Cameron County Area Scholarship Applications Are Now Available

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Cameron County Area Scholarship Applications Are Now Available

Attention All Seniors in High School! The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies has distributed all post-secondary or vocational school scholarship applications to the high school guidance departments. Each scholarship that is available has a different focus, so check each one out and see if it is right for you. The Foundation added thirteen new high school scholarships this year, this has increased the total scholarships awarded to $190,000 by the Foundation across seven counties.

The Blair Hornung Scholarship and the Gladys Schultz Memorial Scholarship  are open to any Cameron County Area High School senior who will be attending a post-secondary school. Also available for high school seniors is the Inez Bull Piano and Ole Bull Violin Scholarships.

 

Post-secondary music students are also eligible to apply for the Inez Bull Piano or the Ole Bull Violin Scholarships as long as they graduated from a high school in Potter, Tioga, Elk, McKean, Cameron or Clinton County.

The Community Foundation is one of 40 state wide partners with PATH (Partners for Access to Higher Education). Students who receive a scholarship award from the Community Foundation may qualify for matching dollars through PHEAA and the PATH program. In 2018 over $70,000 was matched to our local students.

All the scholarships and their qualifications for the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies are listed on the Community Foundation website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org. Look for the “Information for Students” tab under Scholarship! For further details or deadlines, contact your guidance counselor or the Community Foundation at 844 238-2289.

Pictured is the winner of the Inez Bull Piano Scholarship Simon Glatt and Deanna Young from the Inez and Ole Bull Scholarship committee.

EITC $2,500 donation presented to Elk County Community Foundation

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Farmers National Bank presents EITC donation to Elk County Community Foundation

Recently, Farmers National Bank presented a check for $2500 to the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) from their Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) approved donations. These dollars will be used to provide local school districts or agencies that serves Elk County School students K-12 with pre-approved innovative educational programs for the upcoming 2019 grants.

Any entity authorized to conduct business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and subject to certain taxes is eligible to apply to be involved with the EITC program. Tax credits are limited to 75% of the business’ contribution with a maximum of $750,000 annually. If a business agrees to make the same contribution for two consecutive years, it may receive a tax credit equal to 90% of its contribution.  Interested participants must submit a brief application to the DCED. More information about applying can be found at https://dced.pa.gov/programs/educational-improvement-tax-credit-program-eitc. 

As an approved EITC partner the Foundation receives donations from qualified businesses to provide innovative educational programing with in the public schools K-12.  Paula Fritz Eddy, on left, Tom Jesberger, on the right and Fritz lecker to the left of Aiello all from the Community Foundation accepted the check from Barb Donahue, Branch Manager of the St. Marys Branch of Farmers National Bank.  For more information about the Community Foundation or EITC opportunities contact Paula at 814-834-2125 or visit their website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org .

Pictured left to right: Paula Fritz Eddy, Barb Donahue, Fritz Lecker, and Tom Jesberger

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Foundation Charter Members Honored With Emeritus Status

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Conrad & Meyer honored by the Elk County Community Foundation

At the November Board of Directors meeting of the Elk County Community Foundation Attorney Jake Meyer and Dr. Bill Conrad, retiring Stackpole-Hall Foundation Executive Director, were awarded Emeritus Status in recognition of their visionary leadership in the establishment and growth of the Foundation.

More than 20 years ago, Jake and Bill discussed the possibility of establishing a community foundation in Elk County. They were aware of successful area individuals who could be philanthropists while at the same time Stackpole Hall Foundation was being inundated with requests from community non-profits.

Jake and Bill were joined by Stackpole Hall Board Members Doug Dobson and Ham Johnson and other community leaders to lay the foundation for a Community Foundation.  A Steering Committee was formed which included geographic representatives, influential leaders, legal and financial experts, civic leaders, entrepreneurs, and people who knew the community well.

On March 1, 1999, Attorney Richard A. Masson, the Community Foundation’s first chairman, led the initial Steering Committee meeting and charged the group to move forward with a feasibility study by forming three committees:

Attorney Jake Meyer was charged with examining the organizational legal structure, how a Board might be elected and how the Foundation might be administered leading his committee of Ham Johnson, Judith Manno Stager and 5 others.

Doug Dobson chaired his committee of Don Valone, Bud Brazinski, Dick Wolfe and 7 others to analyze the feasibility of creating a $5MM foundation in the next 5 to 10 years.

Bill Conrad and his committee investigated whether or not Elk County should affiliate with an existing community foundation and whether to include other contiguous counties.   His committee consisted of Don Fleming, John Fernan, Bea Terbovich and Sam Guaglianone.

Soon, by-laws were written and legalities were in place under the diligence and expertise of Jake Meyer. The first Board of Directors was selected and the Elk County Community Foundation was established.

Doug Dobson’s group and the Board began to realize their goal with the Stackpole Hall Foundation contributing start up money to hire an executive director, rent an office and begin educating the community.

After evaluating the structure and pros and cons about the feasibility of joining another community foundation, the committee under Bill Conrad’s leadership and the Board eventually established the Elk County Community Foundation without limiting expansion.

Now, nearly 20 years later, with a new name and the Elk County Community Foundation under its umbrella, and managing more than $12MM, the two key Elk County Community Foundation founders Jake Meyer, Esq. and Bill Conrad PhD were recognized and both agreed to continue their involvement and share their wisdom with the Elk County Community Foundation as Emeritus Status.

ECCF open grant applications due January 15

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ECCF open grant application are due January 15

The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) is accepting grant applications through January 15 from 501c3 organizations who wish to apply for funding from The Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund, the Elk County Society for Special Services Fund, or the Elk County Development Fund and Fund of the Future.

The Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund is an open grant that supports worthy projects that provide services for the residents of our communities. Their goal is to ensure that the Fund continues the good works that both Mr. & Mrs. Stackpole had done in our community during their lifetime and to support the philanthropic causes that were important to both of them

The Elk County Society for Special Services fund is designated for any nonprofit agency which provides services for the purposes of providing Pre-K education. The application should improve programs that are already established or develop new programs. This fund will not cover direct operating expenses of an agency, rather it hopes to enhance already established programs.

The Elk County Development Fund and Fund of the Future generally look to support community development initiatives that will enhance the economic and community wellbeing of Elk County. Projects should include activities that are innovative and have a plan to sustain themselves.

For instructions on how to apply for a grant please go to our new website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org. Please call our office at 834-2125 with any questions. ECCF is a non-profit organization that strives to strengthen our region through development, stewardship and grant making as it works with donors to achieve their philanthropic goals.

PHOTO: The St. Marys Heritage Preservation Group received a 2018 grant from The Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Foundation for flower pots throughout the downtown area.

Pay It Forward event to address tax laws, estate planning, charitable giving

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The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) welcomes featured speakers, Padraic McGrath of McGrath CPA, LLC, on left, and Thomas C. Hoffman, II, Esq. of Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett to its Pay It Forward event on Monday, November 19 from 2 to 7 pm at the ECCF office and lobby of the Franklin Center on South St. Marys Street. This Open House event is an opportunity for all community minded individuals to learn how you can make your resources, large or small, work for both you and your community.

McGrath will present on the 2018 tax law changes and strategies on how to maximize charitable giving. He will also explain charitable IRA’s and how clients can still benefit from them. Also speaking will be Thomas C. Hoffman, II, Esq. of Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, who will share information on creating wills and estate plans and incorporating charitable giving into your plans. Hoffman will speak at both 3 pm and 5 pm, while McGrath will present at 4 pm and 6 pm. Reservations are not necessary.

The educational event will also feature informative table displays by area non-profit organizations that have Endowment Funds at the Foundation. Come learn more about ways, large and small, that you can help organizations like the Christian Food Bank, CAPSEA, Boys and Girls Club of St. Marys, Dickinson Center, St. Marys Library, Elk Co. Catholic School System, Ridgway Library, Oak Manor and ECCOTA. Chat with their representatives and enjoy appetizers, beverages, and door prizes including a TV. The public is invited to stop by anytime between 2 and 7 p.m. For more information contact ECCF at eccf@elkcountyfoundation.org or call 834.2125.