Steuben County Community Foundation, Inc.

Our goal is to support the evolving charitable needs in our community. This is accomplished by providing financial resources to nonprofits through grantmaking, as well as providing intangible resources, such as connections and information, to nonprofits through our role as a community convener. We offer insights to donors who are interested in community projects and help fulfill a connection to the community for any donors who no longer live in Steuben County but remain committed to making a difference.

The Community Foundation model is one that prioritizes long term impact and sustainability. We grow our endowments by building relationships with donors and educating them on the benefits of giving in their lifetimes and through their estates. A volunteer committee oversees these investments and carefully manages risk levels to ensure a balance of growth and stability. These assets allow Steuben County Community Foundation to focus on grantmaking that creates impact, rather than preserving status quo. They also ensure that SCCF will be around forever as an agile organization that can pivot to address future needs in Steuben County as those develop.

We have a dedicated board and staff who represent the broader community with a diversity of occupation, gender, age, and geography. Our office is located in a visible area, making it easy for people to find us and stop by to learn more. In 2017, our organization spent months connecting with nonprofits and community members to craft a detailed 3-year strategic plan, which has guided every decision since its implementation. Steuben County Community Foundation has a record of leadership and stewardship, which is evidenced by the progress we've already made with our strategic plan. Since then, Steuben County Community Foundation has continued to convene nonprofits in regular trainings and updated communications with the nonprofit community. The board continues to discuss ways to better serve the community, including expanding convening efforts to engage a wider variety of community groups. As a neutral party with strong relationships with local donors, Steuben County Community Foundation is in a strong position to promote collaboration and facilitate collective impact.

In 2018, we launched a 2 year nonprofit training series which has provided free workshops for our local nonprofit organizations. We have grown to manage $30 million in assets reflecting thousands of donor's wishes over the past 29 years. Our youth philanthropy group, FIST, has engaged hundreds of students and donated thousands of service hours to the community. We have convened groups of local religious leaders, economic and business leaders, and early childcare providers to share information and support each other. We have updated our grant guidelines after a full year of analysis, restructuring our cycles to provide an opportunity for support for larger programs that are innovative, collaborative, and sustainable. Our goal is to listen carefully to the needs of Steuben County, implement strategic grantmaking guidance, and develop as a community leader.