Cayuga Fund Receives $300,000 in Challenge Funding

May 23, 2011 - The Cayuga Community Fund announced today that it received a combined $300,000 in challenge grants from local foundations. The Emerson Foundation, the Stardust Foundation and Central New York Community Foundation each issued $100,000 challenge grants to match dollar-for-dollar contributions made to the fund.

“The Fund is confident that the amount raised in 2011 will paint a picture of the tremendous generosity of the people of Cayuga County, as they will undoubtedly rise to meet this challenge successfully,” said Robert Bergan, Chair of the Cayuga Community Fund’s Leadership Council.
The Cayuga Fund was established in 2009 by a group of Cayuga county citizens who wanted to keep local philanthropic dollars in the area. In 2009, the Leadership Council exceeded the Fund’s first matching challenge goal of $250,000 from the Stardust Foundation when it raised $287,890 by its fundraising deadline.

The Cayuga Community Fund is a geographically specific fund, administered by the Central New York Community Foundation. The Fund was created to benefit residents of Cayuga County by serving as a source of permanent charitable dollars for nonprofits serving residents of the County. Grants are awarded from the endowment fund annually to support programs in education, health, social services, the arts, civic and environmental concerns, as well as the preservation of historic resources in Cayuga County. In 2010, its first year of grantmaking, the Fund awarded a total of $25,000 to 24 Cayuga-based nonprofit organizations.

Secure credit card gifts can be made to the Cayuga Community Fund online at http://www.cnycf.org/cayuga. Donations by check, made out to “Cayuga Community Fund” can be mailed to Cayuga Community Fund, c/o Central New York Community Foundation, 431 East Fayette Street, Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13202. All contributions to the Fund will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $300,000 until November 15, 2011.

The Leadership Council of the Cayuga Community Fund is chaired by Robert Bergan. Other Council members are Dan Cuddy, Ken Entenmann, Jill Fandrich, Jack Hardy, Howard Hartnett, Alice Hoatland, Beverly Miller, Lisa Marsh Ryerson, David Tehan, Earle Thurston and Steve Zabriskie.

The Cayuga Community Fund is a component fund of the Central New York Community Foundation. The Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit 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, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.