Welcome to Shayla Combs, our 2022 Community Impact Analyst summer intern. Shayla is a recent graduate of Cornell University’s School of Industrial Labor Relations. During her time in undergrad, Shayla minored in Inequality Studies and concentrated her studies on the topics of Disability and Education.

Shayla is working to review and synthesize learning and trends in reports from recent Community Foundation grant cycles grantees.

The information from grantee reports helps us learn more about community needs, assists us in providing better philanthropic consulting to donors and guides future grant cycles.

Community Foundation conceives of grantmaking as a relationship, not a transaction. These reports and our careful study of them helps to build even deeper connections and helpful relationships with grant seekers and with our grant review team members and our staff. We look forward to Shayla's important work which will help us better serve our communities.

CLICK HERE for more info on SHAYLA

Community Foundation benefited from a number of volunteers from Cornell University and its Einhorn Center for Community Engagement who are experienced practitioners of REM (Ripple Effects Mapping) during a special gathering of nine donor advisors representing eight different funds. REM encourages people to tell a story about their involvement with Community Foundation and to look for themes and trends and ripples in common across the stories.

The following themes emerged from our conversations:

We will continue to share more learning from our review of these valuable conversations as we build greater connections for community philanthropy.

Since its inception as the UW/211 COVID-19 Response Program, this direct service collaboration between United Way of

Tompkins County and Human Services Coalition has proven to fill a needs gap. While still helping to address impacts

brought on by COVID-19, the program expanded on July 1, 2021 to assist all ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households in Tompkins County who face potential disruptions in housing, utilities services, child care, and the ability to travel in order to work or learn. This program was developed in order to provide “last dollars” when other resources for qualifying households are exhausted as a crisis mitigation, direct services program.

The program has proven to serve marginalized populations. At the end of the last reporting period, 70.9% of applicants

assisted are women. 53.8% of the households served identify as non-white. 39.3% express a COVID-related impact as

their reason for seeking resources.

United Way of Tompkins County covers all its administrative costs of the program, including staff time and supplies. It also provides additional funds for direct assistance.

Since its inception, Human Services Coalition has provided the staff time of their 2-1-1 operators and an administrator

who prepares periodic reports for UWTC.

Community Foundation responded with a $20,000 grant to increase the direct assistance pool of funds available. This reflects additional need and demand for the program as well as support for the collaborative nature of this work from multiple members of the Tompkins County Local Funders Group.

Transfer of Wealth Study Results Show Great Promise

An unprecedented transfer of wealth from the World War II generation to the baby boomers and then from the baby boomers to the next generation is happening right now! We commissioned a special study to learn more.

Our community has resources — Tompkins County households current net worth is approximately $55 billion. Yes, over the next 50 years, from 2020 to 2070, more than $55 billion will transfer from one generation to the next.

Here is the latest research on the transfer of wealth CF Tompkins snapshot. If each of us (talk to your professional advisors) gives a portion of our resources to leave philanthropic assets it will definitely benefit the community.

If we can capture 5% of the 10 year transfer and invest it over 20 years, the Community Foundation can build a $300 million endowment. You and others would create a significant pool of resources under local control to support community needs.

Your gift is needed. Please add the Community Foundation to your will, as 5% of your estate to the endowment will make a difference. Adding to the endowment creates a regular stream of grants to Tompkins County nonprofits. Your legacy could help in the first 20 years of grantmaking with an average annual $17 million in grants. That’s a big boost to strengthen our community!

See a list of other Legacy Society donors HERE. What impact do you want to leave behind?

If you’d like to speak with us to assist with your transfer of wealth planning, contact Nancy Massicci at nmassicci@cftompkins.org or George Ferrari at gferrari@cftompkins.org.

Thank You for thinking of this powerful way to give back to our communities!

Do terms like "Power of Attorney", "Health Care Proxy" and "Living Will" make your head spin?

Join this free virtual webinar with Mariette Geldenhuys, attorney, to learn the basics in simple, clear language. Mariette is highly skilled at making the complicated, simple. Nancy Massicci, Community Foundation, will also share tools on how to make charitable giving easy and rewarding.

with Jordan Clemons, Unbroken Promise Initiative, August 9 at noon.

Details and registration, CLICK HERE

Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Access with Planned Parenthood?

View the video here

Is there someone you know who has made a lasting difference in the lives of other women living in Tompkins County?

Is there a volunteer at your work, business, school or organization who you’d like to thank for sharing their time, talent, and treasures?

We want to help you recognize that person!

Nominations are now open for the 2022 Laura Holmberg Award, presented by the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation.

To submit a nomination, we ask that you fill out this form. Nominations are due August 31.

Click HERE for more information