Dozens of community residents showed up to support the Ford City Public Library and to learn more about its future.

During an open house Tuesday, library director Anita Bowser announced that the library received a donation of $45,000 from the estate of Charles Robert Sensor and that the money was placed in an endowment with the Armstrong County Community Foundation.

"This money gives us some independence from the local government," Bowser said. "We no longer have to rely on the money we used to receive from the borough to sustain the library."

Actor Hugh Jackman announced Tuesday on his Twitter profile that he will donate $100,000 to one Twitterer's non-profit of choice if they can convince him of why in 140 character or less. So, if you're on Twitter ... please let Hugh know why he should support Backpacks For Pine Ridge .

Or you can donate online OR Make checks out to: Backpacks For Pine Ridge Fund c/o The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty Township.

Groups that help the homeless in Shasta and Trinity counties have until Wednesday to apply for grants from the Redding Rancheria Community Fund.

Grants up to $30,000 will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that serve the homeless with food, supplies, clothing, shelter and other aid, said Maria Orozco, spokeswoman for the Rancheria.

"It's an easy application," she said.

She said there is about $200,000 available for the grants, which are given through the Shasta Regional Community Foundation.

Congratulations to the El Dorado Springs Community Foundation on their successful completion of the Harry Cooper Supply Company Campaign for the Ozarks. They raised $33,500 that will be matched through the Cooper Campaign.

As the recession took hold and settled in last year, fundraising by U.S. charities began to falter, a new study says.

Many charities raised less money in 2008 than they did in 2007, and those that did raise more saw smaller gains than usual, says the eighth annual State of Fundraising survey from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Last year, 46 percent of organizations raised more than in 2007, compared to six in 10 that typically show fundraising growth from one year to the next.

via Fundraising skids in 2008 | Philanthropy Journal.

The 59-year-old Connecticut native becomes president of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts July 15, and he is excited about the opportunity.

"We're starting with a solid foundation," said Ancrum, who was unanimously elected last week by the foundation's trustees to succeed Kent W. Faerber, the foundation's president for more than 10 years.

Ancrum has a positive outlook despite the Springfield-based foundation's assets having dropped from $126 million to $90 million in the past year, mostly because of the impact of the stock market meltdown.

Four of the county's major supporters of nonprofits, providing everything from funding to organization and start-up support, face varying challenges as the recession continues.

At the Community Foundation for Monterey County, Executive Vice President Judy Sulsona said times haven't been this hard for nonprofits since the dot-com bubble burst in 2000.

The foundation helps nonprofits through grants, locating donors and assisting with organizational issues. Gifts to the foundation have slowed, Sulsona said, as donors try to gauge the economy and their own financial health. Administrators cut back on publications and travel expenses, she said. Even as it cuts back and struggles to raises funds, the local nonprofits the foundation assists are begging for help.

Heart of West Michigan United Way will address essential needs through the countrywide settlement funds Attorney General Mike Cox announced that $500,000 will be granted to Heart of West Michigan Untied Way to address housing, foreclosure prevention and other essential needs.

The Kent County Essential Needs Task Force was formed in 1982 with hundred of non-profits, governmental agencies, faith –based organization, funders and concerned volunteers helping Kent County’s most vulnerable citizen obtain the basic needs and self-sufficiency.

ENTF, United Way and local foundations established an essential needs fund, application process and review committee in conjunction with the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. It is United Way’s intent to allocate most of the settlement dollars to this Essential Needs Task Force Fund.

Last year, the mission served 1,200 Easter meals to those with no other place to go. This year, about 60 volunteers were prepared to serve up to 1,500.

“It makes me feel good to give back to them,” said Kristen Frederick, of Albany, who was volunteering at the mission for the third time. “I don’t know how to put it more eloquently than that.”

Her father, who died a decade ago, was once active in the mission, and Frederick said that she has taken up in his footsteps.

She was formerly the CEO of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, a philanthropic organization. She made a work trip to the mission, and decided that she’d rather offer hands-on help to those in need instead of just writing a check.

“I thought, this is the place I want to make a personal commitment,” she said. “It’s a better job hands-on on a holiday, seeing how grateful people are.”

Some city-sponsored services for seniors in Novato are on track to be rescued with the help of two grants from the Marin Community Foundation.

The Novato Independent Elders Program, based at the Margaret Todd Senior Center, was notified that a $65,000 foundation grant has been approved for salaries, and another $28,000 will go toward incidental expenses.

"I'm so relieved, and so are the seniors who receive these programs and the volunteers who provide them," said program director Carol Ann Moore, whose salary was at stake.

The elders program, which provides services such as grocery delivery and home yard work to seniors who still live in their homes, was targeted for elimination in recent cost-saving proposals by city staff. The city faces a $3 million budget shortfall for 2009-10.