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unitedwayUnited Way of Tompkins County announced the Lansing Focus on Community and Understanding Service (F.O.C.U.S) Council grant application process.  The F.O.C.U.S. Council, comprised of students currently enrolled in Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Rural Youth Services Program in the Town of Lansing, will review applications and award $3,000 in one-time grants to local health and human service nonprofit organizations. 

All Tompkins County health and human service agencies are eligible to apply for funding, including community centers, fire companies, and other organizations with nonprofit status; the only funding guideline is that any proposal must benefit residents of the Town of Lansing. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, March 30th at 12:00 Noon to United Way of Tompkins County.  Grant awards will be announced in April 2011.

FOCUS is a component of United Way of Tompkins County’s Student and Campus Engagement Programs. Middle school students in select towns participate in consensus building activities, review grant applications, conduct interviews, and deliberate about how to award $3,000 to local nonprofit organizations that serve their communities. Students also engage in a documentary photography project, where they capture on film what they like about their community and what they would like to change. FOCUS is generously funded by the Park Foundation.

Since the program’s inception in 2002, the towns of Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Enfield, Groton, Ithaca (in conjunction with The Learning Web), Newfield, and Trumansburg have hosted FOCUS Programs. To date, over 65 middle school students have distributed $18,000 to nonprofit organizations serving individuals and families in Tompkins County. Last year, students from Danby awarded grants to:
  • Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service received $600 for Community Based Suicide Prevention Training for residents of Danby.
  • The Danby Community Park Association, Inc. received $1,000 for a Commercial-grade picnic table and recycling receptacle in Dotson Park.
  • The Town of Danby / Volunteer Fire Company received $1,400 for Street address number signs to be posted at the entrances of driveways or attached to the mail boxes of individuals with disabilities, low income and the senior population.

Working with others United Way of Tompkins County will build an organization that…
  • Supports individuals in their efforts to live self-sufficient, productive lives,
  • Connects families with their communities,
  • Encourages diverse agencies and communities to engage each other to achieve mutual goals,
  • Models and expects fairness, dignity, and respect.

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