Guide to Giving - Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Community Leadership FundsYOU CAN HELP STRENGTHEN YOUR COMMUNITYFor over 25 years, Berkshire Taconic has been a proactive leader in the region,finding ways to build resources for communities and create opportunitiesfor charitable giving where none existed. We invite you to support theseimportant initiatives. They are making a difference and you can too!$3.5millionAmount BTCF’s29 educationenrichment fundshave awarded toprojects for kids inour public schoolsENDOWMENT FOR THE FOUNDATIONSupport the leadership work of your community foundation - Berkshire Taconic’s operations are supportedprimarily by the fees it charges to all its funds. The Endowment for the Foundation provides support for staffto implement community leadership initiatives above and beyond the ongoing stewardship of the funds wemanage. This fund supports our research and our development work with communities throughout the region.THE COMMUNITY FUNDAddress urgent needs in your community with BTCF’s only unrestricted fund - The Community Fundallows Berkshire Taconic to identify needs and opportunities in the region and target dollars where they are mosteffective. The Community Fund supports long-term solutions to problems such as hunger, homelessness, childwelfare and public education. It has been the source of initial funding for several of the Foundation’s strategicinitiatives.CENTER FOR NONPROFIT EXCELLENCEHelp nonprofits think strategically, govern effectively and operate efficiently - The Center for NonprofitExcellence (CNE) offers seminars in best practices in nonprofit management, scholarships to top-flight academicprograms and intensive training for board and staff leaders. CNE also provides access to an online nationalgrants database and free use of our three conference rooms.HOUSINGUSIncrease the rate of affordable housing options in our region - A healthy community is home to people ofwide-ranging talents, backgrounds and ages. The rich and diverse fabric of our communities is in gravedanger of unraveling: the lack of reasonably-priced housing is the reason.HousingUs is a tristate collaborative effort of nonprofit organizations and community leaders to promote broadbasedaffordable housing options in towns throughout the northwest corner of CT, northeast Dutchess andColumbia Counties in NY and southern Berkshire County.EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT FUNDImproves the lives of our children - BTCF’s Early Childhood Development Fund is an initiative whose visionis that children from birth to five years in our region develop in a wholesome, healthy, learning-rich environmentso that they are ready to learn when they enter kindergarten.AREA FUNDSSustain the quality of life in a beloved town or geographic region - Many of us feel strong ties to a town orcommunity that we would like to support. If you feel this way, you may want to contribute to one of our AreaFunds. Please see our map on page 32.Area funds are permanently endowed and cover a specific geographic sector of the tri-state area we serve. Thefunds support programs and services in the arts, education, health, human services and the environment. EachArea Fund has an advisory committee made up of local residents who understand the needs of the community,oversee fundraising and award grants annually.EDUCATION ENRICHMENT FUNDSHelp turn a good education into a great one - Berkshire Taconic has worked for over 15 years to createeducation enrichment funds in 29 public school districts in our region. These funds support a wide variety ofprograms not covered by tax dollars. Each of these education enrichment funds are resources for any student,teacher, staff or community member who has an idea for an exciting project. Because these funds are endowed,they will remain a permanent source of support for remarkable learning experiences for our public schoolchildren for years to come.NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBORHelp local families in economic distress - Neighbor-to-Neighbor provides emergency assistance for localresidents who are in economic distress, making small grants to help those with overdue utilities, medical bills,short-term housing costs and transportation problems. Donors may restrict their donations to specific towns orcommunities. BTCF awards emergency funds to hundreds of struggling community members each year.$1.2millionAmount BTCF’sNeighbor-to-Neighborprogram hasdistributed toindividuals ineconomic distress24 berkshiretaconic.orgberkshiretaconic.org 25