TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE:
The PCA Versus the PCF

“What’s the difference between the Palisades Citizens Association (PCA) and the Palisades Community Fund (PCF)?”
The Palisades Citizens Association—whose 1999-2000 membership drive is now underway —is the community organization that sponsors and supports neighborhood activities and projects, informs and educates the community on issues, and represents the Palisades’ interests before the city and federal governments.
Members of the association pay annual dues and receive this newsletter, as well as alerts of police and other emergencies (if they wish) over the Internet.
At general meetings, held monthly from October through June, members set association policy and vote on issues including zoning, property assessments, traffic, and area development. The association’s board meets monthly to discuss community concerns and issues. There are also standing committees (which any member may join) that work on hot-button issues such as traffic, zoning, aircraft noise, education, campus plans and development in the Palisades.
Membership dues and contributions to the Palisades Citizens Association are not tax deductible.
Four years ago, the association created the Palisades Community Fund. The Fund, a commitee that functions as the association’s grant-giving arm, allows individ uals, businesses and foundations to make fully tax-deductible contributions for im provements to our community.
The Fund’s 501(c)(3) non-profit status comes from its affiliation with the award-winning Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, which administers, manages and invests our fund’s money.
In recent years, PCF grants have funded projects to update and enlarge Key School’s library, purchased shelves and a children’s room computer for the Palisades branch library, funded an Eagle Scout project to build new lockers at the fire station, and raised funds to construct the Palisades information kiosk by the MacArthur Safeway.
The Fund raises money for grants primarily from two mailings a year.
Under its non-profit umbrella, the Fund also houses two organizations started more than five years ago: Friends of Palisades Park (FPP), which rebuilt and renovated the Palisades Recreation Center and Park, and The MacArthur Beautification Group (MBG), which planted and maintains the medians along MacArthur Boulevard.
Both groups raise money by annual appeals.
Donations to these two groups are tax deductible.
Because Palisades residents are both concerned and generous, the PCF has raised over $100,000, enabling us to fund projects that would otherwise not get off the ground.
While making grants twice a year, the Fund is also committed to building an endowment that will ensure funding for projects in the years ahead.
—Cary Ridder (PCA President) and Judy Dollenmayer (PCF Chair)