Honor Yesterday. Advance Tomorrow: 2015 CNYCF Annual Report

HONOR YESTERDAY. ADVANCE TOMORROW.

2015 Annual Report

Table of Contents

Letter from our Board Chair 1

The Year in Review 2

Honor Yesterday.

Advance Tomorrow.

The Central New York Community Foundation improves the quality of life for residents of Central New York by funding and advancing innovative and impactful programs designed to ensure a brighter future. We remain steadfast in our dedication to steward our community’s charitable legacies and support donors’ goals. In these pages, we highlight recent efforts being made to move our region forward and honor the stories of those who came before us, without whom none of this would be possible.

Grantmaking 16

Honor Yesterday. 20 Advance Tomorrow.

Community Initiatives 22

New Funds 24

How to Give 26

Legacy Society 27

Community Fund Donors 28

Affiliate Funds 29

Staff 30

Board of Directors 31

Financial Information 32

Our Mission Back Cover

Cover: Artwork by Jason Evans, [re]think syracuse

Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards by the Community Foundations National Standards Board

RICHARD D. HOLE, ESQ., CHAIR, AND PETER DUNN, PRESIDENT & CEO, STAND ON THE BALCONY OF THE CNY PHILANTHROPY CENTER AT 431 EAST FAYETTE STREET.

Dear Friends, A

s a society, we are often encouraged to look to the future. The future provides hope, possibility, and the promise of better days ahead. We live in a world of ever-accelerating innovation and change. We do well, however, to remember and honor our past because it provides a sturdy foundation for the future. Besides, it is impossible to measure our progress without looking back and tracing our path to the present.

Indeed, if we reflect on our own 88-year history, we will see how the Community Foundation has grown and evolved to meet the changing needs of our community over time, while remembering the contributions of those who came before us. The visionaries of past generations laid the groundwork to build the strong foundation we enjoy today. In turn, the donors of today are planting seeds for a better tomorrow.

We need look no further than the building we inhabit to see how historical touchstones have a lasting impact on our present and future. Formerly an exclusive University Club for college-educated men, the CNY Philanthropy Center is now an inclusive home to 10 nonprofit tenants who are engaged in addressing a broad range of community needs, and the Center serves as a convening space for many more. When the Community Foundation purchased the building six years ago, we were careful to maintain the integrity of its historic elements, while at the same time infusing the space with new life and purpose.

Similarly, the Community Foundation is home to nearly 700 charitable funds that comprise a repository of the community’s stories that we have been entrusted with over the years. These stories contain a collective wisdom and legacy of goodwill that is realized through the work of our grantees and nonprofit partners. In the case of high school sweethearts Robert and Roberta Hurd, their wisdom and legacy endures in the scholarship fund they established to benefit students at the Phoenix school where their love story began. Turn to page 12 to read more of their story and learn about the first student recipient.

Businessman and Syracuse native Charles F. Brannock included a charitable provision in his will allowing the executor of his estate to establish an unrestricted fund so that its income would be available to meet Central New York’s changing needs.

Established in 1995, this fund continues to honor Mr. Brannock’s memory by advancing the community that helped shape him. Page 6 highlights a recent grant made from this fund to furnish the family dining room at the new Samaritan Center location in a renovated church on Syracuse’s historic Northside.

Together as a community — one of friends, neighbors, donors, visionaries, philanthropists, teachers, students, grantees and activists — we must collectively define where we are going by remembering where we came from and how we got here.

Our charitable dreams shed light on our hopes for the future. Our charitable gifts affirm our present values. A charitable legacy is a lasting promise — a promise to advance tomorrow by honoring yesterday. As the recipient and steward of these legacies, the Community Foundation strives to fulfill that promise for former and future generations alike.

Richard D. Hole, Esq. Chair, Board of Directors

Letter from the Board Chair

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The Year in Rev Philanthropy Center at Full Occupancy

Hurd Scholarship After the March 2014 passing of Roberta Hurd, a graduate of Phoenix Central School Class of 1939, the Robert & Roberta Hurd Scholarship Fund was established with a bequest gift to the Community Foundation totaling more than $1 million. The fund will annually award a $40,000 scholarship to a graduating senior. This is the largest private scholarship ever awarded through the Phoenix Central School District. Read more on page 12.

The Central New York Philanthropy Center, opened in 2010, was established by the Community Foundation to serve as a hub for charitable collaboration. We are excited to report that the Center is now fully leased. Learn more about the Philanthropy Center on page 20.

Online Grant Applications Launched This year we launched an online grant portal to make the application process easier and more intuitive for our nonprofit partners.

Applicants are now able to draft and revisit their work before submitting the application, and upload relevant attachments and materials in one place. Learn more at cnycf.org/onlineapp.

Completion of Third Performance Management Learning Community Marsellus Executive Development Established We launched a new professional development initiative that prepares nonprofit leaders for the future. The Marsellus Executive Development Program offers executive directors the opportunity to improve their leadership and work performance skills. The program focuses on four main strategies to energize participating executives: a 360-degree assessment of each individual’s strengths and opportunities, individual coaching sessions, consultant-led peer learning sessions and group-led peer meetings.

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The Year in Review

Our third Performance Management Learning Community convened over the course of the year. The 10 participating organizations shared lessons learned while implementing programs to measure how their activities are making a difference in the lives of the people they serve.

NEWS Attracts 1,000+ Attendees over Four Years Since we launched our Nonprofit Essentials Workshop Series (NEWS) in 2011, the program has been attended by more than 1,100 leaders from 324 nonprofit organizations. The series offers the nonprofit community a variety of tools for professional and organizational development. There is a wide selection of topics offered such as the Fundamentals of Successful Project Management and Developing Leadership Skills in Your Staff.

iew Women’s Fund Reached $1 Million Endowment Goal

Grantee Perception Survey

The Women’s Fund raised its initial endowment goal of $100,000 in its inaugural year. This year, the group reached a new level by surpassing its $1 million endowment goal. The Women’s Fund is energized to continue advocating for all women in Central New York by making significant and meaningful grant opportunities available to community causes addressing the needs of women and girls.

We retained the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) to conduct a Grantee and Applicant Perception Report by surveying recent grantees that received funding, as well as nonprofit applicants that were declined funding, through our Community Grants program. According to CEP, the Community Foundation received “unusually positive” ratings from applicants and grantees. We also received strong endorsements from those surveyed that participation in our grants process helped to strengthen their organizations and the programs for which they were seeking funding.

Community Asset Growth We received more than $23 million in new contributions during the fiscal year. These new funds, coupled with a positive return on our investments, helped us achieve the highest total asset level in our history. Total assets increased from $172 million to nearly $190 million as of March 31, 2015. See pages 24-25 for descriptions of this year’s new named funds. More detailed financial information can be found on pages 32-33.

Grants Distributed Nearly $10 million in grants was distributed among more than 980 nonprofit organizations in the areas of Arts & Culture, Humanities, Economic Development, Education, Environment & Animals and Human Services. This is an increase of $700,000 over the previous fiscal year. More information about the grants allocated through our Community Grants process can be found starting on page 16.

c un s e l f i e y What’s Your Giving Story? cnycf.org/givingtuesday

#GivingTuesdayCNY Encouraged Community-Wide Support for Causes On Giving Tuesday, a national movement created to remind people of charitable giving during the holiday season, we invited the public to “Tell Your Giving Story.” Participants used photos to share what inspires them to give back using the hashtag #unSelfieCNY. People of all ages and backgrounds told stories about the variety of causes they supported. View them at cnycf.org/givingtuesday.

David Moynihan Finance Fellowship Earlier this year, the Central New York community lost a one-of-a-kind individual. David Moynihan was a man who represented so much to so many. To the Community Foundation, he was a dear friend, board member and Vice Chair of our board. To honor Dave’s passion for both accounting and local philanthropy, the Community Foundation established the David J. Moynihan Fellowship — a two-year, paid internship for an undergraduate or graduate accounting major who will pursue a career in public accounting with an interest in the nonprofit sector of Central New York.

The Year in Review

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Cultivating Leadership Skills W hen their parents were tragically killed in a car accident in war-torn Afghanistan, Mokhtar Mohammadi and his four younger siblings were left unsure of what the future had in store for them. In a hopeful effort to build a new life for themselves, Mohammadi and his siblings applied to immigrate to the United States.

The first few months after resettling in Syracuse proved challenging for them, as the siblings faced major language barriers and Mohammadi struggled to find work. Having no knowledge of the city or available transportation services only added to the obstacles the family longed to overcome.

“There was a major sense of culture shock when we arrived in Syracuse because everything was so new to us,” said Mohammadi. “We struggled to meet people and find employment opportunities or activities to get involved in.”

After Mohammadi expressed an interest in nature, his case worker handed him a brochure about the Onondaga Earth Corps (OEC). This organization, which trains and employs inner city youth to plant trees and maintain green infrastructure within the City of Syracuse, instantly sparked his curiosity.

As soon as he was accepted into the program, Mohammadi dove right into the challenge, eager to learn about the environment and put his learning into practice in the field.

“Despite English being his second language, Mohammadi’s commitment to learning and adapting to new ideas propelled him forward enormously,” said Onondaga Earth Corps Executive Director Greg Michel.

By engaging in tree planting, community gardening and urban beautification projects, OEC is empowering youth aged 15-25 to be active participants in their communities while learning valuable life skills. Participants identify homeowners that want trees, lead community volunteers in tree plantings, and disseminate information about the benefits of trees and proper tree care.

As crew sizes expanded over the years, OEC employees found that transporting the teams to planting sites throughout the city had become more difficult. With the help of a Community Foundation grant, the OEC was able to purchase a new 12-passenger van to shuttle crew members to and from their planting and work sites.

“We were very limited in our ability to shuttle folks around for plantings and didn’t have the capacity to carry out all our programs,” said Michel. “The Community Foundation grant helped us increase the number of youth being shuttled to different sites from 20 to 40 at a time.”

In addition to mentoring the youth currently in the program, Mohammadi is utilizing his new skills to work at a local greenhouse and attend college to further his education in environmental science.

“The Onondaga Earth Corps helped me very much in my personal life,” said Mohammadi.

“In addition to job skills, I learned life skills, teamwork and leadership skills.”

Even as he moves on to the next stages of his life, he says he will always cherish his roots at OEC. “That is one thing that the Corps taught me that I will never forget — the impact one tree can make on the community,” he said.

Visit cnycf.org/2015 to view bonus features from Onondaga Earth Corps, including videos, additional photos and an extended story.

A grant to Onondaga Earth Corps was made possible by the Community Fund. This collective giving effort allows donors to join forces in achieving the greatest possible impact. Contributions to this fund increase the broadly responsive dollars available for our community grantmaking program, which invests in effective nonprofit organizations in Onondaga and Madison counties.

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ls in our Youth

MOKHTAR MOHAMMADI (RIGHT) LEADS A TEAM OF ONONDAGA EARTH CORPS YOUTH AND VOLUNTEERS DURING A COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING EVENT AT SWISS VILLAGE APARTMENTS.

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Converted Church Serv

THE NEW SAMARITAN CENTER, LOCATED IN THE FORMER ST. JOHN EVANGELIST CHURCH ON NORTH STATE STREET, OFFERS FREE HOT MEALS IN A UNIQUELY BRIGHT AND HOPEFUL ATMOSPHERE.

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hen Gracie Barney began her first job out of college last year as the Volunteer and Guest Services Coordinator for the Samaritan Center, she was looking forward to helping those in need. She had recently graduated and was feeling a sense of displacement until she found the comforting feeling of home at the Center. Barney got to know a visitor named James who was also looking for a feeling of belonging. He was living in a shelter and had no clothing or a job.

“I was feeling really uneasy as I entered the ‘real world,’” said Barney. “When I started working at the Center, I felt an instant connection to James, realizing that although we came from different backgrounds, we had arrived at the same place and could count on each other.”

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Barney played a crucial role in helping get James back on his feet, which began with him visiting for daily hot meals. Eventually, he was utilizing the Center’s case management support and guest services to find a job and an apartment.

James is just one example of the lives changed at this soup kitchen.

Thousands of underprivileged members of the Central New York community have been served there since it was established in 1981.

The Center has grown into an effective organization that serves nutritious meals 365 days a year to the food insecure. A small staff bolstered by more than 800 volunteers make it possible to get the 3,000 meals per week prepped and served without a hitch.

The Center recently moved from its previous location in the basement of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral downtown to a new, larger space at

ves as Beacon of Hope

A grant to the Samaritan Center was made possible in part by the Charles F. Brannock Fund. In 1927, Charles F. Brannock developed the Brannock Foot Measuring Device, which became the industry standard almost overnight, revolutionizing the retail shoe business. Before he died in 1992, Brannock generously included a charitable provision in his will establishing this fund so that its earnings would always be available to meet Central New York’s changing needs.

the former St. John the Evangelist Church on Syracuse’s Northside.

Executive Director Mary Beth Frey has seen a major difference.

“Our move to the Northside allows us to reach a wider area of the community,” said Frey. “The new building is much larger and is handicap accessible, which our previous location was not.”

With incredible stained glass windows and beautifully crafted lighting fixtures lining the walls, the building functions as a hopeful refuge for many. In the Center’s previous location, families often had to separate when eating because of the limited space. A Community Foundation grant helped the Center build out a designated family eating space in its new home.

“It was really important for us to create a space where different families can eat together, share experiences and skills and become their own organic support,” said Frey.

The Center’s move has not only increased its capacity to provide meals, but also to support skill development with direct case management and human service agencies available on site. These added activities provide visitors with the resources necessary to move toward selfsufficiency and decreased reliance on emergency food services.

“We set up education opportunities here so that people will know where to go for support,” said Frey. “We ultimately want to give these folks the boost they need to develop and position themselves for future success and independence. “

Visit cnycf.org/2015 to view bonus features from the Samaritan Center, including a video, additional photos and an extended story.

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Hands-on Learning Moti T

om, a sixth-grader with high-functioning autism, often found himself challenged by communication and interactions with others. One day, he headed out with the rest of his classmates to participate in a hands-on learning experience outside of the classroom called Enterprise America. This simulated city, which encompasses the entire third floor of WCNY’s headquarters on East Fayette Street in Syracuse’s Near Westside neighborhood, gives middle school children the opportunity to play out a day of “real life” in their own living, breathing neighborhood.

All four walls of the bright and colorful 10,000 square foot center are lined with a variety of businesses including a Town Hall, café, car repair shop and credit union. When the center is in use, it is a flurry of activity with as many as 120 children from grades five through nine conducting business in the city. As the students are busy building websites, assembling a wind turbine, designing creative signs, applying for a nonprofit grant and writing stories for the newspaper, they are also gaining an understanding of financial and civic leadership, collaboration, creativity, communication and critical-thinking — skills necessary to be successful in today’s global economy.

On this day, Tom took the position of a worker in the city’s package delivery business. He and his fellow students were challenged to lead, solve problems and produce a thriving town through teamwork.

At the end of the day, the children held an assembly to share what they learned from the experience. When it was Tom’s turn to speak, he told his classmates, ‘I’m going to stay in school and graduate college. When I graduate college, I am going to start my own business because today proved that I can.’

“That’s impact,” said Robert Daino, WCNY President and CEO. “That is what this program does. Many children who participate may not have a family unit or the benefits other children might have. This program helps show the children they have what it takes to be whatever they want.”

Syracuse City School District students, 50 percent of whom are living below the poverty line, hold a unique need for such a supportive experience. This year, the Community Foundation awarded WCNY a community grant to help hundreds of Syracuse City School students benefit from the program.

In addition to teaching collaboration and job-readiness skills, Enterprise America is designed to engage students in principles of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), fields in which job availability is predicted to grow at a 22 percent rate over the next 10 years. Prior to their day-long experience at the center, students spend 10 hours preparing in the classroom, learning about the types of jobs available and the skills needed to perform them. Students prepare resumes and apply for jobs in the city, experiencing what it is like to be hired for the positions they choose.

Program facilitators see big things in store for the program, hoping that the community will benefit from children participating and ultimately choosing to stay in school and graduate, resulting in a more educated and diversified workforce.

Visit cnycf.org/2015 to view bonus features from Enterprise America, including a video, additional photos and an extended story.

A grant to WCNY was made possible by The Martha Fund. Ruth Shapiro Blumberg created this fund as a lasting tribute to her daughter Martha. Martha died at the young age of 23, but her zest for life will be honored in perpetuity through this fund to support children’s programs in Onondaga County. Countless children in our region will benefit from the generous commitment Ruth made through her estate to ensure her daughter’s memory would not be forgotten.

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ivates Children

A STUDENT FROM SYRACUSE’S GRANT MIDDLE SCHOOL PARTICIPATES IN THE ENTERPRISE AMERICA EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER LOCATED IN WCNY’S DOWNTOWN HEADQUARTERS.

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Playground Helps All C

A grant to ARISE at the Farm was made possible by the M. Harold & Frances M. Dwyer Fund. Dr. Dwyer was a clinical psychologist and published author at Syracuse University and her husband was an attorney and partner at Hancock & Estabrook, LLP. After Dr. Dwyer’s passing, a bequest in her will established this fund to help aid individuals with disabilities in obtaining assistance and maintaining their independence.

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Children Play Together L

ike most children, Anna Craven’s five-year-old daughter, Calli, enjoys playing outdoors with her four siblings in the summer months. However, being challenged with mobility restrictions from cerebral palsy and epilepsy can make it difficult for Calli to participate in activities at standard playgrounds.

“It has been a challenge for my family to find group accessible activities where Calli can play with her brothers and sisters on her own, without me carrying her around,” said Craven.

This summer, Craven was pleasantly surprised to discover that a new accessible playground was being built at the 77-acre ARISE at the Farm facility in Chittenango.

The organization, which works to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to live freely and independently in the community, installed the new playground to enhance its recreational offerings for children and adults with disabilities.

Craven is just one of the many parents who face obstacles when trying to find accessible outdoor group activities for their families. With a limited number of outdoor play areas in Madison County offering accessible features, it is sometimes challenging for families with a disabled member to find activities to enjoy together.

CALLI CRAVEN, ALONG WITH HER SIBLINGS AND FATHER, ENJOYS THE SEESAW AT THE ARISE AT THE FARM ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND.

The new playground is fully wheelchair accessible. Unique equipment helps to build strength and improve balance. The playground also appeals to the vision- or hearing-impaired by providing activities with instruments and chimes for sound stimulation.

With the help of a Community Foundation grant, ARISE was able to incorporate an all-weather rubberized surface into the design. The unique and durable flooring allows for true independence for visitors using mobility devices.

“When we decided to build this playground, our initial focus was making sure we had a poured rubber surface which has since made it possible for everyone to move independently and freely,” said Nancy Eaton, Director of Development and Public Relations for ARISE. The playground’s other unique features include accessible swings that lay back and include straps for added safety. A large awning in the middle provides shade to visitors who need a break from the sun and a walking track around the outer edge can be used by parents to watch children play.

ARISE at the Farm has been providing a variety of inclusive recreational programs to people of all abilities since its establishment in 1998. Visitors can take advantage of its year-round programs including adaptive and therapeutic horseback riding, summer camps, an accessible fishing pond and a high ropes course.

After only a few short months, it is clear that the new playground has truly become a community asset for families in Madison County and beyond.

“People don’t always understand the small things in life like the fact that you can go down a slide, or on a swing, or even walk through a playground, “ said Craven.

“This playground has brought so much joy to my daughter who can finally play independently alongside her brothers and sisters.”

Visit cnycf.org/2015 to view bonus features from ARISE at the Farm, including a video, additional photos and an extended story.

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Robert & Roberta Hurd

D

uring his schooling at John C. Birdlebough High School in Phoenix, Wyatt Parker excelled in his rigorous coursework and participated in band, theater and community service projects — but none of it came easy. Growing up in poverty meant few school supplies and no internet access to complete his assignments. Due to family challenges, Wyatt went to live with close friends, whom he credits with helping give him the sense of home he needed to work hard and flourish in school.

As he sat with his peers during commencement, ready to graduate as one of the top five students in his class, Parker already had his sights set on attending SUNY Binghamton to study electrical engineering — a degree that would come with a heavy price tag resulting in a deep student loan debt. That was, until the moment he was announced as the first recipient of the Robert & Roberta Hurd Scholarship, as the packed gymnasium erupted in cheers.

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“My first reaction was relief because I knew that college was going to be much more affordable now,” he said.

After the March 2014 passing of Roberta Hurd, a graduate of the Class of 1939, the Robert & Roberta Hurd Scholarship Fund was established with a bequest gift to the Community Foundation — totaling upwards of $1 million. It soon became the largest private scholarship ever granted in the district by awarding $40,000 to a graduating senior of their alma mater each year.

The need is great for this type of financial support in Phoenix, a primarily rural Oswego County community located 15 miles northwest of Syracuse.

“For Wyatt, $40,000 is going to be monumental,” said high school principal Gregory Molloy. “That is going to be a recurring theme over

Generosity of Former Students Lays Groundwork for Future Success

WYATT PARKER STANDS IN THE BAND ROOM OF THE JOHN C. BIRDLEBOUGH HIGH SCHOOL IN PHOENIX, NY, WHERE HE SPENT MANY HOURS PRACTICING WITH HIS CLASSMATES.

the course of time. I don’t think Robert and Roberta would ever have been able to wrap their minds around what the impact really will be.”

What may be most remarkable about this story is that Roberta and Robert led fairly modest lives. Robert worked as a tool and die maker and Roberta worked her entire life as an accountant. They never had children, but both believed strongly in the importance of a good education.

Robert died during Thanksgiving weekend in 1992, three months shy of their 50th wedding anniversary. Roberta went on to live another 20 years after his death, but she always missed the man she said was her true soul mate.

In 1993, Roberta reached out to the Community Foundation to establish a scholarship fund in her husband’s memory. She requested that the

scholarship be awarded to a student in the top 15% scholastic rating of his or her class who demonstrates some level of financial need and exemplifies high moral values.

Roberta’s love for her husband and their alma mater not only motivated her gift, but will live on in the lives of the many children who will benefit from it. Parker hopes to utilize his college degree to enter the field of radar systems or alternative energy sources.

“I want to change the world with physics and calculus,” he said.

Thanks to Roberta’s foresight, Parker’s dream is one big step closer to becoming a reality.

Visit cnycf.org/2015 to view bonus features from the Robert & Roberta Hurd Scholarship Fund, including a video and an extended story.

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Local Gives

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l Business Owner Back to Community R

ita Reicher acknowledges that Central New York helped her company, KS&R, prosper for more than 30 years, attracting a talented workforce that set the firm up for success.

Feeling fortunate for all the community gave to her, Rita set out to express her gratitude through charitable giving. Rita established a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation to help administer her giving. As a board member, she was familiar with the Community Foundation’s efforts to encourage and facilitate philanthropy.

“The staff works hard to help people understand the importance of giving, ensure the funds are managed to grow as much as possible for the benefit of the community and identify the region’s needs and resources needed to address them,” she said.

Rita was pleasantly surprised by the convenience and added benefits she experienced by being a fundholder.

“I used to give to my favorite charities by writing check after check — a time consuming and tedious effort — before establishing my fund,” she said. “Now giving to multiple charities, both here and around the globe, is quick and easy with just the click of a button.”

After using her fund for a short time, Rita was delighted to find that growth in the fund will allow her to give more to the charities she holds most dear.

“It was exciting to see that by allowing my fund to grow in the Community Foundation’s investment pool, I can give more over time than I would have been able to previously,” she said.

When asked what she would tell a fellow business owner who may be wondering whether they should give charitably, she responded, “Just do it.”

Knowing the many flexible giving options the Community Foundation offers for various situations, she recommends reaching out to staff to find the right fit for each unique situation.

“You can establish a fund at the Community Foundation without being immensely wealthy and begin taking advantage of its benefits right away,” she said. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Visit cnycf.org/give to learn more about donor-advised funds and other giving options.

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Grantmaking T

he following grants awarded in Fiscal Year 2015, were made possible through the A.L. Lee Memorial, Shirley M. Aubrey, Carriage House Foundation, Charles F. Brannock, Community Literacy, Coon, J. Henry & Martha E. DeBoer, Mary Louise Dunn, M. Harold & Frances M. Dwyer, Educational Endowment, Harold & Marion Edwards and O.M. Edwards Co., Environmental, John M. & Mary L. Gallinger, Flora Mather Hosmer, John H. & Mary P. Hughes, Harry & Helen Barnes Jewell, Leo & Natalie Jivoff, Marjorie D. Kienzle, Lewis-Trinity, George & Luella Krahl, John F. Marsellus, Martha, Lettie H. Rohrig, James & Eileen Miller, Durston Sanford & Doris Sanford, Spanfelner, Syracuse Dispensary, Walter A. Thayer, William & Mary Thorpe Charitable and Community Funds.

Arts, Culture & Humanities

Environment & Animals

Museum of Science & Technology (MoST) $40,000

American Farmland Trust

$15,000

Audubon New York

$30,000

CNY Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CNYSPCA)

$50,000

Onondaga Earth Corps

$20,500

Renovate the museum’s Science Shop for better flow, visibility and product placement

Onondaga County Department of Parks $50,000 & Recreation

Develop the Skä·noñh Great Law of Peace Center, which will feature interactive exhibits that showcase Haudenosaunee culture, values and tradition

Point of Contact

$10,000

Symphoria

$18,000

Upgrade its audio/visual system to better exhibit contemporary arts from around the world

Implement Sounds of Nature, a multi-media orchestra program to be performed at four middle schools along with discussion and demonstration

Education 100 Black Men of Syracuse

Implement Saturday Academy, an educational mentoring program that aims to help Syracuse City School students understand the fundamental concepts of math, science and language arts

Learning Disabilities of CNY

$100,000

Construct a new facility to improve technology and automation, collection development, and multipurpose usage by the Oneida community

Skaneateles Library Association

Install a satellite station at the Skaneateles YMCA, which will allow library card holders to pick up and drop off books from the Onondaga County Public Library catalogue

WCNY

$10,366

Renovate its large dog kennels for the safety of the dogs and visitors and to control the spread of illness Purchase a van that will transport its expanded youth volunteer force to ongoing conservation activities, including tree planting and maintenance of green infrastructure sites

Health Support the establishment of the Adult Obesity Prevention and Reduction Initiative focusing on education, nutrition and physical activity

$47,000

Human Services American Red Cross of CNY

$20,000

ARISE at the Farm

$20,000

Aurora of CNY

$30,000

Children’s Consortium

$39,459

Implement its Community Resilience Strategy program, designed to increase civic participation in emergency preparedness

Build an inclusive playground that is fully accessible for children of all abilities at its Chittenango location

$26,708

Send Syracuse City School District students through its Enterprise America program, which provides 30 hours of classroom curriculum followed by a hands-on simulated city experience

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Hire a local coordinator to oversee Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps’ environmental education and community engagement activities

Syracuse Community Health Center

$20,000

Install a new telephone system

Oneida Public Library

$10,000

Establish the Local Agriculture and Land Leadership Institute to educate local farm owners and community leaders on land use and economic development issues that impact agriculture

Train a specialized job readiness coach and deaf interpreter, who will work with refugees who are deaf or hard of hearing

Expand its Nurturing Parenting program at 410 Crouse Methadone Clinic, which assists drug-dependent parents with developing self-awareness, empathy, family communication and disciplinary alternatives Grantmaking

Clear Path for Veterans

$30,000

Contact Community Services

$30,000

Food Bank of CNY

$30,000

Establish the Home for the Brave program, which will train future service dogs prior to being paired with veterans Update the materials used by crisis hotline volunteers and add crisis chat volunteer training

Purchase a transport vehicle that will provide the organization with the capacity to accept all donated food items

Frank H. Hiscock Legal Aid Society

$35,000

Purchase new computers to utilize a web-based case and document management system that will centralize data pertaining to its free legal services cases

Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways

$29,595

Expand the Be a Friend First (BFF) anti-bullying program to deliver school-day sessions to 1,800 Syracuse City School District girls in grades 4-8

$23,543

Support the Phoenix Center’s Soaring Eagles program, which provides an educational experience outside of school for at-risk middle school students in the Syracuse City School District Renovate the agency’s new James Street facility, which houses its refugee resettlement and other support services under one roof

$100,000

$16,620

Matthew 25 Farm

$20,000

Transform the lobby area of the Cunningham-Fahey Skilled Nursing Facility into a welcoming space for residents and families to gather, visit and participate in organized recreation

Purchase farm equipment that will increase its yield of fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution at Central New York food pantries and soup kitchens Expand the Mentoring/Empowerment Networking program, which advises first-generation college students on the skills and professional connections that lead to employment opportunities

PEACE, Inc.

Spanish Action League of Onondaga County $33,000 Launch the Youth and Careers program, which will encourage Latino youth to explore a professional path through community involvement and connection with professional role models and educational opportunities

Syracuse Habitat for Humanity

$35,000

Westcott Community Center

$12,243

Hire a Rehabilitation Construction Manager, who will oversee its new program to renovate vacant properties in the City of Syracuse Upgrade a computer lab utilized by after-school, tutoring, adult learning, literacy and senior training programs

Cortland Area Communities that Care

$9,120

Develop a community solutions action plan to launch a new literacy initiative

Madison County Literacy Coalition

Support ongoing costs including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, an executive director and a part-time adult literacy program director

$50,000

Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County $160,000

Loretto Health & Rehabilitation Center

On Point for College

$100,000

Build-out of a family dining area at its new location on Syracuse’s Northside

Literacy

Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection

Interfaith Works of Central New York

The Samaritan Center

$23,984

Support the Campaign for Grade Level Reading, the Adult Education Referral Initiative, and Imagination Library. From a portion of this funding, LCOC distributed Literacy Champion grants to organizations working to increase literacy by focusing on young children and parent engagement in reading. The following grant recipients were selected by a LCOC awards committee:

Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park Support the Tadpole Academy program

The Newland Center

In partnership with PEACE, Inc., promote Imagination Library through family programming and supplies

Northside Learning Center

Conduct the Parents Reading with Children program

$30,000

Partners in Learning

Purchase snowplow equipment for winter maintenance of its parking lots, frequented daily by those utilizing its childcare, mentoring, nutrition, financial, housing and family resource services

Lead MANOS intergenerational learning circles

Rescue Mission Alliance

Support the Learning to Read; Families Together program

$100,000

Expand its emergency shelter in Syracuse, addressing a growing need for overnight services that provide a safe and secure alternative for the homeless

Redhouse Arts Center

Conduct dramatized readings of Imagination Library books

Syracuse University, LCM/STEP Center

Grantmaking

| 17

Performance Management Baltimore Woods Nature Center

$19,990

Child Care Solutions

$20,000

Children’s Consortium

$20,000

Measure the effectiveness of its Nature in the City program in improving academic performance of Syracuse City School District students Examine the impact of its technical assistance programs provided to child care centers in the field of literacy programming Identify the improvements in parenting skills acquired by participants of its Nurturing Parenting program

Huntington Family Centers

$20,000

Determine whether its intervention programs affect school attendance, behavioral referrals and overall academic performance

Interfaith Works

$20,000

Greater Syracuse Works

$20,000

Digitize and analyze survey responses from program participants at its Ahmad and Elizabeth E-Hindi Center for Dialogue Establish a community-wide system for tracking employment-related outcomes and identifying client overlap between partner organizations

Southwest Community Center

$8,250

Evaluate the impact of its after-school programming on children’s math scores

St. Camillus Health and Rehabilitation Center

$16,310

Analyze the value of its outpatient, post-hospital visit rehabilitation services offered through the Diagnostic and Treatment Center

On Point For College

$20,000

Define how career action plans influence employment opportunities for student participants of its On Point for Jobs program

United Way of CNY

Measure the community outcomes achieved as a result of its funding and programs

$17,090

Public & Societal Benefit Consensus

$50,000

Solicit public opinion on the efficiency and effectiveness of local government to inform future recommendations for government modernization

Syracuse Urban Renewal Agency

$30,000

Conduct public dialogue and develop conceptual designs for the redesign of a new city park in Downtown Syracuse 18 |

Grantmaking

Small Grants.

Big Impact.

T

he Community Foundation supports small investments in projects that identify and address community needs. In Fiscal Year 2015, we awarded nearly 100 small grants, totaling more than $170,000. The following are some highlights.

Cazenovia Area Community Development Association

$3,616

Honor Flight of Syracuse

$5,000

Fair Housing Council of CNY

$8,486

Move Along

$5,886

Northern Onondaga Public Library

$5,000

Syracuse Shakespeare Festival

$3,100

Town of Salina

$7,000

Town of Smithfield

$5,000

Support BikeCaz program and outreach to the local Amish community

Purchase equipment and supplies to aid in the transport of World War II veterans to Washington D.C. memorials

Increase awareness of equal housing services in Madison County

Promote options for individuals with disabilities to engage in adaptive sports to improve independence

Upgrade LibraryFarm community garden benefitting North Syracuse residents and food pantries

Produce No Bully Shakespeare to help school students recognize and overcome bullying situations

Rehabilitate deteriorated baseball fields at Wemesfelder Park

Provide tornado disaster relief to residents of Peterboro

These grants were made possible through the Small Grants and Initiatives, Coon, P-D, and Ralph Myron Sayer & Sophrona Davis Sayer Endowment Funds.

Therapy Animals Provide Comfort

H

eads turn when Maxx, a 120-pound mound of white fluff proudly displaying a yellow bandana, lumbers down the hall at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center. Maxx is serving as the canine partner of a certified Therapy Animal Team. Hospital visitors and medical staff passing by take a moment to send a smile in his direction, pat his head, or if he is really lucky, give a vigorous belly scratch. You can see the tension start to lift away as their faces light up with a smile. Such is the job of a therapy animal — to enjoy the company of people from all walks of life, while helping to brighten their day.

Maxx and his owner, Maureen, are one of 35 therapy teams that conduct regular visits to schools, nursing homes, hospitals, libraries and community outreach programs through Pet Partners of Syracuse. Those they visit are often stressed or depressed, but experience a sense of comfort and decrease in their anxiety levels when interacting with a visiting dog or cat.

Co-founder Susan Gilberti and the other therapy teams witness the power their dogs and cats have during each visit. She describes it as an emotional experience.

“When you enter a room or a hallway with an animal, there’s an instant smile on anyone who looks at you,” she said. “People just feel better right away.”

A Community Foundation grant assisted Pet Partners with the cost of technology that is now used to conduct recruiting presentations.

Therapy dogs like Maxx don’t likely realize the positive impact they are making while enjoying the company of so many people during their visits. Whether they are helping a child to read, visiting a lonely resident in a nursing home or hospital, or de-stressing a college student during finals week, they are lifting spirits one belly rub at a time.

Visit cnycf.org/2015 to view bonus features from Pet Partners of Syracuse, including a video, additional photos and an extended story.

A grant to Pet Partners of Syracuse was made possible by the Tiny Rubenstein Animal Welfare Fund. Tiny’s legacy is reflected in the many animals that she rescued, treated and cared for so passionately and generously over her lifetime. Her husband of 30 years, Jeff, established this fund in her memory to support organizations that promote the health, safety, comfort and welfare of animals.

THERAPY DOG MAXX PROVIDES COMFORT TO A PATIENT AT ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL HEALTH CENTER.

Advance

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HONOR YESTERDAY. F or nearly 100 years, the Greek Revival building at 431 East Fayette Street in Downtown Syracuse sat stoically as neighboring buildings came and went, and generations of people passed by and admired its unique beauty. When we purchased this local gem six years ago, it struck us that the structure remained firmly rooted in Syracuse history, yet seemed to be calling for a new mission to bloom and take shape.

Now, with the CNY Philanthropy Center nearing its five-year anniversary, this repurposed structure has flourished into a space for endless collaboration toward a common goal — to help Central New York and its residents succeed and thrive.

TENANTS With the addition of several new tenants this year, the building has reached 100 percent occupancy. Sharing work space with other philanthropic organizations is opening doors to unprecedented partnerships.

COMMUNITY SPACE

The Center’s recently renovated third floor includes a new conference room, adding to our first floor meeting rooms and second floor ballroom, which are all available for use by nonprofit and governmental organizations. We are also putting this valuable space to good use by convening around community issues and providing our region’s nonprofit staff with organizational and professional development opportunities.

LEED® CERTIFICATION

This year, the Philanthropy Center was awarded LEED® Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for implementing sustainable practices during renovations and incorporating features that limit water and energy use as well as maximize indoor air quality.

Thanks to the building’s shared community spaces and the addition of our tenants, the Center has become an active, visible and accessible focal point for our community’s charitable activities. We couldn’t be happier with the bold choice our board made in 2009 to invest in our home.

We believe that the Center will continue to inspire new collaborations, ignite ideas and help advance our community to even greater heights for generations to come.

ADVANCE TOMORROW. 20 |

Honor Yesterday. Advance Tomorrow.

Better Together LEARNING TOGETHER FOR ADVANCEMENT

W

hen we opened the Philanthropy Center five years ago, we envisioned using the available convening space to add a higher level of support to local nonprofits through learning activities. Since then, more than 1,100 attendees from more than 324 nonprofit organizations have participated in the Nonprofit Essentials Workshop Series (NEWS) to gain knowledge on a variety of tools for professional and organizational development.

Many have taken away valuable skills and techniques to implement within their organizations.

COMBINING RESOURCES FOR A BETTER TOMORROW Our Philanthropy Center meeting space allows us to convene organizations from various sectors and partner in funding collaborations. During Fiscal Year 2015, we partnered with local community leaders from the private, public and nonprofit sectors on the following efforts to find innovative and effective solutions to community-wide issues.

Early Childhood Alliance is a collection of community partners working to encourage a more holistic and collaborative approach to meeting the needs of our region’s youngest residents. This alliance, which evolved from an early childhood study conducted by Onondaga Citizen’s League and Syracuse 20/20, received technical assistance from the Community Foundation.

Human Services Leadership Council (HSLC) is a regional network of human service agencies working together to identify opportunities and provide coordinated, high-quality responses to human service needs in Central New York. Through grant and facilitation support, the Community Foundation joined multiple area funders to help the HSLC in its efforts to strengthen member agencies serving our region.

Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders is an eight-week training program focused on increasing the pool of diverse nonprofit board members in our community. The Community Foundation assisted with program development and implementation of this program, which resulted from a collaboration between the Gifford Foundation, Leadership Greater Syracuse, the Human Services Leadership Council and other community leaders.

Work-Train Collaborative is a workforce development initiative designed to create job opportunities for lowincome residents in Central New York. The Community Foundation partnered with CenterState CEO (Corporation for Economic Opportunity), United Way of Central New York, the Allyn Foundation and more than 20 community partners and funders to provide career pathways to low-income individuals while fulfilling staffing needs of local employers.

Syracuse Safe & Efficient Homes is an effort to assist low-income Syracuse households in using less energy and creating homes free of health and safety hazards that may otherwise impact education and employment. This collaboration of the NYS Office of the Attorney General, Home HeadQuarters, the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York, local government entities and various community-based organizations received convening, facilitation and grant funding assistance from the Community Foundation. Together, the collaboration successfully garnered a $1 million state grant to advance this effort.

Honor Yesterday. Advance Tomorrow. | 21

Community Initiatives I

n addition to its convening efforts and professional development workshops, the Community Foundation offers other programs that focus on specific areas of interest and community need. To learn more about these initiatives, visit cnycf.org/initiatives.

2014-2015 TLC GRADUATING CLASS

The Leadership Classroom (TLC)

SAMPLE GRAPH FROM CNYVITALS.ORG

CNY Vitals: A Community Indicators Project

CNY Vitals provides information on trends and issues facing area residents to generate discussion, inform goal setting and celebrate community successes. In Fiscal Year 2015, an automated tool was introduced to update data in a timely manner. A community report card system was also rolled out to assist literacy and early childhood coalitions in measuring progress towards their goals.

BELOW: THE ORIGINAL FENCING IN FRONT OF THE NOW CNY PHILANTHROPY CENTER BUILDING STILL STANDS.

22 |

Community Initiatives

TLC provides an interactive opportunity for individuals to learn advanced skills in grassroots leadership. Participant groups receive a $3,500 grant to implement projects that are planned during the training. This year, 28 individuals representing six organizations graduated from TLC.

Literacy Coalitions

The Community Foundation provides management and research support to the literacy coalitions of Onondaga and Madison counties. Both organizations collaborate with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides one free, age-appropriate book per month from birth through age five to children living either in the City of Syracuse or Madison County. Combined, the coalitions have distributed more than 100,000 books to over 6,200 children in our region. This year we also began support and community convening in Cortland County to help launch the development of a new literacy coalition.

Marsellus Executive Development Program

The Marsellus Executive Development Program is a six-month leadership training program focused on helping nonprofit leaders to become more focused, energized and effective. Ten participants graduated from the program in this inaugural year.

Staff Advancement Initiative

The Staff Advancement Initiative awards grants for frontline workers in nonprofit agencies to attend courses and training seminars that fall outside their organizations’ training budgets. This year, 38 participants received a total of $24,854 for professional development.

enriching the nonprofit leadership of central new york

John F. Marsellus Sabbatical

The John F. Marsellus Sabbatical allows nonprofit leaders the opportunity to set aside time for reflection, learning and renewal — all of which contribute to the effectiveness of their leadership. This year, Shane Lavalette, Director of Light Work, was awarded a grant for personal and professional development.

SHANE LAVALETTE

Performance Management Learning Community

The Performance Management Initiative awards grants to help nonprofits develop their capacity to use data to better manage their work. Ultimately, these skills can improve the precision and confidence with which organizations tell the stories of their impact on the community. Each organization is invited to participate in a year-long learning community to share their project implementation experiences. In the 2015 fiscal year, 10 organizations participated in our third learning community. See page 18 to learn more about their projects.

SYRACUSE CITY CHILDREN TAKE PART IN THE LITERACY COALITION OF ONONDAGA COUNTY’S CELEBRATION OF READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY.

Community Initiatives

| 23

New Funds W

e gratefully acknowledge the generous community-minded individuals, families and organizations that established new funds at the Community Foundation this year. These funds will benefit the community now and for generations to come. To view a full list of all of our funds, visit cnycf.org/funds.

Community Funds JOHN R. PELKEY COMMUNITY FUND & JOHN R. PELKEY FUND John Pelkey, a World War II veteran and devoted Catholic, died at the age of 92.

He set up this fund to support the broad and changing needs of the community in perpetuity. Pelkey also established a designated fund to provide for his parish, St. John the Baptist Church, and Covenant House, an organization that serves homeless youth.

Designated Funds AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST SPEAKERS FUND The American Agriculturist Speakers Fund supports the expenses of hosting keynote and panelist speakers at the NYS Agricultural Society’s Annual Forum. This is the largest statewide agricultural meeting, bringing together all sectors of the food system to explore topics critical to the future of New York agriculture.

In 1935, The American Agriculturist magazine created the American Agriculturist Foundation, which for 80 years has made strategic investments to qualified organizations to strengthen the Northeastern U.S. agriculture industry.

BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP FUND This fund was established

by Blessed Sacrament Church parishioners to provide scholarship assistance to families with children attending Blessed Sacrament School.

ALICE AND CLIFFORD COHEN FUND Alice Cohen established this fund with her family to honor the memory of her husband, Clifford, and realize her lifelong effort to provide a happier, more fulfilling life to those suffering from mental illness. The fund supports the Friendship Network, sponsored by a National Alliance on Mental Illness affiliate. Recognizing the crucial need to establish a fulfilling social life as part of recovery, the Friendship Network brings mentally ill individuals together to provide activities and support.

24 |

New Funds

WILLIAM L. GAEDEKE FAMILY FUND Florence G. Gaedeke was the first person from her English family to be born in America. She married her high school sweetheart and soon after had their first son, William (Billy). Tragically, Billy was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1988.

Florence established this fund through her estate in memory of her son to support several charities that address a variety of health issues.

JULIETTE KLEIN SHARPE FUND Juliette Klein Sharpe felt truly blessed by her network of friends and her small community. “God takes care of fools and Julie” was something said often by the Skaneateles resident. She invoked this phrase to express how lucky she felt and how grateful she was for the many ways that her friends and various local nonprofits had enriched her life. A cancer diagnosis spurred Julie to think about the ways that she wanted to honor her friends and show appreciation for these organizations that impacted her so deeply. Her fund is designated to support a number of charities for which she had volunteered or had benefitted from service, ranging from nature to health and human services.

Field-of-Interest Funds NBT BANK FUND

As an independent community bank, NBT Bank is committed to supporting the local communities where it does business. In late 2014, the bank transferred funds held for use to address the charitable needs of residents of Oswego County into a field-of-interest fund called the NBT Bank Fund. Partnering with the Oswego County Community Foundation, an affiliate fund of the Central New York Community Foundation, the NBT Bank Fund will continue the bank’s tradition of community service by providing grants to nonprofit organizations that serve the residents of Oswego County.

COMMUNITY PUBLIC ART FUND The Community Public Art Fund supports the maintenance, installation and acquisition of public art in Syracuse and Onondaga County as well as the advancement of public support for involvement in public art processes and activities.

Scholarship Funds HUDSON FAMILY FOUNDATION George C. Hudson was described by colleagues as a “giant at Colgate,” with his contributions to faculty colleagues and to generations of students creating an enduring legacy. He was loved by his students, alumni and faculty alike.

This fund was created by George’s wife in his memory and will provide an annual scholarship award to a graduating student of Waterville Senior High School, where his son attended.

The scholarship will be awarded to students who wish to pursue higher education, demonstrate financial need, are within the top 13 students of their graduating class, participate in extracurricular activities, and exhibit honesty.

Nonprofit Agency Funds ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION CENTRAL NEW YORK CHAPTER FUND The Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter is a nonprofit organization working to eliminate the disease through the advancement of research, provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

This fund was established to ensure the organization has a permanent source of income to meet future needs.

SKANEATELES COMMUNITY CENTER ENDOWMENT FUND

The Skaneateles Community Center (SCC) established this fund to create a permanent source of support for capital improvements to its facility. The SCC provides recreational and wellness opportunities that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

SKANEATELES COMMUNITY CENTER EMERSON FUND

The Fred L. Emerson Foundation created this fund to endow facility capital improvements at the Skaneateles Community Center.

Donor-Advised Funds Donors established the following donor-advised funds to increase their charitable impact and simplify giving: Anonymous Allyn Fund for Arts & Culture The Athelda Fund Badger State Civic Fund

CENTER FOR THE ARTS OF HOMER FUND The Center for the Arts of Homer is an arts, entertainment and education venue located in the heart of Cortland County. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life for the people of Central New York by engaging them in a broad offering of arts education and entertainment that preserves and enriches the local culture and provides stewardship for a historically significant site. The Center established this fund to develop a permanent source of funding for its facilities and programming, and to nurture its vision of making the arts a vital part of growth in the local community.

David Bisha Family Foundation

NEW YORK FFA LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOUNDATION The mission of the New York FFA Leadership Training Foundation is to build and maintain a financial base that will allow the New York Future Farmers of America to generate well-educated, careerfocused and productive citizens. The fund will support members of the New York FFA Association with opportunities for premier leadership, personal growth and career success.

Mary Pat & L. Richard Oliker Fund

Carrick Family Foundation Centscere Philanthropic Fund Linda and Joe Cook Fund Dairy Farmers of America Charitable Foundation Fuller Family Fund Griffith Family Fund Mary Louise Hartenstein Fund Anthony Malavenda & Martine Burat Fund Martin-Zombek Construction Services Fund Marty Family Fund Osborne Memorial Association Fund Rade Family Foundation Martin J. & Jody H. Satalin Family Fund Stephen C. Schmidt Memorial Foundation Mark & Reghan Worden Family Fund

New Funds

| 25

How to Give Do you want to get more out of your personal charitable giving?

Let us be your partner.

Giving can be made easier. You can be remembered for your generosity.

We can help.

For more than 88 years, thousands of individuals have provided for the future of Central New York by donating to the Community Foundation. We have a proven track record of successful financial management, collaborative community leadership and knowledge of the art and science of giving. We pride ourselves on offering you flexible and customized ways to give, listening to your goals and helping you create a plan that fits your needs.

We invite you to join us in making a difference in the future of our community.

Creating a Charitable Legacy You care about the future of your community. We can plan with you to continue your charitable work in perpetuity. You can be remembered in this community the way that you want to be.

There is no time like the present to think about how you want to deploy a portion of your assets for community benefit after you are gone. Legacy planning at the Community Foundation focuses on helping you transmit your values, identify the issues you care about, and capture your personal life story.

We start by meeting with you to find out about your life and what matters most to you. Ultimately, we create a letter of instruction that will provide guidance on the future charitable use of your bequest donation.

Your instructions can be modified over time as your interests change without revisiting your estate planning documents.

Getting More from Your Personal Giving You support many charities each year, but checkbook contributions are difficult to keep track of and might not be the most tax-efficient giving.

We can be your partner, making your giving easier and more rewarding.

It may be time to consider the benefits of opening a donor-advised fund to manage your personal giving.

You can donate a variety of assets to your fund, including appreciated securities, stock in closely held businesses, or real estate. Your tax deduction is taken in the year you make the gift to your account and you no longer have to worry about collecting receipts from the many charities that will receive grants from your fund.

Donor-advised funds also offer features such as optional anonymity in your giving, the opportunity to invest your charitable funds with the goal of tax-free, long-term growth, and access to our professional staff who can provide advice and research on issues or charities of interest to you. This type of fund can be much easier to administer than an existing private foundation that you might have set up to facilitate your giving. We can also help you transition your existing private foundation to a donor-advised fund.

Interested in exploring options for your personal giving? Call us at 315-422-9538 or visit cnycf.org/give.

Options for legacy gifts include a direct bequest through your will, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), life insurance policies, or any other personal asset. No matter what your financial means or how much you plan to leave to charity, the Community Foundation can be the home of your legacy.

FIREPLACE LOCATED IN THE PHILANTHROPY CENTER’S FIRST FLOOR BOARD ROOM, A COMMUNITY CONVENING SPACE FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

26 |

How to Give

The Legacy Society D

onors who understand the importance of a permanent community endowment have trusted the Community Foundation to carefully manage and distribute their charitable funds for generations. The Legacy Society provides a way to recognize and honor those individuals who plan to benefit the Community Foundation through their wills, qualified retirement plans, life insurance policies, gift annuities, charitable trusts or pooled life income fund gifts. We thank them and appreciate their generosity and thoughtfulness.

Anonymous (32)

Elspeth J.C. Kerr

Jeffrey Rubenstein

Lester C. Allen

Mrs. Sally Kimball

Phyllis Schwartz

Eugene G. Armani

Gail M. Kinsella

Bonnie & Richard Scolaro

Ronald & Carole Beckman

Kathleen & James Kinsey

Karen R. Seymour

Steven Blind

John H. & Polly B. Koerner

Rhoda Sikes

Vicki Brackens

George & Luella Krahl

Lillian Slutzker

William V. Brennan

Bruce Lane

Paul M. Solomon

Minna R. Buck

Jim & Harriet Keysor LeChander

Betsy-Ann N. Stone

Phillip & Helen Buck

Harold & Mary Leonard

Celestine & John Thompson

Jack B. Capron

Martha Leopold

Charles & Cynthia G. Tracy

Marilyn F. Crosby

Zalie & Bob Linn

Marcia & Williamu Travis

Michael and Elaine Crough

James E. Mackin, Esq.

John S. Tuttle

Virginia M. DeBenedictis

Jim & Ruth Marshall

Franklin & Diane Wheelock

Bob & Joan Derrenbacker

Hon. Neal P. McCurnu

Barbara C. Wheler

James R. Donley

Elisa Mescon

Catherine J. Winger

Peter J. Emerson

Anne L. Messenger

Mr. & Mrs. J. Warren Young

Paul M. Engle

Pauline M. Monz

Ralph Ferrara

Stephen W. Moyer

Dorris A. Fox

Mr. & Mrs. John J. Murphy III

Marc B. Fried

Kathryn Nickerson

Lee M. Gatta & Joe Reddick

Theodore H. & Mary-Pat Northrup

Barbara W. Genton

Margaret G. Ogden

Viola M. Hallu

Steve Pekich

Mr. & Mrs. Burnett D. Haylor

Eileen B. Phillips

William & Sandra Hemmerlein

Richard B. & Neva S. Pilgrim

Linda L. Henley

Lucinda Porter

Alexander & Charlotte Holstein

Mr. & Mrs. William W. Porter

Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Hood

Marcia & James Quigley

Dr. Peter & Mary Huntington

Jon L.u & Joyce P. Regier

Elaine & Steven L. Jacobs

Roger & Margaret Reid

u Deceased during 2015 Fiscal Year, April 1, 2014 – March 31, 2015

RESTORED SHUTTERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY CLUB BUILDING ON DISPLAY AT THE CNY PHILANTHROPY CENTER.

Legacy Society

| 27

Community Fund Donors The Community Fund gives us the resources and flexibility necessary to respond to the most critical issues facing Central New York. The majority of our community grantmaking, special initiatives and civic engagement grants are made through this fund. The donors listed below allow us to grow a permanent source of charitable dollars and are gratefully acknowledged.

Christopher Abbott

Mark L. Feldman

KeyBank Foundation

Ruth C. Putter Revocable Trust

Mr. & Mrs. Robert R. Andrews

David A. Kilpatrick

Daniel D. Rabuzzi

Ruthnie Angrand

Mr. Michael S. Fish & Mrs. Marion Hancock Fish

Myia Knapp

Dr. Rita L. Reicher

Dianne Apter

Edward Fogarty

Jan & Patrick Lane

Rande S. Richardson

Mr. & Mrs. James M. Asher

Mr. David Fulmer & Mr. Scott Fulmer

Gary J. Lavine

Frank Ridzi

Darcy Lawyer

Elaine Rubenstein

Joseph B. Lee

Jeff & Julie Rubenstein

Harold & Mary Leonard

Mary Rulison

Tim Atseff & Peggy Ogden Mr. & Mrs. Warren W. Bader Ellen Bacon

Gaylord Estate Dr. Edward W. Gibbin & Mrs. Yvonne B. Gibbin

John E. & Anne N. Baldwin Charitable Fund

Mr. Richard Green & Mrs. Dolores Green

Mr. H. Richard Levy John Lough

William A. Schiess, MD & Betty Bone Schiess

Marilyn M. Bittner

Mrs. Anne C. Maier

N. Olive Sephuma

Carolyn Boone

Mr. Thomas M. Griffith & Mrs. Kelly C. Griffith

Mansukh J. Shah

Ruth P. Hancock

Juliet Maloff

The Breuer Family

Ms. Rhoda L. Sikes

Evelyn C. Carter

Elizabeth T. Hartman & Jason T. Hartman

Candace & John Marsellus Sandy & Dan Masterpolo

Sharye A. Skinner

George Matthews

Elizabeth Smith

Monica M. Merante

Robyn Smith

Richard Moseson

Spencer A. Smith

Mr. Stephen B. Nathan & Mrs. Mary Jane Nathan

The Solomon Family

Judith Nicholson

Sunset Trace Water Aerobics

Danielle & Patrick Hurley

The Northrup Family

Gregory R. Thornton

Wanda H. Irish

Marion R. Nydam

Mr. Theodore F. Jarosz & Mrs. Susan T. Jarosz

William D. O’Brien

Mr. Alexander J. Torelli & Mrs. Cynthia A. Torelli

Jennifer & John Owens

Maryann M. Winters

F. Maureen Jowett

Dr. Paul E. Phillips & Ms. Sharon P. Sullivan

Amanda Wright

Elizabeth Cavallaro Ann E. Collins Mr. & Mrs. James Crocker Hugh Cullman Kathleen Deaver Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey M. DeSimone Mrs. Linda Dickerson Hartsock & Dr. John Hartsock Mrs. Carolyn Doughty & Mr. Philip Doughty Peter & Brigid Dunn John G. & Pamela B. Eberle

In Memory/ In Honor Of The following people were named with gifts to the Community Fund in their honor or memory.

J. Roland Craner Peter A. Dunn Hon. Stewart F. Hancock Fred V. Honnold David J. Moynihan Gale H. Owen Dr. Jake Smorol

Charlotte Hillsberg Joseph J. Hipius Mrs. Madelyn H. Hornstein & Mr. Dale H. Hornstein Hebert S. & Eleanore L. Howard Charitable Fund

Belle Keech Trust Fund

Community Funding Partners The following organizations donated in-kind or monetary support towards our programs.

55 Plus Magazine

Integrated Software Systems

The Bonadio Group

Mackenzie Hughes, LLP

Bousquet Holstein, PLLC

NBT Financial Group

Central New York Business Journal Colonial Consulting

Onondaga County Department of Social Services

Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs

Prudential, Empire State Agency

Estate Planning Council of Central New York

The Rulison Group, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Financial Planning Association of Central New York

The John Ben Snow Memorial Trust

The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York Lee Gatta, CLU, CLTC, AEP, ChFC

28 |

Community Fund Donors

Jennifer Speicher

Society of Financial Services Professionals Syracuse Media Group

Affiliate Funds T

he Community Foundation’s Affiliate Funds are field-of-interest funds governed by independent advisory groups. Combined, these funds distributed more than $110,000 in grants last year, demonstrating the strength and impact that a union of gifts can have in a community when fueled by the power of endowment.

The Women’s Fund of Central New York

The Women’s Fund awarded $30,500 in grants to 12 nonprofit organizations. Lockheed Martin provided the funding for two of the grants in support of programs that serve female veterans and/or science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. The Fund supports projects that improve the lives of women and girls. It also educates women about philanthropy and engages them in creating change through collective and targeted giving. Since its inception in 1998, the Women’s Fund has awarded grants totaling more than $218,000 to programs that support, empower and promote the advancement and full participation of women and girls in Central New York.

The Greater Pulaski Community Endowment Fund The Greater Pulaski Community Endowment Fund, a combination of gifts contributed by the people of the Pulaski community and matching funds from the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, awarded $21,440 in grants in Fiscal Year 2015. The Fund provides grants to nonprofit organizations addressing community needs in the Village of Pulaski and the Town of Richland. Since its inception in 1992, the Fund has awarded more than $265,000 in grants to benefit the Pulaski community.

The Cayuga Community Fund

The Cayuga Community Fund completed its fifth year of grantmaking by awarding $55,122 in grants to 25 organizations in Cayuga County across a diverse spectrum of focus areas. Created in 2008, the Cayuga Community Fund oversees several geographically specific charitable funds with the common purpose of providing permanent charitable dollars to local nonprofits. It has awarded nearly $200,000 in grants to benefit Cayuga County charities.

Oswego County Community Foundation

In 2013, a concerned group of Oswego County residents and business leaders established the Oswego County Community Foundation (OCCF), a geographically specific fund that will provide the region’s charitable organizations with a new source of long-term philanthropic support.

OCCF recently achieved its initial $500,000 fundraising goal with the help of gifts and pledges from Oswego residents and local businesses. Contributions totaling nearly $400,000 as of March 31, 2015 helped OCCF secure a $200,000 matching grant jointly issued last year by the Central New York Community Foundation and the Richard S. Shineman Foundation. OCCF will begin its first round of grantmaking in 2015 to benefit local nonprofit organizations that address a broad range of issues including arts and culture, environment and animal welfare, education, human services, health and civic affairs.

The Future Fund of Central New York

The Future Fund of Central New York began as a memberdriven giving circle established to involve and empower emerging philanthropists. For the past 10 years, the Future Fund’s membership has voted on a specific area each year to support through its grantmaking. In 2014, the Future Fund awarded a $5,000 grant to The Syracuse Silver Knight Foundation (SSKF), in collaboration with Hopeprint, to connect children from diverse backgrounds to one another through the SSKF-Hopeprint Kids Summer Soccer Camp.

Since its inception, the Future Fund has awarded 10 grants, totaling $50,000 to Central New York organizations. Going forward, the Future Fund will partner with other local young professional organizations to carry on its mission of promoting philanthropy and making Central New York a better place to live and work.

Affiliate Funds

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Staff

(LEFT TO RIGHT) BACK ROW: KATRINA CROCKER, KARA SATALIN, FRANK RIDZI, JULIET MALOFF, LIZ HARTMAN, JOHN EBERLE, DAVID KILPATRICK, JAN LANE, MONICA MERANTE. FRONT ROW: ROBYN SMITH, LIZ CAVALLARO, THOMAS GRIFFITH, PETER DUNN, DANIELLE HURLEY, KATHIE DEAVER, JENNIFER OWENS. NOT PICTURED: OLIVE SEPHUMA AND GERIANNE CORRADINO

Community Foundation staff gather on the deck of the Onondaga Lake Visitor Center. This year, Audubon New York received a community grant to hire a local coordinator that oversees Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps’ environmental education and community engagement activities.

Development & Marketing

Grants & Community Initiatives

Jennifer L. Owens

John G. Eberle

Elizabeth M Cavallaro

Katrina M. Crocker

Frank M. Ridzi

Elizabeth T. Hartman

Thomas M. Griffith

N. Olive Sephuma

Kathleen A. Deaver

Monica M. Merante

Danielle M. Hurley

Robyn Smith

Jan L. Lane

Gerianne Corradino

Juliet Maloff

Peter A. Dunn President & CEO

Finance & Operations Chief Financial Officer Controller

Fund Operations Manager Events & Operations Manager Finance Assistant

Vice President, Development & Marketing Director of Communications Director of Gift Planning Donor Relations Officer Development Associate

Vice President, Grants & Community Initiatives Director, Research & Community Initiatives Director, Community Grantmaking Program Officer, Community Grantmaking & Affiliate Funds

David A. Kilpatrick Grants Manager

Communications Associate

Kara Satalin

Operations and Finance Assistant ORIGINAL BANISTER ADORNING THE SECOND FLOOR BALCONY OF THE CNY PHILANTHROPY CENTER.

30 |

Staff

Board

Top Row:

Fourth Row:

J. Andrew Breuer, Principal, Hueber-Breuer Construction Company

Timothy Penix, Vice President, Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center

William C. Brod,** Owner & Publisher, Syracuse New Times

J. Daniel Pluff, IMC, Senior Vice President & Financial Advisor, The Pluff, Hooley, Black Group of Morgan Stanley

Craig Buckhout, CFA, Principal, Rockbridge Investment Management, LLC Evelyn Carter, Division Consumer Affairs Manager, Wegmans Food Markets

Brian Pollard, D.D.S., President, Smile Design, D.D.S., P.C. Rita L. Reicher, Ph.D.,** President, KS&R, Inc.

Second Row:

Fifth Row:

Honorable Julie A. Cecile,* Onondaga County Family Court Judge

M. Jack Rudnick, Esq., Of Counsel, Barclay Damon, LLP

Casey Crabill, Ed.D.,* President, Onondaga Community College Grace B. Ghezzi, CPA/PFS/CFF, CFP,® CFE, AEP,®* Vice President, Oneida Wealth Linda Dickerson Hartsock, Director, Community Engagement & Economic Development, Syracuse University

Robert D. Scolaro, Esq., Founding Partner, Scolaro Perry Law, P.C. Corinne R. Smith, Ph.D.,** Professor & Chair, Teaching & Leadership Programs, Syracuse University School of Education Michael Wamp,** Managing Partner, LakeWater Capital Management, LLC

Sixth Row:

Third Row: Richard D. Hole, Esq., Partner, Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC David A. Holstein, Esq.,* Member, Bousquet Holstein, PLLC Steven Jacobs, President, Bishops Brook, Inc.

Gwen Webber-McLeod, President & CEO, Gwen, Inc. Maryann M. Winters, MS, CPA, Partner, Sirchia & Cuomo, LLP Gay M. Pomeroy, Esq., Legal Counsel, Mackenzie Hughes, LLP

Ellen Percy Kraly, Ph.D., Director, Upstate Institute, Colgate University *Term commenced April 1, 2015 ** Board service completed March 31, 2015

Former Board Members Janet (Penny) Allyn Maritza Alvarado, M.D. Chester D. Amond Edward J. Audi Warren W. Bader, Esq. David H. Barclay DeeDee S. Barclay Sanford A. Belden, Ph.D. Vicki R. Brackens Sharon A. Brangman, M.D. Gerald Burke Douglas P. Cagwin David J. Connor Michael J. Connor Mary (Mitzi) O. Cooper Calvin L. Corriders Richard S. Corriero, CPA Gail Cowley Susan J. Crockett, Ph.D.

Raymond W. Cross, Ph.D. Eloise Dowdell Curry Mary S. Darcy Christine Woodcock Dettor, Esq. Reverend Ronald Dewberry Harold Edwards, Jr. Kenneth J. Entenmann Michael J. Falcone Noreen R. Falcone Maceo N. Felton Michael R. Figler Marion Hancock Fish, Esq. Lee H. Flanagan Ray T. Forbes, M.D. John M. Frantz, Jr. Gary R. Germain, Esq. Edward S. Green, Esq. Joan F. Green H. Baird Hansen

Elizabeth A. Hartnett, Esq. Burnett D. Haylor Ann G. Higbee Alexander E. Holstein Charlotte (Chuckie) Holstein Gloria Hooper-Rasberry, Ph.D. Madelyn H. Hornstein, CPA Richard D. Horowitz Robert J. Hughes, Jr. Cydney M. Johnson Clarence L. Jordan James W. Jordan Joseph B. Lee Robert H. Linn, CPA Melanie W. Littlejohn James E. Mackin, Esq. John F.X. Mannion Nancy F. Marquardt John D. Marsellus

John B. McCabe, M.D. Anne Messenger Daniel Mezzalingua John C. Mott Eric Mower Colleen Murphy, CPA Paul C. Nojaim Theodore H. Northrup Michael E. O’Connor, Esq. Sybil Ridings Oakes Margaret G. Ogden Marilyn Pinsky William L. Pollard, Ph.D. David A.A. Ridings Ethel S. Robinson Elaine R. Rubenstein Jeffrey M. Rubenstein Michael E. Rulison Kathryn Howe Ruscitto

Maria P. Russell Richard A. Russell, Esq. Robert B. Salisbury Dene A. Sarason Judith M. Sayles, Esq. Richard S. Scolaro, Esq. Mansukh J. Shah Mary Ann Shaw Vaughn A. Skinner Virginia G. Small Paul M. Solomon Dirk E. Sonneborn, CPA Anne D. Stewart Robert J. Theis, Sr. Stephanie R. Threatte Forbes S. Tuttle Mayra Urrutia Barry L. Wells James J. Wilson

David J. Moynihan, CPA

This year we lost Community Foundation friend and Vice Chair David J. Moynihan, CPA. In memory of his passion for accounting and local philanthropy, we established the David J. Moynihan Fellowship, a two-year internship for a student pursuing a career in public accounting with an interest in the CNY nonprofit sector.

Board of Directors

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Financial Information T

he Community Foundation takes its responsibility to serve as a permanent charitable resource in Central New York seriously.

Through prudent stewardship of our assets, we strive to maximize available grant dollars while ensuring that the charitable funds entrusted to us will continue to support our region for many years to come.

The responsibility for managing the Community Foundation’s investment portfolio is vested in our board of directors through its finance committee, which works closely with our investment consultant and staff to set policy, establish performance benchmarks and continually monitor the effectiveness of the portfolio.

The Community Foundation sets long-term goals for investment performance. The amount available to spend from endowed funds, including those that support our Community Grantmaking program, is based on a spending policy of 5% of the fund balance averaged over 20 quarters of time. Using this disciplined policy allows us to provide consistent funding even when markets are volatile.

Through the generosity of individuals who have entrusted us with their charitable legacies, as well as those who have served our endowment with their expertise, the quality of life in Central New York will be enriched for generations to come.

2015 Summary Financial Statements FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2015

BALANCE SHEET

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES

Assets

Revenues

Receivables & Other Investments Total Assets

$ 23,366,942 166,044 ,813 $ 189,411,755

Gifts, Grants, Bequests $ 23,015,320 Net Return on Investments 5, 319,939 Other 92,173 Total Revenues $ 28, 427,432

Liabilities & Net Assets

Grants Declared and Not Yet Paid $ 1, 027,431 Other 11, 183,481 Net Assets 177,200,843 Total Liabilities & Net Assets $ 189, 411,755

Grants & Expenses

Grants Program Support Operating Expenses Total Grants & Expenses

$ 9,921,120 1,227,410 1,735,970 $ 12, 884,500

Change in Net Assets

$ 15, 542,932 $ 161, 657,911 $ 177,200,843

Net Assets Beginning of Year Net Assets End of Year

INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE VS BENCHMARK

STRATEGIC ASSET ALLOCATION Absolute Return Real Estate, 3% Private Equity 2% Global Bonds 4% US High Yield Bonds 5%

Long/Short Equities 14%

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities 4% US Aggregate Non-US Bonds Emerging 8% Equity 7%

For fiscal years ended March 31.

US Large/Mid Cap Equity 25%

8.1%

7.8%

8.2% 7.4% 6.0%

US Small Cap Equity 8%

Non-US Developed Equity 20%

5.5%

5.6% 4.6%

4.4% 3.5%

ONE YEAR

THREE YEAR

FIVE YEAR

TEN YEAR

FIFTEEN YEAR

Performance Benchmark

The Community Foundation’s audit is conducted by Bonadio & Co., LLP. The complete Consolidated Financial Statements, with accompanying footnotes, as well as Form 990, are available for inspection at the Community Foundation office and online at cnycf.org.

32 | Financial Information

Graphs represent financial information as of fiscal years ended March 31.

TOTAL ASSETS BY YEAR $189,411,755

ASSETS BY FUND TYPE

$172,450,027

40%

9%

$143,992,070 $130,692,426 $128,314,244

9% 11%

$111,643,541

31%

Community Donor-Advised Scholarships Field-of-Interest Designated and Special Projects

$ 76,742,495 $ 57,782,240 $ 20,470,403 $ 17,631,987 $ 16,784,630

$ 189,411,755

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY YEAR $23,627,200 $23,015,320

CONTRIBUTIONS BY FUND TYPE 3% 1% 11%

72%

13% $12,097,440 $8,840,214 $7,618,999

Donor-Advised Scholarships Designated and Special Projects Field-of-Interest Community

$ 16,689,541 $ 2,945,216 $ 2,491,744 $ 627,678 $ 261,141

$ 23,015,320

$6,382,156

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

TOTAL GRANTS BY YEAR $9,211,247

GRANTS BY FUND TYPE

$8,337,264 $6,710,850

7% 9%

58% 11%

$9,921,120

$5,661,295 $4,599,506

15%

Donor-Advised Scholarships Community Field-of-Interest Designated and Special Projects

$ 5,838,064 $ 1,460,114 $ 1,082,303 $ 884,022 $ 656,617

$ 9,921,120

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Financial Information | 33

Central New York Philanthropy Center 431 East Fayette Street Suite 100 Syracuse, NY 13202

315-422-9538

cnycf.org

Our Mission: The Central New York Community Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the community by: Encouraging the growth of a permanent charitable endowment to meet the community’s changing opportunities and needs.

Providing donors and their diverse philanthropic interests with vehicles to make giving easy, personally satisfying and effective.

Serving as a catalyst, neutral convener and facilitator, stimulating and promoting collaborations among various organizations to accomplish common objectives.

Carrying out a strategic grantmaking program that is flexible, visionary and inclusive.

The pages of this annual report were printed using earth-friendly soy ink and produced on FSC certified, acid-free paper which contains 30% post-consumer recycled waste.