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Announcements

Physician Recruitment Incentive Grant

The Health Care Action Team of the City of Jamestown Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission has grant money available for a health care organization or entity recruiting physicians who meet certain criteria. Click on the medical seal for an application to apply and click on this text to read the criteria.

Deadlines

March 31st is the deadline for the second round of our Community Service Grants for 2012. Apply Today!
Applications for the John Edward McLaughlin Fund are due April 15th. Apply Now!

Join Us!

The World's Learning Center

The Greater Chautauqua Region Estate Planning Council

The mission of The Greater Chautauqua Region Estate Planning Council is to provide education for its members, to enhance understanding of the various professions represented by the Council and to foster collegiality among its members.

Click here for Membership Application.

CRCF Thanks You ...

10 Things

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10 Things to Know About CRCF

There is a basic list of items that you need to be aware of before you can truly understand the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. The following are 10 informational factoids designed to help you become better acquainted with CRCF:

1. CRCF is local and here for you.

As a public foundation, CRCF was created by community members for the entire community. If you have charitable needs or philanthropic interests, CRCF can help service these needs and interests.

2. CRCF has its own legacy.

Established in 1978, the Foundation has operated for 33 years. Over a quarter-century CRCF has proven a reputation as a careful investor of your gifts and knowledgeable source of information on community needs and solutions.

3. CRCF is based on forever.

CRCF is built on a foundation of permanence. Endowment funds start small but grow in time, just as the Foundation. When community needs change over time, the Foundation will still be around servicing those new needs.

4. CRCF makes the community better.

Last year, CRCF awarded approximately $2,200,000 in grants in the areas of arts, civic enrichment, education, and social and human services.

5. CRCF truly gives back.

In its 33-year history, CRCF has received nearly $55,000,000 in contributions. Of that, over $34,000,000 has been awarded back to the community in grants, with the remainder being invested for fund growth over time.

6. CRCF makes giving simple.

You can make a simple outright gift, establish a fund, or name CRCF as a beneficiary, knowing every dollar goes toward a charitable purpose.

7. CRCF knows the community.

With hundreds of area non-profits, it can be difficult to figure out where to give. CRCF gets to know local non-profit organizations and can assist you in giving to those organizations, whether directly or through a fund.

8. CRCF is designed to benefit the entire community.

Individual non-profits focus on specific issues, but CRCF’s role is to assist the community as a whole. With community input, CRCF develops grantmaking that addresses a broad range of issues that are most relevant to the community’s needs today.

9. CRCF is comprised of people of the community.

Eleven volunteer Board members comprised of individuals from all sectors of business and non-profit work, volunteer their time and talents as CRCF ambassadors and governors. Including the staff and an all-volunteer membership, the Foundation represents a broad cross-section of the entire community looking out for your needs.

10. CRCF succeeds on reputation.

Over 500 individuals have created funds with the CRCF, entrusting the Foundation to carry out their charitable wishes. As the Foundation’s reputation grows, so do the number of people who believe in CRCF’s role and mission.

In addition to the previous 10 points, perhaps the most important thing to know about the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation is that all gifts matter. The notion of a gift being too small is just that…a notion. The fact is whether you are giving $1 or $10,000, every dollar is added to a portfolio that will ultimately serve to benefit the community as a whole. The Foundation today exists to serve you and will carry on its reputation of doing so. Take advantage of all the Foundation can offer by simply calling 661-3390. Above all, allow CRCF to be your foundation.

8Questions

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Simple Answers To Eight CRCF Questions

1. What is the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation?
CRCF is a philanthropic organization with a mission to enrich the quality of life in the Chautauqua Region. This mission is carried out by providing grants to area non-profits, scholarships to area students, and by acting as a partner to every person and business in the community. CRCF is comprised of a collection of many separate endowment funds established by individual donors, families, charitable organizations and businesses.

2. How does the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation work?

CRCF accepts donations to endowment funds from the public and invests these monies. A portion of the investment returns from these endowment funds, to which the monies were donated, are awarded back to the community each year through grants and scholarships.

3. What is an endowment fund?

An endowment is a type of permanent fund, established by a donor, for a charitable purpose. The monies within the fund are invested for growth, with the returns granted annually to specific causes or organizations.

4. How do you establish an endowment fund

with CRCF?
With the assistance of CRCF staff, a donor can establish a fund with any name. The donor then designates an organization(s) or field of charitable interests as the recipient(s). When the fund becomes active, the designated recipient(s) or cause will receive an annual grant from the fund. An endowment fund can be established with any amount of money but will not become active until it reaches a balance of $5,000. Scholarship Funds must reach a balance of $7,500.

5. Can gifts be added to an established fund?
Yes, once a fund is established, any amount may be added to that particular fund, or any other fund at CRCF, at any time. Some donors add yearly, some for special occasions and some will designate funds in their wills. As a note, you do not have to have a fund established to make donations to funds at CRCF.

6. Are there tax advantages of donating to CRCF?

CRCF is an IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) organization, so all contributions are eligible for tax deductions, whether made by an individual or business.

Additionally, CRCF can handle other forms of gifts including gifts of stock, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate, and can work with donors in setting up planned gifts, such as the Charitable Gift Annuity.

7. How are my donations/funds invested?

CRCF has a broad asset allocation managed through 11 investment managers that are required to meet performance benchmarks. CRCF also works with an investment consultant on effective strategies and follows an Investment Policy with strict guidelines. CRCF’s Investment Committee monitors all investment activity and strives for the best possible performance for all funds entrusted to the Foundation.

8. What are the overall goals of CRCF?

The broad purpose of the CRCF is to become an ever-growing community partner, so that, together, we can all build a better community for the future. As part of that, CRCF will always strive to create partnerships with individuals, corporations, private foundations, and area non-profits, so that local expertise and resources can address local problems.

Announcements

Our 15th Annual Golf Tournament is approaching!
Register your foursome!

What is the
Community Foundation?

Chautauqua Region Community Foundation is a nonprofit, community corporation created by and for the people of Chautauqua County. We are here to help our donors make a positive impact on their community by establishing a "bridge" between the donor and charitable activities.

10 Things to Know About CRCF

How To Establish An Endowment Fund

Simple Answers To Eight CRCF Questions

Featured Fund

The Bill and Linda Knight
Brass Scholarship

Please donate to this newly created fund.

The fund is designed to provide a scholarship to students in grades 6 through 11, who are actively involved in the Jamestown Public Schools music program, have musical ability, are commitmented to music study and demonstrate financial need.

Recent News

First SEABEES Scholarship Awarded to Student Studying Welding

Christopher Proctor, a 2010 Jamestown High School graduate, is the first recipient of the Island X-11 N.Y. Navy SEABEES/John Oleszak Memorial Scholarship. Roland Swanson, commander of the local SEABEES chapter, met with Mr. Proctor today to congratulate him on his award and talk to him about his future plans.

Currently a student at Jamestown Community College, Mr. Proctor has successfully balanced working part-time at Valu Home Centers while maintaining his status as a Dean’s List student with a 4.0 G.P.A. He will graduate in May with an Associate’s Degree in Applied Sciences. In the fall, Mr. Proctor will attend Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, P.A., an affiliate of Pennsylvania State University, where he will work towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Welding.

Veterans Park Commission Installs American-made Flagpole
JAMESTOWN, N.Y.— Members of the Veterans Park Relocation Commission recently purchased and installed an American-made flag pole at the new Veterans Park on West Third Street, near Logan and Harding Avenues.

For the past year, members of the Commission as well as the City of Jamestown have been busy relocating and storing monuments from the park’s current location in Flatiron Park on Second Street. Due to the high traffic area near Jamestown High School, residents and Commission members have noticed vandalism and other signs of damage to the monuments and surrounding area. With the relocation to the City’s west side, residents of Jamestown, as well as people travelling into the City will be able pay homage to veterans from all branches of the United States Armed Forces.

Busti Historical Society & Grist Mill Fund Established

At the Busti Historical Society’s March Membership meeting, Carl Schultz, President of the Busti Historical Society, Randy Sweeney, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Executive Director and Marti Gustafson, Treasurer of the Busti Historical Society completed the documents required to establish the “Busti Historical Society & Grist Mill Fund”.

CRCF Grants Helps Bring Author to Jamestown

Phillip Hoose, the Award Winning Author of Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice and We Were There, Too! young People in U.S. History visited the Robert H. Jackson Center and the Reg Lenna Civic center this week and spoke to over 1,200 students and visitors, as a part of the Young Reader Program.

The Young Reader Program is an annual Jackson Center tradition in which prominent authors speak on subjects related to Civil Rights, Nuremberg, the Holocaust and other topics that resonate with a young audience and teach important moments in history. This year's Young Reader Program was funded in part by a Field of Interest Grant from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

Scholarship Applicants

ATTENTION: Scholarship Applicants keep your information current! You'll be glad you did when your online forms are pre-populated with the correct information! How? Your name in the upper-right corner of this page is a link to your profile.

Going to College? -

Start a Scholarship Application or Check your Application Status!

Need A Grant? -

Click here
for grant applications.

Donate Now! -

We have over 500 funds dedicated to support and improve our Chautauqua region community.

Create a Legacy! -

… inspiring & encouraging timeless giving to the Chautauqua Region.

Awards

2011 John D. Hamilton Community Service Award Recipient – Dr. Bert W. Rappole

Dr. Rappole has consistently demonstrated the traits and intent of the John D. Hamilton Award. He is well respected throughout the region as a skilled physician as well as a humanitarian and someone who is willing to go above and beyond to help those in great need. "Community is what you make of it, you have a role and everybody has to work to make the community better," stated Rappole.

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Honors the Area’s “Cleanup Hitter”

Reliable, dependable, and extraordinary. John Bauer, the consummate cleanup hitter and 2011 Axel W. Carlson Award winner, was honored by over 100 friends and family members gathered at Russell E. Diethrick, Jr. Park the evening of Friday, July 29th. Click on the link to watch John throw out the first pitch at the Jammers game on July 29th: http://youtu.be/PcqmeYfVvSE

Quick Links

Planning for the Future

2011

Chautauqua Region
Community Foundation
418 Spring Street
Jamestown, NY 14701
Telephone: (716) 661-3390
Fax: (716) 488-0387

About CRCF

Announcements

CRCF Thanks You ...

Announcements

What is the Community Foundation?

Featured Fund

The Bill and Linda Knight Brass Scholarship

Recent News

Scholarship Applicants

Awards

Quick Links

2011

What is the
Community Foundation?

The Bill and Linda Knight
Brass Scholarship