Submitted Photo Members of the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation celebrates 25 years.

The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019, staying true to its mission of “growing good” by awarding a new record total in grants – over $1.6 million for local, state and national nonprofits and charitable causes.

Grants made from funds at CRCF in 2019 totaled $1,623,564, an all-time high and an increase of nearly half a million dollars from 2018.

According to CRCF Executive Director Karen Niemic Buchheit, the $1.6 million impacts all kinds of different causes from healthcare to scholarships, economic development to arts and culture and so much more.

“This kind of increase in grantmaking shows just how far this Foundation has come in 25 years,” said CRCF Executive Director Karen Niemic Buchheit. “I remember when breaking $1 million in grants was a milestone, and in just a short time we are already getting near the $2 million mark.

“So much credit goes to our board and the founding members of CRCF whose foresight and forward thinking laid the blueprint for all of this growth,” Buchheit added.

Grants of particular note in 2019 include:

¯ $188,531 from the Mildred Milliman Fund to the Olean General Hospital Foundation to support the Mildred Milliman Outpatient Surgery Center

¯ Over $167,000 in scholarships for more than 120 area students

¯ $12,900 in Cattaraugus Gives prize money for 20 participating nonprofits

¯ $69,410 in assistance to individuals and families during time of medical treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses

¯ $22,347 from the F. Donald Kenney Fund to the Tri-County Arts Council for the annual Southern Tier Biennial exhibition

¯ $14,000 from the Olean Professional Firefighters Fireworks fund to support the annual Olean Fourth of July Fireworks display

¯ $10,000 from the Allegany Public Library Memorial Association Fund for renovations and upgrades to library offices

In 2019 more than 1,500 donors made some 2,200 gifts to funds at CRCF, totaling donations in all of $1.7 million, including 24 new funds.

“Those kind of numbers are especially remarkable when you think of where this Foundation started,” said CRCF Karen Niemic Buchheit. “CRCF essentially began with one fund of $43,000, and now our assets are about $23 million, thanks to support from donors like we received this year.”

“The caring and generosity of local and hometown donors that support people and causes in this region continue to amaze me,” Buchheit said.

CRCF also led Cattaraugus Gives as a stand-alone giving day for the first time in 2019, culminating in nearly $111,000 raised for some 70 nonprofits across the Cattaraugus region.

Donations can be made to any of CRCF’s 190 funds at cattfoundation.org or 301 North Union St., Suite 203 in Olean.

The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is the area’s supportive, responsive and trusted community foundation. Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email foundation@cattfoundation.org, or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).