CANTON -- The Canton Community Fund (CCF), a local organization that funds local projects through grants, has launched a new website.

The site, www.cantoncommunityfund.org, tells visitors about the organization and offers individuals and groups the opportunity to donate, apply for funding, and subscribe to emails and newsletters directly from the site.

The site was originally developed by Matt Scafidi-McGuire; the new version was created and is managed by CCF board member Lenore VanderZee.

“The Canton Community Fund has been able to fund projects for Canton Central School, local college student projects that benefit the community, and organizations like the Church and Community Program and Deep Root Center, all thanks to our generous donors,” said Neal Burdick, president of the Board of Directors. “We are hoping this new website will draw both more donors and more applicants, so we can use our funds more widely in the Town and Village of Canton.”

Grants offered by the CCF help fund everything from new equipment to innovative projects. The maximum award is $2,000, and approximately 10 grants are awarded annually. Recent grants include $335 to the St. Lawrence County Historical Association to mount five barn quilts on the SLCHA's Red Barn; $550 to the Yoga Loft, for safety equipment for the inaugural Maple Run foot race; and $1,250 to Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY) for its inaugural Writers Fair.

All gifts to the CCF, to support projects like these and many others, are tax-deductible.