more than $11.8 trillion will move from one generation to the next in the US. What could that mean for folks who live in, work in or love Tompkins County? We will also examine data for Cortland and Tioga counties. If we could reserve even a small percentage of that for charitable purposes just imagine the difference we could make for our communities!
If you have included charitable giving as part of your estate planning in a will or retirement plan, or other beneficiary designation, you are MAGNIFYING philanthropy to make a difference. Your Community Foundation is equipped to assist you and your advisors in crafting the best possible plans.
Thank you to local volunteers serving on our regional CNY Technical Advisory Committee:
Lisa Whitaker, President and CEO, CFCU Community Credit Union
Jennifer Tavares, President & CEO Tompkins Chamber
David Kay, Senior Extension Associate, Department of Global Development, Cornell CaRDI
Addressing Mental Health
Report Back on Let's Talk
Last month, Frank Kruppa, Public Health Director and Mental Health Commissioner at Tompkins County Health Department described the local mental health situation and provided resources available. This topic was very popular and well received!
Hear more on your own. Go to Let's Talk recorded conversations available HERE
Calling all Candidates!
Chief Data and IT Officer
Community Foundation is expanding to better serve our communities. We are interviewing candidates now for the new position of Chief Data and Information Technology Officer. If you are interested apply and to find out more: CLICK HERE
Our mission is to bring people and resources together to build a more equitable Tompkins County by inspiring diverse philanthropy, catalyzing collaborations and championing inclusion and justice.
The Community Foundation extends our compassion to all within our community who have family, friends, and loved ones directly impacted by this humanitarian crisis.
As stated by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, "In this time of uncertainty, we have a clear way forward: Support the Ukrainian people." Across the globe, humanitarian assistance is helping to alleviate the undue suffering of the Ukrainians.
Celebrate Women’s History Month with the Women’s Fund and Steph Bailey!
When: Wednesday, March 23, 5pm – 10pm
Monks on the Commons has chosen the Women’s Fund as its Monks Gives Back recipient for March. They will donate 50% of the food & beverage totals until 10:00pm to the Women's Fund, to further grantmaking that benefits women and girls in Tompkins County. Steph Bailey, past Women’s Fund Chair, will be the guest bartender from 5P - 7P – bring a friend and join us!
