• Woman teaching group of young skiers

Generous Acts in Action

It’s one thing to say that community-building work starts with generosity and quite another to show what that looks like. These stories dig deeper into the essential roles nonprofits play in our communities. If you're an Adirondack nonprofit or student, click below to learn about grant and scholarship opportunities, or learn more about what we fund.

Learn about Grants + Scholarships 

  • Woman standing in library smiling
    So Much More than Books

    In hamlets and villages across the Adirondack region, libraries have become rural community hubs — places to gather, learn, work, and create. In the 2024 fiscal year, Adirondack Community Foundation distributed nearly $200,000 in funds to libraries, through Generous Acts, the Lake Placid Education Foundation Fund, gifts from our family of donor advised funds, and from the eight libraries that have funds with the Foundation.

    Learn More about Adirondack Libraries
  • Group of people standing in front of community center
    The Heart of the Community

    When St. Joseph's Catholic Church closed, Owls Head and neighboring Mountain View lost more than a house of worship — they lost one of their town’s few remaining gathering spaces. For 17 years, the building sat vacant — until a grassroots effort brought it back to life.

    Read More about Patsy's Place
  • Newborn snuggling with mother
    Baby Steps to Bright Futures

    Last year, with funding from Adirondack Community Foundation, the Essex County Health Department launched Baby Steps to Bright Futures to provide universal home visiting within the first few weeks after birth. Home visiting has been found to have lasting positive impacts for a child’s school readiness and health and for helping families become more economically secure

    Learn More about Baby Steps to Bright Futures

Giving Inspiration + Ideas

Find real stories about the motivations and rewards of giving with the Foundation to support local communities – to create impact – from Generous Acts champions to fundholders and members of our Legacy Family. Or dive deeper into the various ways you can give back to the Adirondack region

Learn More About Giving Back

  • Man and woman on covered porch
    Doing Well and Doing Good

    From the ease of making grants to the guidance provided by the Foundation's knowledgeable staff, Dave and Holly Wolff have discovered that a donor advised fund is the best way to carry out their philanthropy. Read about the philosophy behind this couple's giving.

    Meet the Wolffs
  • Bill and Dale Creighton at their home on Lake George
    Retirement Benefits

    Bill and Dale Creighton knew giving back to their home in Lake George and the broader Adirondack region would be a key part of their retirement. Learn how Bill is sharing time and talent to help Adirondack Community Foundation reach a new level, including making a commitment to support Generous Acts through unrestricted giving. 

    Meet the Creightons
  • Craig and Connie Weatherup
    Filling in the Blanks

    Craig and Connie Weatherup give from the heart to help the Adirondacks thrive. Learn how Adirondack Community Foundation has come to fill in the blanks for their local philanthropy.

    Meet the Weatherups
  • A man and woman sitting on their deck
    Helping Adirondack Neighbors Build their Futures

    The Allen Family Scholarship supports college and career advancement, with the understanding that "life if full of detours, crises, and setbacks, and not everyone moves in a straight line."

    Meet Lawson Allen
  • smiling woman
    Making a Splash in Lake Placid

    When it comes to making an impact on her Adirondack community, few surpass Lake Placid’s Caroline Lussi. It’s a passion she picked up during her “magical” childhood “Supporting the community is in my blood,” she says.

    Meet Caroline Lussi
  • IRA
    Understanding the IRA Charitable Rollover

    Did you know? The IRA Charitable Rollover allows individuals age 70½ and older to make direct transfers totaling up to $108,000 per year to 501(c)(3) charities, without having to count the transfers as income for federal income tax purposes - and Adirondack Community Foundation, or another local nonprofit, can benefit.

    Learn How You Can Use Your IRA for Good

Share A Story of Good

Use the below form to share your own story of good with us. Whether it's something or someone you're inspired by in your community, or an example of generosity you helped to make possible, we want to hear from you...

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