Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation (NCCF)

At NCCF, we envision a vibrant, prosperous community rich in opportunity, today and tomorrow.

Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation has been serving the northern Chautauqua community since 1986. Over $21 million has been invested in the community to enhance the quality of life for all who live, work, and play here.

Today. Tomorrow. Together: the campaign for northern Chautauqua focuses on building Community Funds. All proceeds from Give 716 will be added to our Community Funds, the cornerstone of our work. These powerful funds are flexible, allowing our knowledgeable Board of Directors to direct them to emerging opportunities and to address the community's needs as they arise, no matter what those needs may be in the future. Gifts to NCCF's Community Funds are pooled and endowed, allowing for the greater impact of collective philanthropy and a source of funding for our local nonprofits that will last forever.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation was incorporated in 1986 by a group of community-minded, philanthropic individuals who shared Margaret Mead's beliefs. With a deep love for our community, these individuals sought ways to make positive changes, enriching the area and the quality of life for all residents. NCCF was born out of this desire to see northern Chautauqua County flourish. Many generous like-minded community members made gifts to establish the endowment, which has grown exponentially since then. Community foundations operate in perpetuity; because our funds are held as endowments, our donors' contributions to NCCF are never spent. Our grants and awards come from the interest or income of our earnings. This means that gifts made to NCCF will continue to benefit the northern Chautauqua community and provide resources for generations to come! Today, NCCF continues to empower community-minded, philanthropic individuals to make the positive changes they hope to see in our community through a number of giving options and a wide variety of supported programs.

Each year, NCCF infuses many charitable dollars into our community through grants to community partners, organizations, projects, and hundreds of scholarships to local students of all ages and backgrounds. In addition, we work to identify and address current and emerging community needs. NCCF acts as both a leader and partner in our community to ensure that these needs are met efficiently and effectively. The flexibility of our Community Funds allows us to immediately and effectively address the needs of the community, even when they cannot be foreseen. These powerful funds also allow us to maximize opportunities, strengthening the nonprofit sector throughout our region.

When you support NCCF, you are supporting all of northern Chautauqua County. Thank you for your generosity!

Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation envisions a vibrant, prosperous community for generations to come. Our mission is to enrich the area in which we live and work through local philanthropy, strategic grantmaking, leadership, and collaboration.