FINE — Nonprofit organizations serving residents of the Clifton-Fine region may now apply for 2023 grant support through the Clifton-Fine Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.

The Clifton-Fine Community Fund is a permanent grantmaking resource that supports projects, activities, and initiatives that enhance the quality of life in the communities of Cranberry Lake, Fine, Oswegatchie, Star Lake, Newton Falls, and Wanakena. The most successful projects and programs that garner support demonstrate clear and meaningful impact across the region.

This year, the geographic-specific fund will award up to $6,000 in grants. Interested organizations are required to apply online through the Northern New York Community Foundation’s grant portal at bit.ly/grant-portal. The deadline to apply is Friday, July 21.

To be eligible, organizations must have active and federally classified status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Applicants without this classification are encouraged to partner with an eligible nonprofit. The Community Foundation collaborates with the Clifton-Fine Economic Development Fund to facilitate potential grant partnerships.

Four projects received grant support totaling $5,720 from the Clifton-Fine Community Fund in 2022. Funding was deployed to help increase community waterfront access in Wanakena and enhance patient experiences at Clifton-Fine Hospital and its extended care facility. Grants were also allocated to support the addition of outdoor space for community events at the Cranberry Lake North Shore Hub and for the creation of themed children’s backpacks available to residents and visitors at the Clifton Community Library. These grants were also supported, in part, by the Lester Allen and Stephen Moyer Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.

Since it began grantmaking in 2014, the Community Fund has awarded more than 30 organizations nearly $46,000 to support 45 community projects and initiatives.

“Each year, the impact of the Clifton-Fine Community Fund grows in meaningful ways,” said Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director. “More local nonprofits and community projects are benefiting from the thoughtful generosity of donors who established and built this community fund. We continue to believe in the strength of the community fund and how it will support residents and visitors to the region for years to come.”

The Clifton-Fine Community Fund was established at the Community Foundation in 2013 as a geographic-specific fund to support projects and programs that positively impact the quality of life in the southeast St. Lawrence County region, specifically in the six towns and hamlets of Fine, Oswegatchie, Star Lake, Newton Falls, Wanakena and Cranberry Lake. This permanent charitable fund is an opportunity for residents to give where they live, while impacting the region forever.

To build initial support for the fund, the Community Foundation awarded a $50,000 challenge grant. By the end of 2014, donors from across the region came together to create a $100,000 community fund.

Proposals to the Clifton-Fine Community Fund should clearly demonstrate projected impact on the community, economy, and tourism, as well as other funding partners involved in the effort. Creative solutions to regional challenges are encouraged. Requests will also be evaluated based on the organization’s ability to implement and steward the project. Applications may not be considered for work commencing prior to Oct. 1, 2023. Grant recipients will have up to one year from the date of the award to complete the project.

Contact Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director, at max@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, for more details on grant guidelines, the process to apply for grant support, and ways to make a gift to help build the Clifton-Fine Community Fund.