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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 

  • Mother and toddler playing with Legos
    Birth to Three Turns 10

    “Little short of a miracle” is how Joan Grabe describes what the Adirondack Birth to Three Alliance (BT3) has accomplished in just over a decade. Joan, an ACF fundholder and Trustee, was among the donors, advocates, and providers who, recognizing the importance of the first three years on a child’s development, came together to support our youngest Adirondackers back in 2014.

    Learn More about the Birth to Three Alliance
  • 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
  • Girl in princess costume and boy in cowboy costume doing crafts
    Changing the Rural Narrative

    In 2024, Adirondack Community Foundation was selected to be one of 20 inaugural grantees working to reinvigorate rural, often high-poverty regions by the Trust for Civic Life, a collaborative of 15 high-profile national funders from across the political spectrum.

    Read More

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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