During the week of November 12-18, 2016, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation (NCCF) celebrates Community Foundation Week along with over 780 community foundations in the United States. Community foundations take advantage of this yearly celebration to raise awareness about the importance of fostering local collaboration in communities and innovation to address local civic and economic opportunities and challenges. As NCCF celebrates 30 years of community enrichment, staff and volunteers strive to meet the ever-changing needs of northern Chautauqua County.
On Friday, November 18, the public is invited to celebrate Community Foundation Week with NCCF board members, staff, volunteers, and community members from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Join us at the Fredonia Technology Incubator, 214 Central Avenue, Dunkirk (parking in back). This event brings to a close a year of celebrating 30 years of “Building for tomorrow, today.” Also during the celebration, the Grants Committee will present the fall Community Grants Program awards to local nonprofits. Teachers and students who have received Service Learning Mini-Grants are also invited to attend.
Community foundations are independent, public entities that steward philanthropic resources from corporate and individual donors to local nonprofits. These nonprofits are the heart of the strong, vibrant community where we live and work. NCCF brings together the financial resources of individuals, families, and businesses to support effective nonprofits in our communities. In 2015, NCCF awarded over $890 THOUSAND DOLLARS in grants to nonprofits and scholarships to local students.
“NCCF has grown since its inception 30 years ago through the generosity, pride and compassion of the people in this community,” stated Diane Hannum, NCCF Executive Director. “Dedicating needed resources through our grant and scholarship programs is only a part of our work. Through special projects such as the LED Initiative, Project BICEP, and the Service Learning Program, your community foundation provides leadership and resources to assure a bright future for generations to come.”
Community Foundation Week, created in 1989 by former President George H. W. Bush, recognizes the work of community foundations throughout the United States as well as their collaborative approach to working with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to address community challenges.
The NCCF, celebrating 30 years of charitable leadership, is committed to improving the community through the promotion of local philanthropy, strategic grantmaking, and community leadership. Served by a small staff and governed by an all-volunteer board of directors, the organization has distributed over $12.2 million in the form of grants and scholarships within the community. Truly community in nature, the NCCF is an organization created by and for the people of northern Chautauqua County. For more information, visit www.nccfoundation.org.