“Community, hope and joy are three things that I treasure, but these are not part of everyone’s life. In 2012, I created a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) the Community, Hope and Joy Fund, to support essential services leading to community, hope and joy for families and individuals in Tompkins County. This year, I transferred the balance to create a new Designated Fund at the Community Foundation.

While I have been 100% satisfied with the opportunities to support several excellent not-for-profit organizations a Designated Fund better meets my objectives with greater visibility and support in perpetuity of Catholic Charities Tompkins Tioga (CCTT). I have worked closely with CCTT for 20 years and have seen hope, dignity and care always provided to every client they serve. Furthermore, in the future this Designated Fund will receive Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) from my IRA Required Minimum Distributions.

Establishing a Designated Fund is a fine way to celebrate my 10-year philanthropic partnership with the Community Foundation.” -Mary F. Berens

Community Foundation is honored to have collaborated with the Greater Ithaca Activities Center to send 3 staff and 6 teens to this year's Facing Race conference, November 17-19.

"Ithaca representatives will be immersed in deep discussions, presentations, and organizing efforts. Facing Race ‘22 will provide a unique collaborative space for dialogue and strategies to continue advancing racial justice.

The past two years have been unlike any other. Communities of color continue to live in a state of fear due to police and vigilante violence; a health pandemic continues to disproportionately affect us; an unstable economy with inflation rising faster than our wages; and attacks against our rights to vote, make decisions about our own bodies, and teach this country’s true history."~Travis Brooks, Deputy Director, GIAC

Each National Philanthropy Day celebrates the charitable work and incredible impact everyone does to make a difference and impact their community.

This year the Community Foundation sponsored Tompkins Chamber’s Community Conversations Series.

This series offers a space for hyper-local networking and advocacy with business owners, non-profit leaders, and elected officials in each municipality in Tompkins County. Events were held in Trumansburg, Lansing, Dryden, Newfield, and Groton.

We learned community members have a desire to better promote existing community amenities, are concerned about rising costs & inflation on small businesses, struggle with employee recruitment and retention, need expanded workforce development programs specifically youth training, and residents often request better housing, childcare, and public transportation.

The series continues in 2023 with visits to Danby, Caroline, Collegetown, and Ithaca's West Side.

Many influential people pass through our door to give their time and treasure. Scroll a listing of current and past board members, grant reviewers, staff and donors.

CLICK DONOR STORIES to see what Yarussi, Gabriel, Rosen and Zumoff families have to say.

Last month, members of the Women’s Fund (WF) Advisory Committee (above) joined Habitat for Humanity's (H4H) Women’s Build!

Women's Fund volunteers worked alongside others including a local mom who is buying the home for her and her two daughters. She, like all H4H participants, put in sweat equity to her future home. WF volunteer, Stacey Murphy said, “Our three hours passed quickly - swinging a hammer in support of women felt powerful and meaningful. I’d encourage anyone to try it because it does help!”

The crew knocked down a back porch, removed nails from stripped-down interior walls, and demolished interior walls.

Connecting Communities:

Christie Thornton, CEO, YMCA

of Ithaca & Tompkins County

December 13 at noon.

Details and registration, CLICK HERE

Community Foundation's tagline, “Philanthropy Magnified,” describes ripple effects of our philanthropic work.

Recently, we put a magnifying lens to Donor Advisors who account for between 57% to 78% of grants made! We learned why they give and how they perceive the Foundation’s role in their giving: What are their stories? Why are they donor advisors? What value does the Community Foundation add to their generosity? What more can we do to support them?

Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) is “to understand intended and unintended results of a program on individuals, groups, and communities;” a qualitative approach to capture what motivates and sustains giving to and through the Foundation. 

The REM process begins by inviting participants to tell a story. As each donor's story is told we heard a richness and nuance, donor's built a “picture,” or a map, as to what is important to the her/him in their relationship with the Foundation. In a follow up session, participants were invited to reflect on the map and, from that conversation, themes emerged.

We could hear in their voices as they told stories of then and now; "then" when they had less, when they gained more, and “now” when they understood they wanted to do with more. Donor Advisors are committed and passionate for giving. At one point in the reflective discussion, a donor said, “It’s a journey.”  

Over the next several months, we will share donor themes and stories that emerged.

Link to our website REM Ripple Effects Mapping Infographics CLICK HERE

Next month we will announce the recipients of $310,987 in Fall 2022 Grants. Below are a few Grant Review Team members experiences in their words.

“I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in the review team process. It is a huge dose of hopefulness during times when that can be difficult to see in the world. I really enjoyed our discussions and learned a lot from all of you. 😍 Peace. - Judy”

“Thank you and everyone on the team. It was a pleasure to listen, discuss and work with you all. Cheers also to our amazing community organizations who do so much every day to make this a better place for all.

warmly. -Peyi”

“Thanks for the opportunity to participate in this process. I really appreciated reading the applications and was taken with how creative, passionate and resourceful organizations are when it comes to improving the conditions and circumstances for all who dwell in Tompkins County—including our animals. -Jan”

“Thank you also for including me…great team #5. DON MANUEL IS MY HEROOO!! It was an honor and a privilege to serve with all the folks. AND I would be remiss in NOT restating how fabulous staff are at shedding light, keeping everyone ON TRACK, ON TASK, ON TIME and mostly feeling joyous and appreciated. You score a million kajillion on my rubric. -Jennifer”