Remembering J. Spencer Standish

The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region remembers with deep gratitude and an even greater sense of loss, our friend J. Spencer Standish who passed away on September 22, 2016.

While much will be written about his business acumen, it is his spirit of generosity and care for our region for which he will be most remembered at the Foundation. Please click here to read more about the profound impact J. Spencer Standish has had on the Community Foundation and the Capital Region.

Click the image below to read the Foundation's 2014-2015 Annual Report!

At the Community Foundation, we are inspired every day by the people and organizations that come together to enhance the quality of life in our community. We are grateful for the generosity of our donors and the good work of local nonprofits, and we are proud to be the link between the two.

Over the years, hundreds of donors have come to the Community Foundation to facilitate their charitable giving. Some support many different charities, and want to streamline their giving through a single fund. Others want to set up scholarships or endow funds to support their favorite organizations in the future. Some donors come to the Foundation with broader goals. They may want to support a particular area of need - the arts or healthcare, for example - or they may have the simple desire to support the community as a whole.

The Community Foundation can meet all of those objectives and more. In addition, we offer a variety of services that help our donors have an even greater impact with their charitable gifts. We professionally invest the charitable assets entrusted to us, growing them over time. Our expert staff can provide insight about local issues and the nonprofit organizations addressing them. We can connect donors with opportunities to make a difference in their communities.

While we are proud of the ways in which we serve our donors, it is our impact that is most impressive. In 2015, we distributed nearly $4 million in grants and scholarships! These grants are critical to hundreds of local nonprofits - the organizations that keep our neighbors healthy, educate our children, protect our environment, and sustain local arts and history. We are uniquely positioned to take a leadership role when disaster strikes or a new community issue emerges.

None of what we do would be possible without the generosity and commitment of our donors. The family of funds at the Community Foundation represents hundreds of Capital Region residents who wish to make a difference in ways both large and small. We are inspired by their generosity and honored to be their philanthropic partner.

Sincerely,