Philanthropy Magnified

Philanthropy Magnified Impact Report

June 2020

Engaged Philanthropy, Inspired Communities

Thank You for Joining Us at our

Virtual Annual Gratitude Gathering!

Picture provided by Event Presenter, Healthy Food For All of Cornell Cooperative Extension

"I was very impressed with the gathering [and] with your organization as a whole. I loved the way you openly grappled with how to address the moment in this country - of racism, and whether or not to even have your event. And the commitment you made around it. Thanks!"

- Attendee at Virtual Gratitude Gathering

Missed the event or want to view it again? Click here

View our Hot-off-the-presses 20 19 Annual Report here

We made funds available for grants to be made by two gathering participants selected at random. Two $250 grants from our Social justice Fund will be made by Karl Graham and Ralph Bocchino

Congratulations!

They will be directing these grants to the nonprofit of their choice with consultation from Community Foundation staff.

Staff are listening and leaning into creative solutions

to the issues caused by the pandemic as well as to issues of racial justice throughout our communities.

Please share with us your perspective, your feedback and your ideas for action steps.

We are YOUR Community Foundation!

Philanthropic Tools for Racial Justice

Our Social Justice Fund is a field of interest fund dedicated to understanding and interrupting the traditional patterns of exclusion which prevent equal opportunity for all.

Community activist and grant review team member, Phoebe Brown, speaking at the Juneteenth Rally on the Ithaca Commons

"...we want you to think about what your time, talent, treasure and voice

can contribute to advancing what our communities need to heal,

to seek racial justice, to restructure our relationships and our institutions and to share power."

George Ferrari, CEO, Community Foundation

Your gift to the Social Justice Fund assures that philanthropy is part of the solution in addressing systemic injustices in our community.

Additional Philanthropic Informational Resources on Advancing Racial Justice can be found here

Local Funders Joining Together for Our Families

After an unprecedented loss of revenue due to the economic slowdown sparked by COVID-19, the City of Ithaca has announced that all of its summer youth programming has been cancelled. Please help to safely open the Alex Haley Pool at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center for families and children served by GIAC and the broader community.

The United Way is receiving donations to raise the $80,000 needed to keep the pool open for July and August! Please direct your gifts here.

C heck the box that says "GIAC/Alex Haley Pool (Reopening Fund)," and

100% of your gift will go directly to reopening the pool.

We Love Our Community Volunteers!

Aisha Jasper

Community Development Liaison

VISIONS Federal Credit Union

"For the past year, I have served as a community volunteer on the Philanthropic Services Committee. Being involved with philanthropy is an opportunity on every level. An opportunity to not only do a civic duty, but also to represent the people in our respective communities . For me, this particularly resonates as an African American woman and the platform I have been given to voice experiences of my community and shape them into actionable change. A tall order to fill, but a challenge I embrace."

Read more in our Annual Report

2020 Spring Grant Cycle

The Annual Spring Grant Cycle supports women, youth, aging, animal welfare and environmental preservation. Applications were due on March 16th, just as we began to see more rapid changes in response to COVID-19. We received 37 applications for $168,785 in requests. While the grant cycle was delayed slightly as we launched the new COVID-19 Response Fund Rolling Grant Cycle, Ann Martin, Linda Madeo and Josephine Allen from our Community Impact Committee quickly mobilized to get the applications reviewed, so that we wouldn't delay in getting funds out to our local organizations.

As a result, $115,403 was made in 47 grants from 12 funds

supporting 27 programs

Our funds come in all shapes and sizes. When they come together to respond to needs, they generate big impact!

Our Donor Advised Funds were incredibly responsive, providing $16,810 in grants.
$53,000 came from the Helen T. Howland Foundation held at Wilmington Trust.
$33,708 came from Field of Interest Funds and the Tompkins Today and Tomorrow Fund
$11,885 came from an engaged and dynamic review process by our Women's Fund

Click here for a full list of grants

COVID-19 Response Fund Impact News

In coordination with other local funders such as

The United Way of Tompkins County, Legacy Foundation, Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, Park Foundation, Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency and more,

$878,772 has been granted through June 15.

Thanks to responsive fund advisors, Donor Advised Funds have made up more than 50% of Community Foundation Support!

Gifts to the COVID-19 Response Fund from over 250 donors have resulted in major support for our community.

Grants from this fund are supporting:

Health care with grants to the Cayuga Medical Center Foundation in support of COVID-19 testing and to Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services (CARS) for technology support to insure uninterrupted services.
Food security with a grant to Cornell Cooperative Extension in support of the Tompkins County COVID-19 Food Task Force which is assuring a coordinated response to food needs as they arise related to production, communication and distribution.
The Human Services Coalition which is providing technical support to organizations in our mission-driven sector to strengthen capacity as organizations adjust to dramatic changes in government funding and working environments
Childcare with grants to the Child Development Council for diapers, childcare subsidies and to the Downtown Ithaca Children's Center to assure the needs of children are met in light of new health and safety protocols

Read about more COVID-19 related grants here:

COVID-19 Response Fund Grants Listing

Please note that gifts to the fund have begun to slow while we anticipate an increase in need in the coming months. Your gift will help meet increasing needs.

Thank You to Our HEROES Circle Sponsors!