The Future Fund of Central New York was founded in 2004 as the “PIE Project” under the auspices of the Central New York Community Foundation. PIE is an acronym for Philanthropy, Involvement, and Empowerment. The Fund is a giving circle, which means that emerging philanthropists in Central New York make gifts each year to permanently endow a fund at the Community Foundation. Matching donors contribute an equal amount that is given away each year to the local nonprofit community. In this way, 100% of the money given to the community comes from the matching donors. 100% of the money contributed by members goes to build the permanent endowment. And members make all the decisions about which organizations should receive funding.
The Future Fund is modeled after successful giving circles for young professionals in other communities, and is also modeled on the Women’s Fund, another giving circle within the Central New York Community Foundation. The Future Fund got its start when local civic leaders became tired of “seeing the same faces” at fund-raising events around the community. They realized the importance of cultivating and engaging a new cadre of volunteers and donors. These civic leaders and others went on to become founding matching donors. Together, the founding matching donors generously committed to provide $5,000 per year for each of the first three years of the Fund. They deserve our generous thanks because, without them, the Fund would never have been able to make a grant and would never have gotten off the ground.
The founding matching donors for 2004–05, 2005–06, and 2006–07 are:
- The Central New York Business Journal (Norm Poltenson)
- Lockheed Martin (Ellen Mitchell)
- Paul & Gail Cowley
- Kevin McClave
- Jack & Linda Webb
We’re likewise proud of the Fund’s success at recruiting and retaining more than 50 members each year, thereby raising in excess of $5,000 and meeting the match requirement.
The PIE Project changed its name in 2006 to the Future Fund of Central New York to better explain its purpose and imply its connection to the Central New York Community Foundation.