Donors

Recent News

WCF Welcomes Rebecca Putter
The Board of Advisors of the Westchester Community Foundation (WCF) announce Rebecca Kraley Putter was appointed program officer at the Westchester Community Foundation in December 2011. Her responsibilities include developing and implementing strategic grantmaking in the areas of the arts, academic opportunity, strong nonprofits, and the Westchester Fund for Women and Girls. 

Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Putter served as a consultant to regional community foundations and nonprofit organizations; a grantmaker at The Columbus Foundation in Columbus, Ohio; a development consultant for a government agency in the West Indies; and an associate at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs in New York, New York. She has been an active volunteer with a number of nonprofit organizations, most recently Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Vassar College and a master’s certificate in international security from Stanford University.

“We are so pleased to welcome Rebecca to our staff,” said Catherine Marsh, Executive Director of the Westchester Community Foundation, “Her combination of talents, along with her background addressing community challenges, bring a unique perspective to our work as a community foundation.”

“I am thrilled to accept this position as program officer” said Ms. Putter, in accepting the appointment, “and look forward to bringing my experience in the nonprofit, government, and community foundation world to the Westchester Community Foundation where I join a group of skilled professionals dedicated to strengthening our community through charitable giving.”
 
"Community Matters" Film 3
307285_10150348690280966_131314930965_8342751_258809645_nWestchester Community Foundation is sponsoring a 2011-2012 film series dedicated to generating discussion around topics that affect us locally, including health, environment, education, housing, and energy. The third film in this series was "Mothers of Bedford" which was shown on Tuesday, November 15 at Jacob Burns Film Center.  This film offered a look into the minds and hearts of the women inmates of New York’s Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. 
 
Film Series "Community Matters"
Westchester Community Foundation is sponsoring a film series dedicated to generating discussion around topics that affect us locally, including health, environment, education, housing, and energy. The second film in this series was Wretches & Jaberers, scheduled for Wednesday, September 21.  This film debunks the myth that autistic individuals do not have feelings, cannot communicate, and have low intelligence.  The autistic individuals in the film use assistive technology to express themselves and communicate with others.  The Foundation has supported a range of programs that encourage persons with those with autism express themselves through music, theater, visual arts, and, with the help of assistive technology, be educated in the public school system.


 
FAQs for Donors PDF Print E-mail

How often will I receive a report?
Reports will be mailed quarterly from the New York Community Trust.  They will list all activities that took place during the preceding quarter.  The are generally mailed about four to six weeks after the calendar quarter ends.

What is Advisor Express?  How can I sign up?  
Advisor Express  is a service for donors who serve as advisors to funds at The New York Community Trust. It enables users to view fund balances, gifts to the funds, grants made, and grants pending--with information updated daily. Donors can also recommend grants electronically.  Please email us if you would like to receive an ID and PSWD.

Can I change how my fund is invested?
From time to time, as circumstances warrant, you may request us to change the investment, but please remember, as personal as our service may seem, the money you have given us to establish a fund legally becomes our money, and while mindful of your interests or concerns, our decision on appropriate investment vehicles must remain the final one. For more information on how we invest, please click here. If you would like to discuss changing how your fund is invested, please e-mail us. 

May I make a grant to an organization that is in a foreign country?
Since 9/11 this has been an increasingly difficult thing to do. The circumstances under which such grants are approved are narrowing. Not only must we determine that the grant will be used for charitable purposes, but the receiving agency must agree to two important conditions:

  • that it complies with the U.S. Treasury regulations with regard to the Patriot Act; and
  • that it will expend the money within a reasonable amount of time (in other words the grant cannot go for an endowment or capital improvements). Many major foreign organizations have established "American Friends of..." and these, because they are based in the U.S. and follow regulations governing U.S. charities, are often good substitutes for direct support. Proposed legislation may make it impossible to make foreign grants from donor-advised funds.