[SustainableTompkins] looking for projects to fund

[Ira Goldstein]

Hi, Margaret--

  It sounds like you have a lot of great ideas, and I understand that 
there are hoops to jump through for an organization to get 501(c)(3) 
status. It's heartening that Sustaininable Ithaca is on the path to 
qualifying for that designation.

  The foundation that I represent, like most (all?) charitable 
foundations is restricted to making money grants to  501(c)(3)'s, and 
so a project needs to be presented in the context of somehow having 
crossed that threshold to receive consideration. That precludes 
funding a process for becoming a  501(c)(3).

  In truth, our preference is to fund specific, innovative, replicable
projects which fit into the scope of our mission, rather than to fund 
general operations.

  All this contributes to increasing our effectiveness by netting 
particular projects which, on one hand, are not a one person 
show--and on the other hand, just greasing the wheels of a large 
organization. Greasing the wheels is ok-- it's just not what we 
choose to do.

  For more info on our foundation: https://www.srinc.biz/ua/index.html

Thank you,

--Ira