2009 A BANNER YEAR FOR

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF

HERKIMER & ONEIDA COUNTIES

RECORD AMOUNT OF GRANT MONIES AWARDED, GIFTS RECEIVED

 

 

During 2009, The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc. awarded 313 grants totaling more than $5.8 million to 139 not-for-profit organizations that serve the residents of Herkimer and Oneida counties; included in this is more than $93,000 in scholarships. Grants were made from a variety of funds such as unrestricted, family, corporate, donor-advised, field of interest and agency funds.

 

The largest grants made were three $100,000 awards. Utica College received one to purchase cutting-edge equipment for its biology laboratory. Masonic Medical Research Laboratory was awarded one as a challenge grant, also for the purpose of purchasing new research equipment. Valley Health Services received the third to create an Adult Day Health Care program at Little Falls Hospital.

 

Smaller projects such as flooring renovations at the Salvation Army buildings in Rome and Herkimer, the hiring of a research intern for the Little Falls Historical Society and replacing an inefficient boiler with a new money- and energy-saving model at the Sherrill-Kenwood Free Library were also supported by Community Foundation monies. A complete list of grants is online at foundationhoc.org/grantmaking/2009Grants.

 

The Foundation also received 1,633 gifts totaling $8,634,244, which surpasses records set in 2008, and 14 new funds were created. Three of these funds – The Mele Family Fund, The Matthew A. Carton Fund and The Mohawk Valley Healthcare Foundation Fund – were established with the assets of dissolved private foundations.

 

The Legacy Society, which is comprised of individuals who will leave a future planned gift such as a bequest to The Foundation, added eleven new members.

 

“We remain awed by the good work of our not-for-profit community partners. Each day they demonstrate great dedication to the people of Herkimer and Oneida counties,” said Peggy O’Shea, The Community Foundation’s president and CEO. She continued, “Of course, our work would not be possible without our donors, who collectively made a record $8.6 million in gifts for the benefit of our area. We are supported yearly by the public – hundreds of donors giving at all levels. It is truly humbling.”