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Foundation Updates
MAY 2022
 

2021 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS

We are pleased to announce that our 2021 Annual Highlights are now live. Our grant partners continue to impress with their resiliency and ability to adapt to new realities.  It is a pleasure to celebrate them in our Highlights. Click below to view.

 
To View

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

Institute For Nonprofit Practice (INP)
Accepting WNY Applications Until June 3rd


In our last issue we announced that the Institute for Nonprofit Practice is bringing its  core certificate program to the Buffalo, NY area.  [See also this story on our website.]  The program, slated to launch in the fall, includes 40 hours of instruction on essential management and leadership topics, small group problem-solving, and one-on-one mentoring.

Buffalo area residents have until June 3, 2022 to apply.  To apply, click button below.

Apply Here

GRANTS AWARDED & UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

Our first 2022 grant cycle for our Strengthening Partner Capacity portfolio is complete. Organizations that received awards are shown below.  Awards, in amounts up to $40,000, support a range of capacity building needs.  While the second cycle is now closed to applicants (and under review), two additional cycles are scheduled, with deadlines of July 27th and October 12th of this year.
  • Buffalo Center for Arts & Technology
  • Cape Cod Academy
  • Cape Cod Challenger Club
  • Cazenovia Recovery Systems
  • Center for Self Advocacy
  • Erie County Anti-Stigma Coalition
  • Frontier Central School District
  • Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center
  • Mental Health Advocates of WNY
  • Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center
  • Parent Network of WNY
  • Peace of the City
  • Plummer Youth Promise
  • Rock Autism
  • Stanley G. Falk School

Upcoming Funding Opportunities
In addition to two additional capacity building grant cycles (described above), there will be one additional cycle for both Programs & Services and Community Change in 2022. Both portfolios require preliminary grant requests be submitted by August 3, 2022. 

Learn More

Results-Based Accountability: A Refresher

With this post, Chief Program Officer, Don Matteson begins a series of blogs that explore our use of Results Based Accountability (RBA).  Don explains how we use RBA to talk about the effectiveness of our grants and how it helps to provide a larger context for our grantmaking generally.
 
Read the Blog

UPDATE: CATCHAFIRE

The Tower Foundation is kicking off another two years of partnership with Catchafire, an online platform connecting organizations with skills-based volunteers for capacity building support. This resource, accessible to past and present grant partners of the foundation, continues to prove valuable to the organizations that use it. For examples of how Tower Foundation grant partners from Massachusetts are using the platform, click the link below. 
 
Catchafire Impact

STAFF INSIGHTS: GENERAL OPERATING PILOT

Unrestricted Funds, Results Based Accountability, and Conversation: A Pilot Program for General Operating Grants
In this blog we share some early returns on a pilot initiative to test ways to capture impact and learning from general operating grants. 

READ THE BLOG

DIVERSITY, EQUITY and INCLUSION

In this space, we will share what we learn, what inspires us, and - in the spirit of transparency - what new actions we take in pursuit of a more equitable approach to our role as grantmaker both internally and externally.

What we are learning: 
This month, staff of the Foundation signed up to participate in a webinar featuring adrienne maree brown, activist, facilitator, writer, and author of Holding Change.  This webinar is part of a series hosted by the Institute of Nonprofit Practice (that are free!) that have equity themes woven throughout. We have yet to be disappointed by the many thought provoking speakers INP shares with the community. Check out a list of upcoming speakers and sign-up to join a future one here.

What we are doing: 
We have identified "paying attention to feelings of inclusion and value" as a priority for our staff this year. We have been doing this by practicing different ways of incorporating our team norms into our discussions, and recently watched this webinar from the NeuroLeadership Institute on inclusion.
 

PERIODICAL READING
News from our four focus areas

Intellectual Disabilities
Make sure to check out the latest from WBFO's Disabilities Desk, reaching Western New Yorkers, including this piece on fair pay advocates for home care workers in New York State. 
Learning Disabilities
This NY Times piece looks at the struggles of schools to support students with learning disabilities, made worse by the pandemic. 
 
Mental Health
This video from the NY Times explores anxiety, depression and suicidality among American teens. Worried Sick: A Journey Into the Anxious Teenage Mind.
Substance Use Disorders
This piece from the Washington Post describes the decrease in opioid prescribing for young Americans post-surgery. 
What are we doing that is working?
What should we change?


We are always open to hearing your feedback on Grant Advisor.

    CONTACT US

Do you have a question or want to share an idea? We invite you to reach out.
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