The Rome Community Foundation was established in 1999 to address the emerging needs of community non-profit organizations and of individuals seeking better ways to donate to the well-being of citizens in the Greater Rome, New York, area. Relatively small funds and potentially high expenses prevent many groups from creating endowments to support their activities. The creation of the Rome Community
Foundation made endowment establishment easy, and provided a way to allow service organizations to assist donors in meeting their philanthropic objectives. The Rome Community Foundation is not the local chapter of any larger group. It is a Rome-based public foundation, with all donations specifically directed to benefit the charitable needs of the Rome area. The Foundation does not compete with existing fund-raising efforts by other groups, and does not conduct traditional public fund-raising events. Rather, it builds endowment through individual bequests, memorials, and donations from other sources. The Foundation strives to create an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable submitting a grant request: existing groups, new programs, small and large organizations. The hope is that all will come together in the spirit of building a strong financial base to enhance the long-term health, stability, and diversity of our community. The Rome Community Foundation provides a central structure for protected, supervised charitable giving and expanded charitable giving options, thereby supplementing and enhancing efforts of existing community organizations. The Foundation satisfies the donor’s desire to contribute to a professionally-managed fund, facilitates donations, and directs the flow of charitable dollars to worthy projects and services in the Rome community. Grant recipients since 1999:
Capitol Theatre
Capitol Civic Center
City of Rome
First Baptist Church
First United Methodist Church
First Presbyterian Church
Habitat for Humanity
Hospice and Palliative Care
Humane Society of Rome
Isaac Walton League
Jervis Public Library
John Bosco House
Kirkland Art Center
Ladder 3 Fund
Lake Delta Volunteer Fire Department
New York State School for the Deaf
Reach Out and Read
Resource Center for Independent Living
Revolutionary Trails Council
RFA Sundial Project
Rome Art & Community Center
Rome Baseball Association
Rome Catholic Schools
Rome Cemetery Association
Rome City School District
Rome Clean & Green
Rome Community Theater
Rome Family Y
Rome Futures Academy
Rome Historical Society
Rome Home
Rome Industrial Development Corporation
Rome Main Street Alliance
Rome Memorial Hospital
Rome Memorial Hospital Foundation
Rome Memorial Hospital Fund
Rome Police Department
Rome Police and Firemen’s Memorial
Rome Rescue Mission
Rome Rotary Benevolent Fund
Rome Sports Hall of Fame
Salvation Army
St. Joseph’s Church
St. John the Baptist Church
United Cerebral Palsy
Welcome Hall Community Center
YMCA of the Greater Tri Valley
YWCA’s Lucy’s House
Zion Episcopal Church
