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In this newsletter:
Note: Click on photos in the newsletter to enlarge.
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Leave a Legacy of Kindness
John and Ann are faithful patrons of the NCCF. They believe in our mission of enriching the northern Chautauqua community and want to support our work.
John: Ann and I believe that the NCCF is genuinely helping others. We want to continue to partner with them to make a difference in our community. That is why we are members and volunteers.
Ann: But we want to do more than make gifts. John and I have been careful and have saved enough for retirement. We plan to be generous with family, but we also desire to be generous with charities through the NCCF.
John: After talking it over, we decided to leave a bequest in each of our wills. Our attorney took the simple language available and included a nice bequest in my will as well as Ann's. We are delighted that we will be helping others through these gifts even after we are gone.
Is a charitable bequest right for you?
In life, most people require some assistance, whether it's physical, financial, or spiritual. Perhaps a food bank supplied meals during a tough time, or you received a scholarship that made the dream of college possible. Often we are reminded during life's struggles that more must be done to continue positive, humane acts of kindness, and to sustain programs for personal enrichment. We wish more funding was available for assisting the elderly, youth programs, or animal shelters.
Charitable organizations need financial assistance from people like you to continue their work. By making bequests and other planned gifts through the NCCF, you can continue to help those organizations you feel are making an important difference in your community. What better way to say thank you than to make a contribution from your estate through a bequest?
Gifts large and small are meaningful. Charitable giving is not only for the wealthy!
We have resources that will help you learn more about bequests. Click here to review the sample bequest language. You will see how easy it is to create your legacy through your will, a life insurance policy, retirement funds, and others.
You might find it helpful to print the page and the bequest language. Please feel free to give this information to your attorney. If he or she has any questions, please contact us.
I have children and relatives. Shouldn't I leave my entire estate to them?
This question is perhaps the number one cause for reluctance when making a bequest. The truth is that many choose to do both! Depending on the current tax laws, leaving a gift to charity may reduce the estate tax burden on your heirs significantly. You should consult with a financial advisor or attorney to learn how giving may benefit your family after you're gone.
But why give to charity at all? People feel passionate about different things, so they want to be sure that those organizations, ideas, and causes are taken care of for future generations.
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Promoting Economic Well-being
in the Northern Chautauqua Region
 Dedicated members of the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation’s Local Economic Development (LED) Committee have been working together at NCCF to advance a vibrant economy in the northern Chautauqua region since 2011. From the very beginning, the committee has advocated for strategies to build economic growth in the municipalities of the Lake Erie shoreline and watershed. The group’s ultimate goal is to enhance the economic capacity of the local region to improve its economic future and quality of life.
A great deal has already been achieved by the LED by promoting collective action while partnering with private, public, education, and not-for-profit sector entities. The group has advanced a local and regional project pipeline and provided municipal technical assistance while promoting downtown and waterfront revitalization initiatives.
The LED regularly builds on its prior progress while keeping the new realities of the northern Chautauqua regional economy in mind. The LED group regularly reviews the area’s needs, looking closely at current economic assets and liabilities. It acknowledges the region’s economic development challenges while identifying its opportunities before designing and developing specific strategies to achieve dynamic economic growth in an ecologically sound environment, including supporting municipal collaborations. Strategies used have included civic action, education, advocacy, and coalition building, along with many other special projects.
The LED also embraces the northern Chautauqua region’s place in the larger Chautauqua County region, working closely with countywide economic development groups like the newly formed Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Prosperity. This collaboration will lead to more efficient and cooperative economic development work countywide.
The LED process works because it is a partnership where all the sectors are competent, engaged, focused, and working cooperatively together.
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2020 Environmental Grants
The Northern Chautauqua Environmental Fund supports programs that promote local environmental education, particularly as it relates to Lake Erie and its watershed. A volunteer committee of community members carefully reviews applications in January of each year. This year, we awarded grants to:
- CREATE Project to support a public art sculpture project
- Revitalize Dunkirk to purchase native trees for planting within the City of Dunkirk
- Imagine Forestville to purchase a trash recycling bin for Walnut Creek area
Grant applications for next year's program are due January 10, 2021. Visit our website, nccfoundation.org/grants-programs, for additional information on all of NCCF grants programs.
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Community Grant Thank You!
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Dear Diane,
I am pleased to report to you that the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy has closed on the purchase of the land for the proposed Cassadaga Lakes Nature Park (CLNP)! Our CLNP Campaign Team continues to raise funds for the construction of public access improvements and establishing a fund for the long term care and ongoing maintenance of the property. $166,000 has been donated or committed to date (including a $90,000 NYS Municipal Parks Acquisition grant).
Thank you for NCCF seeding this wonderful conservation and community improvement project! Your funding was essential in launching this project! We really appreciate the role NCCF has played in this.
Best regards,
John Jablonski III
Executive Director
Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy
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Gardens will receive 2020 garden signs as a thank you for
adding color & character to our region. All participating homeowners will be entered into a gift certificate raffle!
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We invite you to breakfast on Saturday, March 21, 2020, 8 - 10 a.m. at the Applebee's on Vineyard Drive, Dunkirk! Tickets are $6 for a stack of flapjacks, bacon, juice, and coffee. All money raised will benefit the NCCF's Service Learning Mini-Grant Program. Tickets can be purchased online at nccfoundation.org/nccf-flapjack-fundraiser, in person at our office at 212 Lake Shore Dr. in Dunkirk, or the 21st at the event.
Basket Raffle tickets are 25 for $10, and the two (2) Six Flags Darien Lake Admission Tickets are $5 apiece. Use the website link above to keep up-to-date on new baskets as they arrive!
Have a basket or basket item you would like to donate? Call us at 366-4892 or stop in the office at the above address!
Follow us on Facebook for our flapjack ticket contest to win two tickets to the breakfast!
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2020 George B. Weaver Footprints Award
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Who have you chosen to nominate for the Footprints Award?
If you have someone in mind but not sure how to proceed with the nomination form, give Ida a call! She will be happy to provide you with some tips on writing a nomination.
Nominations are due on March 25, 2020. All community members are encouraged to participate by submitting a name for the committee's consideration. It is not a requirement that nominees have an affiliation with the NCCF.
Nomination forms are available to complete online or to download from our website. Forms are also available by stopping by our office.
Call Ida today if you have questions or need assistance with your nomination at 716-366-4892. Return to NCCF by March 25, via mail at 212 Lake Shore Drive W., Dunkirk, NY 14048, by fax to 716-366-3905 or e-mail to ilord@nccfoundation.org.
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Nonprofit and Community Networking
March 3, 2020
12 - 1:30 p.m.
NCCF, 212 Lake Shore Dr. W, Dunkirk
First Tuesday of each month
Each organization comes to the table with their resources, strengths, knowledge, and challenges in a casual atmosphere. By bringing together nonprofits and welcoming cross-sector collaborations, we open the gateways to relationship building, paving the way for an even stronger hub of successful community change-makers.
Some topics discussed: identifying community needs, collaborative opportunities, storytelling, fundraisers, technology, volunteer recruitment, end of year planning, grant writing, funding resources, agency program events and announcements, and more.
We have heard from many participants that they appreciate the opportunity to network with like-minded peers.
Reservations are not required. For additional information, contact Eileen at 366-4892 or eardillo@nccfoundation.org.
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Due Dates:
Scholarship Due Dates:
Upcoming Events
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