The Greater Pulaski Community Endowment Fund (Pulaski Fund) announced that it has reached its 30-year anniversary and surpassed $1 million in endowment size since its inception in 1991.
Each year the fund provides grants to village of Pulaski and town of Richland nonprofit groups. This year, the Pulaski fund successfully raised more than $13,000 in community contributions during its fall campaign.
“In its 30th year, the fund has been able to contribute to the community to help serve its children, preserve the rich historical heritage of our area, and foster the arts via the generosity of our extraordinary donors. The endowment fund committee members wish to thank our generous donors for their contributions to our community,” said fund chairwoman Tina Lane.
The fund began in 1991 with seed money from the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust. John Ben Snow was born and raised in Pulaski and gave generously to his community throughout his life. He believed in improving the quality of life in Pulaski and the surrounding region. With the help of the annual John Ben Snow Memorial Trust matching grant, the Greater Pulaski Community Endowment Fund brings his wishes forward by granting out more than $30,000 per year to local nonprofits.
“The Greater Pulaski Community Endowment Fund began with a $50,000 challenge grant from the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust and has garnered well over $350,000 in matching community support over that past 30 years,” said Jonathan L. Snow, president of the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust. “The partnership embodies the collaborative approach of private donor support and philanthropic funding in achieving our shared objective of supporting projects of consequence in the village of Pulaski and town of Richland.”
This year, nearly 60 contributions totaling $13,600 were collected during the campaign. This support from businesses and community members helped the fund’s advisory committee secure $10,000 in matching dollars from the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, bringing the combined total raised to $23,600. Continued growth of the fund, through community contributions and matching grant support, increases its grantmaking capacity and strengthens its ability to meet the community’s changing needs over time.
The Pulaski fund is a permanent endowment fund that supports nonprofit organizations serving the village of Pulaski and the town of Richland. Organizations such as Salmon River Fine Arts, Half Shire Historical Society, Rural & Migrant Ministry of Oswego County and United Friends of Homeless Animals have benefited from the fund’s grants.
Since its inception, the fund has supported arts and culture, community development, education, environment, health, and human services programming in the greater Pulaski region with more than $425,000 in grants.