Central New York Community Foundation Awards $336,250 in Grants

June 19, 2008 (Syracuse, NY) – The Central New York Community Foundation disbursed $336,250 in charitable grants. Fifteen local not-for-profit organizations were awarded the funds from the Community Foundation’s unrestricted and field‑of‑interest funds on June 18, 2008.

The following organizations and projects received grant awards:

Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse (ACTS) was awarded $25,000 from the General Fund to hire an additional community organizer. ACTS is a grassroots organization that seeks to build the Syracuse community through public interest work, training leaders and building coalitions of diverse communities around community-determined needs. An additional community organizer will allow staff capacity to double, enabling the organization to reach more diverse groups and identify more community needs.

American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Cazenovia Area Community Development Association, Inc. (CACDA) were awarded a total of $47,006 toward a joint venture for farmland protection and sustainable agricultural land use planning. These grant funds were awarded from the Marjorie D. Kienzle, Faith T. Knapp Memorial, John F. Marsellus, Environmental and General Funds. AFT and CACDA are maximizing their complimentary skills in this joint venture to educate the community on the importance of farms and farmland in the area, and the challenges local farmers face. This collaboration will involve training sessions and a Farm Book to be distributed to the community.

Cazenovia College was awarded $2,060 from the Spanfelner Fund to purchase equipment for a children’s aquatic ecology program. Cazenovia College’s aquatic ecology summer program will educate elementary school-aged children on a number of ecology-related issues, including methods used to quantify aquatic organisms and water quality, identify and observe fish, insects and other invertebrates and measure water quality in several water bodies.

Center for Community Alternatives (CCA) was awarded $45,000 from the Charles F. Brannock Fund to support a new staff position in its Reintegration Clinic. CCA’s work helps people overcome involvement in the criminal and juvenile justice systems by supporting safe and productive reintegration into their communities, and includes direct services, research, training and public education. The Reintegration Clinic is a new program that will reduce recidivism rates through the successful reintegration of people with criminal records.

Cornell Cooperative Extension/Madison County was awarded $20,000 from the General Fund to support a new manager position for the Madison Bounty Distribution System. Since 1914, CCE of Madison County has focused its attention on educational programs for agriculture, nutrition and youth development. The Madison Bounty Distribution System will work with Madison County farmers, agribusinesses and processors interested to reach out to local consumers interested in receiving fresh, local products at their homes, grocery stores and area restaurants.

Everson Museum of Art was awarded $10,000 from the John F. Marsellus Fund to support the enhancement of its Art Zone – Children’s Interactive Gallery. The Everson’s mission is to preserve, exhibit, interpret, and enhance its collection of historical and contemporary American visual arts and its international ceramic collection. Formerly the Children’s Interactive Gallery, the Art Zone will be renovated to enhance programming. Families that visit the museum will experience more interaction with the permanent collection, as well as a variety of opportunities for broad learning about art and artists.

Franciscan Collaborative Ministries was awarded $22,589 from the John F. Marsellus Fund to create a community resource area on Syracuse’s Northside. Franciscan Collaborative Ministries is a comprehensive, multifaceted social service organization, with a mission to bring peace and reconciliation to the neighborhoods and people of Syracuse by serving the most neglected of its members. The community resource area will be used for meetings, events, classes and other programs.

Greater Oneida Civic Center, Inc. was awarded $16,224 from the Marjorie D. Kienzle and General Funds to replace the entrance, vestibule carpet and refinish the main wood floor. The Old Kallet Movie Theater was converted into the Greater Oneida “Kallet” Civic Center in 1981. It is operated by Greater Oneida Civic Center and is home to a variety of community events, including proms, weddings, club meetings and concerts. The carpet will be replaced in the entrance way and lobby and the main wood floor will be refinished, adding to the building’s appeal.

Junior Achievement of CNY was awarded $29,333 from the John F. Marsellus Fund to increase participation of the Syracuse City School District in its program. Since 1966, Junior Achievement of Central New York has been offering students practical economic education and experiences in the competitive private enterprise system. Expansion of theYoung Entrepreneur Program will allow for participation of more students from the Syracuse City Schools.

Little Lamb Christian School was awarded $7,000 from the General Fund to purchase playground equipment. Little Lamb Christian School was launched in 1980. Today, it serves 100 children in pre-k and kindergarten. Located in a residential neighborhood on the Northside, the new playground equipment will be used by attendees of the school and neighborhood children.

New York Agricultural Land Trust (NYALT) was awarded $12,000 from the John F. Marsellus Fund to hire consultants to work with farmers and community groups. NYALT was created in 2006 as the first statewide agricultural land trust in New York State. This grant will assist NYALT with communicating with 150-250 farm families and community leaders, begin collaborative farmland protection initiatives and continue to assist farmers in applying for state farmland protection funding.

Onondaga Central School District was awarded $19,200 from the John F. Marsellus and Education Endowment Funds to support grade-level appropriate classroom libraries. The Onondaga Central School District, located seven miles south of Syracuse, serves approximately 1,100 students, pre-k to grade 12. Leveled classroom libraries provide age- and grade-appropriate resources for the children in each classroom, and have been shown elsewhere to increase academic performance.

Partners for Arts Education was awarded $60,000 from the John F. Marsellus Fund to support a technology upgrade and a Director of Strategic Development. Partners for Arts Education provides funding and support to deepen and enrich educational experiences in and through the arts for students, teachers and artists. Support for the Director of Strategic Development and software supports Phase II of a project to increase resources for arts education in the Syracuse City School District.

Syracuse Alliance for a New Economy (SANE) was awarded $20,838 from the General Fund to support a construction job shadowing program with Syracuse City Schools. SANE is working to build a vibrant local economy where the community participates fully in decision-making and shares equitably in economic progress. In particular, SANE works to improve jobs, healthy environments, affordable housing and neighborhood empowerment. The job shadowing program will engage the students of the Syracuse City School District in the construction and renovation of the City Schools.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Onondaga and Madison Counties for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of not-for-profit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The Community Foundation has over $110 million in assets and awards over $5 million in grants to not-for-profit organizations annually.