Up to $50,000 in Available for Nonprofits Serving Three Communities
WATERTOWN — Nonprofit organizations that serve Boonville, Constableville, and Westernville residents should apply by Friday, April 22, for 2022 grant support through the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund at the Northern New York Community Foundation.
The fund was established in 2018 to support programs, projects and initiatives that broadly impact the quality of life in Boonville, Constableville, and Westernville. The Northern New York Community Foundation administers this permanent, charitable legacy fund that makes grant awards annually. This year, up to $50,000 in grant funding is available.
In 2021, 11 projects were awarded grant funding totaling $46,400 that include:
- Constable Hall Association — to assist with essential exterior work and restoration of the carriage house
- Erwin Library — and Institute to install a new heating unit for the second floor reading area and acquire audio and video equipment to bolster the library programs
- Village of Boonville — to help complete a safe walking path for residents to reach the community’s only major grocery store, purchase technology and equipment needed to continue the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, and the purchase of new American flags for Little Village Park
- Boonville Cemetery Association — support to continue efforts to update and digitize burial records
- Constableville Volunteer Fire Company — to acquire a cardiac monitor and train the company’s eight EMTs to use it while responding to calls
- Dodge Pratt Northam Art and Community Center — support for the center’s popular Robotics and Summer Visual Arts programs, which engage youths ages 4 to 16
- North Country Community Youth Soccer — to help purchase essential equipment for a youth program that draws more than 200 participants in pre-K through grade six.
- Western Town Library to improve technology for library patrons and purchase equipment to strengthen resources that support the human and social needs of guests.
- Adirondack Community Chorus — support for community music performances in Boonville, Constableville, and Westernville.
“What Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer created is a thoughtful approach to perpetuate their giving to three communities that mattered most to them,” said Max DelSignore, Northern New York Community Foundation assistant director. “Their pride for community is embedded in the grantmaking accomplished through their legacy fund and the meaningful impact it will make for years to come.”
Convenient online application
Nonprofit organizations are reminded to apply for funding from the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund through the Community Foundation’s online Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) system on its website.
If eligible nonprofits already have an existing account in the online system, click the “Apply” button in the top left corner of your user dashboard and scroll to find the Sawyer Community Fund application to begin.
Nonprofits applying for the first time should create a single user account for the organization. The portal features a simple interface that guides users through step-by-step instructions on how to sign up and apply. Resources are available on the Foundation’s website, nnycf.org/grants, and on the portal’s log-in page to learn more about the process.
To be eligible for Community Foundation grants, nonprofits must be classified as a 501(c)(3) organization by the IRS. Other entities may be eligible depending on the request. Additional grant opportunities through the Community Foundation will become available on the GLM platform in the coming months. Contact Kraig Everard Community Foundation director of stewardship and programs, kraig@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, with questions about the GLM system.
Timeline to apply
The deadline to submit a proposal for consideration is 5 p.m. Friday, April 22, 2022. Grant awards will be announced following the Community Foundation’s quarterly board meeting in June. Contact Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director, max@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, for grant guidelines or to learn more about the Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Community Fund.
About Kenneth V. and Jeannette Remp Sawyer
Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer participated in many community events and activities through the years and served on local boards and committees. Mr. Sawyer was a Boonville native, served in the United States Army, and enjoyed a career at Layng Furniture Company and as a supervisor at Boonville’s Erwin Park. Most notably, he was a talented musician. He played tenor saxophone in his high school band and clarinet with the Boonville Village Band. He frequently played with three separate drum and bugle corps in Boonville and Rome.
Mr. Sawyer passed away in 2008. Mrs. Sawyer completed a successful career of more than 45 years at Rome Savings Bank and was an avid follower of the stock market. She also served on the finance committee of Boonville United Methodist Church. She assisted organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution, Dodge Pratt Northam Art and Community Center, the Erwin Library, and the Boonville Cemetery. Mrs. Sawyer passed away in 2015.
In 2017, the Kenneth V. Sawyer and Jeannette Remp Sawyer Scholarship Fund was established through the Northern New York Community Foundation to benefit Adirondack Central School graduates. The endowed fund will award two scholarships each year forever, supporting the business and music pursuits of high school graduates from the district.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.