Search Through Private Grants for Nonprofits in New York in the U.S.

About Us

The Achelis and Bodman Foundation was formally established on November 25, 2015, from the merger of The Achelis Foundation (established in 1940) and The Bodman Foundation (established in 1945).

Program Areas

In keeping with the broad purposes in its charter documents, the Foundation has chosen to spread its grants over six program areas. Most grants are made in New York City, reflecting its dynamic not-for-profit sector, large and persistent needs, and the staff's and Trustees' "local knowledge." The Foundation also makes grants in northern New Jersey in recognition of the Bodman family's ties to that state, with an emphasis on Newark and Monmouth County. Over 90% of grants fall into one of the following categories:

Arts and Culture

Cultural institutions are among New York City’s most valued resources. They attract visitors from around the world and are one reason why so many people choose to live here. They are also major employers and vital to the City’s economy. The arts were important to Miss Achelis and Mr. and Mrs. Bodman, and so the Foundation has continued to support this area, generally through operating grants to the City’s prominent cultural institutions. The Foundation is most likely to support organizations that promote and sustain traditional concepts of artistic excellence. 

Education

The failure of inner-city public education is a national tragedy with enormous consequences for the children in these schools and for society as a whole. The Foundation has long believed that accountability and competition can contribute to the improvement of urban public schools. Therefore, the Foundation has funded charter schools, voucher programs, scholarships to parochial schools, and research that examines the impact of competition and other factors on K-12 educational performance. The Foundation also has an interest in helping young people and adults to realize their dreams of a college education. Finally, the Foundation seeks to promote intellectual excellence and balance at American colleges and universities.

Employment

Chronic unemployment or underemployment is a harsh and demoralizing burden. The welfare reforms of the mid-1990s increased the need for effective job training and placement programs. Such programs are especially critical for ex-offenders, chronic substance abusers, those with low educational attainments, and those suffering from mental or physical disabilities. The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting programs that emphasize the private sector and entrepreneurship.

Health

It is difficult for small grantmakers to make a significant impact in a field as large and complex as healthcare. Therefore, the focus of the Foundation's grants has been on the health needs of poor children, the disabled, and other disadvantaged populations, as well as on basic biomedical research, where a small grant at a pivotal time in a scientist's research can have a disproportionate impact. The Foundation has also supported the work of policy experts evaluating reforms that would improve the healthcare system and make it more accessible and efficient.

Public Policy

Funding in this category covers a broad range of issues including: K-12 education (listed under ), healthcare, families and marriage, crime prevention, prisoner reentry, philanthropy, the environment, welfare reform, and faith and religion. In all areas, the Foundation's grantmaking is guided by a belief in the merits of economic and political liberty, free enterprise, and personal responsibility.

Youth and Families

The disparate needs of New York City's disadvantaged youth and families are served by hundreds, even thousands, of charitable institutions, ranging from established settlement houses to small neighborhood organizations to local houses of worship. The Foundation supports programs that boost academic achievement, provide positive recreational and educational activities for disadvantaged young people, promote good character and values, preserve families, and encourage responsible parenting. In addition, the Foundation has a special interest in programs that prevent criminal behavior, discourage pre-marital sexual activity among teens, and assist vulnerable populations, such as disconnected youth, children who have been in foster care or suffered abuse, the disabled, and the homebound elderly. The Foundation is particularly interested in funding smaller, neighborhood-based organizations that choose to rely on private support rather than government grants or contracts.

Mission:The Mayer Foundation was incorporated in March 2002 as a New York nonprofit corporation. The core mission of the Foundation is as follows:

• to make economic relief grants to needy individuals who are distressed or suffering as a result of poverty, low income or lack of financial resources,  including as a result of natural or civil disasters, or from temporary impoverishment, loss of employment, death of incapacity of a family wage earner or damage to home and property to provide health care to those who cannot afford health care or whose health insurance or financial resources are insufficient to cover medial needs;
• to make grants to other IRS 501(C)(3) organizations for educational, literary, cultural, humanitarian, scientific, health-care related and other charitable purposes; and
• to award scholarship benefits and student aid to high school, college or graduate school students to enable the recipients to complete an undergraduate or graduate education in the field of their choice at the college or graduate school of their choice.

Grant Sizes:

Grant sizes vary but generally range around $2,000 per grant.

About Us

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that receives contributions from private donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive.

Since our inception in 1927, we have invested nearly $300 million in community projects that strengthen our local nonprofits and address the most critical issues of our times. We are the largest charitable foundation in Central New York.

CNYCF Grants

We offer a number of grant programs that seek to bring about positive change and impact while honoring diversity and building inclusion within and across our many communities. The following programs provide responsive support to projects that enhance the lives of residents within Onondaga, Madison, Cayuga, Cortland and Oswego counties.

Strategic Partnership Funds

The Strategic Partnership Fund supports organizations seeking to create new synergies in and between nonprofits, such as mergers and affiliations, that will enable them to enhance program delivery and achieve more effective and efficient use of limited financial and human resources. Our hope is that the financial support offered through the Strategic Partnership Fund will enable these collaborative partnerships to prosper.

Types of Projects

Grants from the Strategic Partnership Fund support willing organizations pursuing the following:

• Exploration, Pre-Negotiation, Negotiation & Due Diligence
• Administrative consolidation
• Joint programming
• Joint venture
• Regionalization
• Formation of subsidiary or parent-subsidiary
• Reengineering or restructuring
• Mergers and consolidations
• Nonprofit dissolutions

Amount

Grant requests should generally not exceed $25,000. However, collaborative and/or innovative projects may exceed a $25,000 request.

Double-R Foundation Grants

The Double-R Foundation is a private, grant-making foundation that focuses its efforts on the enrichment of life in New York City.

The Foundation supports volunteer-based organizations that provide services to New York City Residents.

What we Do

We seek to enhance volunteer's efforts by:

• Sponsoring specific projects
• Contributing to nonprofit organizations' long-term stability

In the past, Double-R Foundation has supported programs in the following areas:

• Arts in New York City, particularly by new and developing artists, composers, dancers and performers
• City planning programs and organizations that enhance New York City's humanity and harmony with the natural world, including development of outdoor space, promotion of the intelligent use of materials, and educating the public and government about short and long term design alternatives
• Job training programs that link volunteer executives with young entrepreneurs;
• Legal services for the underprivileged provided by attorneys pro bono;
• Art and music instruction in after-school programs;
• Health care and health research;
• Animal-related services;
• Homeless shelters and related programs
• Youth-oriented legal support services promoting alternatives to incarceration in adult prisons and court systems.

The Charles H. Revson Foundation operates grant programs in Urban Affairs, Jewish Life, Biomedical Research, and Education.

Jewish Life

We invest in organizations in Israel and North America helping to meet social and spiritual needs of diverse communities, particularly in multi-faith, multi-ethnic, and public settings.

Grantmaking Focus

Meeting social and spiritual needs in Israel and North America

Through our Jewish Life focus, we extend the Foundation’s overall commitment to the civic sector by supporting courageous leadership, building capacity in under-resourced fields, and working in collaboration with other funders.  Signature efforts have included the Opportunity Fund in Israel, which expanded national civic service through a unique public-private and US-Israel partnership, and the Center for Pastoral Education, a Jewish address for chaplaincy and multi-faith spiritual care at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Current priorities are creating a pipeline of urban planners from Israel’s Arab sector and developing the work of community chaplaincy in North America.

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. believed effective change should make an impact from the start, yet carry long into the future. To do both, he earmarked a portion of his estate and the eventual sale of his beloved Buffalo Bills to fund his namesake foundation. The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation began operations in 2015 to continue his legacy—one of generosity and innovation, healthy risk taking and collaboration, and an unshakeable community focus.

And today, his hand-picked Life Trustees have determined to focus the efforts of the foundation on Mr. Wilson’s home and adopted home regions of Southeast Michigan and Western New York.

With a structure that dictates spend-down of our funds by 2035, we match the urgency that people in need feel every day and focus on collaborative investments that consider both immediate impact and long-term benefit.

Our time is short. But with collaboration, vision and a healthy dash of courage, transformation that shifts the very foundations of our communities is possible.

Grantmaking Focus Areas

Active Lifestyles

By supporting access to safe spaces and programs that get kids physically active and moving, the Foundation aims to introduce lifelong healthy habits through its Youth Sports & Recreation grantmaking. Spanning all generations, the Foundation’s investments in Parks, Trails & Green Design looks to connect people and communities to each other, nature and recreation.

Preparing for Success

Strong work ethic, confidence and a desire to learn are attributes that can be instilled at a young age and carried through adulthood. Our Preparing for Success focus area is centered on providing the communication, teamwork and critical-thinking skills people need to grow and adapt throughout their life and career.

Caregivers

There are more than 40 million family members - spouses, daughters, sons, grandchildren - and friends in the United States caring for older adults, a number that will grow dramatically in the coming years. The Foundation aims to elevate caregivers’ critical roles by highlighting the often-hidden value and contributions they make to families and communities every day.  

Entrepreneurship & Economic Development

Several years into recovery after a decades-long economic slide in both Southeast Michigan and Western New York, the Foundation’s investments in Entrepreneurship and Economic Development look to leverage this momentum by spurring small business growth, place-based community and economic development, and talent attraction and retention. 

Foundation Initiative: Nonprofit Support & Innovation

Without strong, healthy nonprofits that have the resources and support to meet their mission, none of the work the Foundation invests in across its focus areas can happen. While the Foundation works with individual grantees to help them build their own capacity through project-specific grants, it also is taking a sector view of nonprofit support as a special initiative of the Foundation in order to help strengthen communities.

Field Building Grant

Only 1% of philanthropic dollars are targeted to investment in people. The private sector invests 4x as much in its people than the nonprofit sector does. We believe that for the sector, and society, to be stronger, we need to invest more in people. Our grants support organizations that build the field of leadership development.

Making the case for investing in diverse leaders

We welcome innovation while also seeking grantees who meet the criteria articulated for our New York City grantmaking program. While most of our grantmaking is NYC-focused, another stream of our funding goes to nonprofits in the US that strengthen the field of leadership development for equity.

Through this funding stream we support organizations that: 

• Share the core values that underlie our approach to leadership development in New York City. We welcome innovation while also seeking grantees who philosophically embrace the values embedded in the criteria articulated for our New York City grantmaking program.
• Can demonstrate a track record in one or more of the following leadership field building areas: conducting leadership development research, developing promising leadership program models, and/or experimenting with leadership program practices.
• Agree to share data and models with RSCF’s NYC grantees. As a trust-based funder, we do more than give grants. We believe in the power of convening grantees to learn from each other. We seek grantees here who will share research, models, and practices to advance these discussions.

New York State Historic Marker Grant Program

One of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s core initiatives is to help people celebrate their community’s history. The Foundation strongly believes that historic markers play an important role in local historic preservation by serving a dual purpose. They educate the public and foster historic tourism, which in turn can provide much needed economic benefits to the towns and villages where the markers are placed. The program also fills a gap, as New York State stopped funding their roadside markers in 1939.

The Pomeroy Foundation’s NYS historical marker grant program commemorates historic people, places, things or events within the time frame of 1683 to 1925. Since 2006, the Foundation has funded more than 1,150 markers in all 62 New York State counties.

Historical Accuracy

Primary source documentation is required to verify historical accuracy. The applying agency is responsible for providing photocopies of sources and specific statements used to verify historical facts. If selected, the strength of supporting materials substantially decreases the time-frame between acceptance and funding. If the William G. Pomeroy Foundation cannot substantiate the historical accuracy based on the supporting documentation provided, the opportunity for approval is limited.

Check out the Foundation’s Proving NYS Marker Inscriptions with Primary Sources

Marker Placement

Please carefully consider the location where the marker is to be installed.

• Markers should not be placed on high-traffic roadways or roadways where vehicles are traveling at a high rate of speed if there is no place for a vehicle to safely pull over out of traffic.
• Markers should not be placed where the visitor must intrude on private property to read it or view a site related to the marker inscription.

Before installing your marker, please be sure you are following all of your state’s guidelines around digging and excavation.

Applications must include the following:

• proposed installation location in specific detail (including GPS coordinates)
• brief description and historical significance of what is being commemorated
• proposed inscription for marker
• letter from the landowner granting permission for the marker to be installed
• primary source documents verifying proposed inscription
• Please review our marker inscription style guide as you prepare your application

The Impact Fund awards recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms who seek to confront economic, environmental, racial, and social injustice. Since our founding in 1992, the Impact Fund has made more than 800 recoverable grants totaling more than $10 million for impact litigation. We award grants four times per year, most within the range of US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Social Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants and legal support to assist in human and civil rights cases. We have helped to change dozens of laws and win cases to improve the rights of thousands. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Texas and North Carolina, incarcerated people with mental health disabilities are forced to remain in jail despite being found not guilty and unable to proceed with a criminal trial.
• In Orange County, California there are currently 13 gang injunctions under effect, which disproportionately affect young men of color.
• In Chicago, Illinois, the city’s homeless shelter program is inaccessible to people with disabilities.
• In Springfield, Oregon, the city and its police department used excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters.
• In West Virginia, the state fails to protect children in foster care from abuse and neglect. 
• In Montana, voter suppression laws disadvantage young adults and give priority to gun owners.
• In Gary, Indiana, a gun manufacturer negligently marketed and distributed its guns, leading to an epidemic of gun violence in the city. 
• In Vancouver, British Columbia, the police perpetuate systemic discrimination against Indigenous people through bureaucratic measures.

Environmental Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants to support local litigation for environmental justice. These grants are for cases aiming to help people or communities who are affected by environmental harm or who lack access to basic environmental needs, such as clean water, clean air, adequate waste treatment, and green spaces. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Centreville, Illinois, the city’s failure to maintain its sewer system has caused raw sewage to flood peoples’ homes, endangering the property and health of a predominantly Black community.
• In Fresno County, California, the California Department of Transportation approved a highway expansion project that would increase air pollution and traffic in one of the state’s most environmentally burdened communities.
• In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the proposed expansion of a highway would divide the region's Black, Asian, and Latine neighborhoods and cause pollution and ill health.
• In North Dakota, the five-month closure of a highway in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests disproportionately affected the livelihoods and health of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe members.
• In Ontario, Canada, mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system causes catastrophic environmental and health impacts for the Grassy Narrows First Nation.
• In Sacramento, California, the county government and Sacramento Area Sewer District violated the Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage into nearby rivers.
• In the Eastern Coachella Valley in California, 1,900 residents of the Oasis Mobile Home Park suffer from arsenic-laced drinking water, wastewater contamination, and overcharging for utilities.

Economic Justice

The Impact Fund provides financial and other forms of support to cases fighting for economic justice. From workers' rights to consumer protection for vulnerable populations, impact litigation is a powerful tool to hold corporationss and the government accountable. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Brooklyn, New York, a prominent mortgage lender engaged in predatory practices, leaving homeowners of color at risk of losing their homes. 
• In Washington, live-in caregivers are unconstitutionally excluded from the state’s wage-and-hour protections.
• In Ravalli County, Montana, the county has created a “modern-day debtors’ prison” by incarcerating people unable to afford pre-trial fees. 
• In San Diego, California, vehicle ordinances target unhoused vehicle owners even when no adequate housing alternative exists.
• In New York, a federal immigration detention facility is violating minimum wage and forced labor laws by forcing detainees to work for just a dollar a day. 
• In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city and county destroy the property of unhoused individuals and conduct forced evictions from public spaces. 
• In Miami, Florida, insurance companies discriminate against a nonprofit community development corporation renting to tenants with Section 8 rental subsidies.

AEO Better World Foundation

The AEO Better World Foundation is a 501(c)3 private foundation established in 1999 to support the community in partnership with AEO Inc, our Brands, and our associates.

We support causes that are important to our associates and customers by making a meaningful impact in their communities through national and global charity partnerships.

MISSION:

We are committed to showing the world that there’s REAL power  in the optimism of youth by supporting causes that educate and empower teens and young adults.

Community Grants

AEO is committed to building a better world and showing the world that there’s REAL power in the optimism of youth by supporting causes that educate and empower teens and young adults. We strive to create positive change by awarding grants to nonprofit organizations at a grassroots level in the communities of Pittsburgh, New York City, Hazleton, Ottawa, and Mississauga (Ontario area). Local 501(c)3 organizations and registered Canadian charities are invited to apply to support programming for teens and young adults in the locations mentioned above. 

Grant Amounts

If an organization is NEW and has not yet received funding from the AEO Better World Foundation, we ask that you submit a proposal for a grant of $5,000. This $5,000 can support a new or ongoing program, and you can have additional funders if necessary.

If an organization has received funding from the AEO Better World Foundation before, your organization is eligible to apply for a grant in the range of $5,000 - $15,000

Mission

The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund brings our vision to life through grant-making efforts in three program areas: Education, Human Services, and Healthcare initiatives. We give priority to programs that have demonstrated success, have measurable outcomes and plans for sustainability, and aim to end cycles of poverty and suffering.

Resolute in our belief in the power of partnerships or collaborative efforts to maximize impact, we embrace opportunities to work with other funders in our program areas. We look for funding opportunities that share our philosophy and explore the possibility of joint projects with other nonprofit organizations.

Vision

To impact lives today, create sustainable change, and empower future generations to achieve their greatest potential.

Funding Focus

The Fund puts an emphasis on the building blocks that adults and children need to flourish. While many community efforts are important and enriching—including the arts, animal welfare, and civic life—the programs that are most likely to receive our support hone to our mission and vision of addressing the roots of poverty. In our community grantmaking, we look toward programs that address immediate needs and those that reach for long-term impact in the lives of vulnerable families and individuals.

Education Initiatives

Education makes all the difference. It is the most powerful point of departure for children struggling with poverty, community disruption, family stress, or failure. It’s the prerequisite for most long-lived careers that provide sustainable wages.

Through our grant-making in five geographic regions, the McGowan Fund focuses on innovative programs that show measurable improvement in addressing achievement gaps, improving teaching and learning, and reducing disparities among students.

Areas of support in this initiative include:

• Out-of-school Programs
• Charter, faith-based, and alternative schools
• Scholarships for high potential students in private education.

Human Services Initiatives

The cycles of poverty and homelessness can seem intractable. Homelessness decreases access to food, health, and work and this limited availability in turn hinders access to long-term housing. Recognizing the complexity and dependencies of the problem, the Fund focuses on projects that address basic human needs and stabilize individuals and families.

Areas of support in this initiative include:  

• Stabilized Housing
• Food/Clothing Security
• Adult Education (e.g. ESL, Financial Literacy, GED Attainment)
• Homelessness Remediation/Prevention

Healthcare Initiatives

Lack of healthcare can be a barrier to work, education, and a family’s mobility out of poverty. We fund programs that seek to remove this barrier by providing quality care to those who may not have other care options.

Areas of support in this initiative include:

• Primary Care
• Dental/Vision
• Mental Health Services
• Pharmacy

Grigg-Lewis Foundation Grants

The Grigg Lewis Foundation, Inc., is a private non-operating foundation. Our board members have a fiduciary responsibility to honor our founder’s wishes, and to ensure that the Foundation continues in perpetuity. Each request is reviewed carefully and objectively to ensure that we are here, as an asset to the residents of Eastern Niagara County and Western New York for many years to come.

Primary Funding Areas

• Arts & Cultural Programs
• Community Improvement
• Educational Programming
• Local Historical Preservation
• Health & Wellness Programs (non-clinical)
• Human Services
• Senior Programs
• Youth Programs

Background

The Hyde and Watson Foundation was incorporated on January 14, 1983, through the consolidation of The Lillia Babbitt Hyde Foundation and The John Jay and Eliza Jane Watson Foundation.

The Foundation currently supports CAPITAL projects such as hard costs related to the construction or purchase of new facilities, building renovations and improvements, purchase of capital equipment and furnishings, and other one-time capital needs.

Broad fields of support include:

• Human Services & Society Benefit
• Education, K-12 & Early Childhood
• Health
• Arts, Culture & Humanities
• Environment & Animals

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.

Our Mission

To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund

To make the highest possible impact on the climate and biodiversity crises, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is committed to advancing solutions and supporting partners throughout the Appalachians to connect and conserve vital wildlife habitat, build resilience to the impacts of climate change, and generate new job and recreation opportunities for communities.

Approximately one-third of the U.S. population lives in or within 100 miles of the Appalachians, including an estimated 36 million people that rely on the region for sources of drinking water. The landscape contains the world's largest remaining expanses of temperate broadleaf mixed forest and provides habitat to a wide diversity of plants of animals, many of which are listed as rare, threatened, or endangered. Conserving this landscape is critical for nature and for the people that live and work there.

However as climate change drives ecosystem instability, plants and animals are shifting their ranges northward, and people are having to find ways to adapt to complex and intertwined challenges. TNC and many others have been working to conserve vital Appalachian habitats for decades. Now we must ramp up our efforts and coordinate with partners across the Appalachians for maximum impact.

To succeed in these efforts, TNC’s Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund offers two grant programs for conservation and community organizations, municipalities, Federally Recognized Tribal Nations, and local and state agencies in the Appalachians who are working to protect and conserve this region:

• The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program
• The New York Climate Resilience Grant Program

Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program

The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program provides grants of up to $100,000 for fee and easement acquisition projects throughout the Appalachians.

Equitable Conservation and Community Benefits

Conservation organizations are increasingly acknowledging the importance of incorporating social equity in their missions, partnerships, and projects and evolving how they work to have better outcomes for people and nature.

TNC defines community benefits as the positive outcomes that directly result from or are included within conservation projects as experienced by local communities and people. This is particularly important for historically marginalized communities, communities with limited access to nature, communities experiencing heightened impacts of climate change due to systemic underinvestment and poor infrastructure, and Indigenous communities. 

RCA program funding will support projects that demonstrate meaningful community engagement, work with those historically excluded from conservation, and lead to a fairer distribution of benefits for people and communities.

Some examples of community benefits include improved and greater access to nature, protection of drinking water sources, recreational and resource-based economic opportunities, flood mitigation, engagement in cross-cultural initiatives, or protection of lands that will meet community-defined conservation needs. We encourage projects with meaningful community benefits that are integrated with the land protection goals.

Project Evaluation

Projects will be evaluated  according to their capacity to deliver land protection outcomes aligned with the program goals, including:

• Location:
  • the project is located within TNC’s Appalachians Program boundary and is in or near a mapped focal area.  Projects outside of focal areas will also be considered.
• Resilience:
  • the percentage of the total project area that is part of the Resilient and Connected Network.
• Connectivity:
  • adjacency to protected lands or other attributes that will lead to landscape connectivity over time (e.g., the project is a necessary acquisition for advancing a local or regional plan that aims to protect a critical conservation corridor).
• Collaboration:
  • evidence of engagement with other organizations, community groups, or local governments (including, but not limited to, shared funding).
• Community:
  • project elements that directly engage and or benefit people, especially vulnerable or marginalized communities.
• Timeline:
  • the project will close within 12 months from the start of the grant agreement term.
• Feasibility:
  • likelihood that the project will close and the costs seem reasonable.

About Us

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that receives contributions from private donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive.

Since our inception in 1927, we have invested more than $230 million in community projects that strengthen our local nonprofits and address the most critical issues of our times. We are the largest charitable foundation in Central New York.

CNYCF Grants

We offer a number of grant programs that seek to bring about positive change and impact while honoring diversity and building inclusion within and across our many communities. The following programs provide responsive support to projects that enhance the lives of residents within Onondaga, Madison, Cayuga, Cortland and Oswego counties.

Cortland Bright Ideas

The Cortland County Bright Ideas grants program offers nonprofits serving Cortland County the opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to support their missions. Applicants are invited to submit their best and brightest idea for enhancing their organization and better serving the community.

About Us

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that receives contributions from private donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive.

Since our inception in 1927, we have invested more than $230 million in community projects that strengthen our local nonprofits and address the most critical issues of our times. We are the largest charitable foundation in Central New York.

Community Grantmaking

We offer a wide variety of funding opportunities, the largest of which is our Community Grants program. Nonprofit organizations in Onondaga and Madison counties are encouraged to apply for grants to fund innovative projects in the areas of:

• arts and culture,
• civic affairs,
• education,
• health, human services and
• the environment.

Types of Projects

We support the following types of projects that promote community impact, capacity building and diversity:

Capital Projects – including large scale capital campaigns, repairs and replacements, technology upgrades, and equipment/furnishing purchases

Program – support for new and innovative programs, or the expansion of proven existing programs that address our community’s most pressing needs

Organizational Development – including capacity building efforts around strategic planning, board development and succession planning.

Additional Information on Capital Grants

Capital projects are defined as proposals that seek funding to purchase or construct a new facility, renovate or add to a current facility, or purchase equipment with an expected useful life of at least three years.

For capital campaigns that seek to raise $1 million or more, the Community Foundation will award no more than 10% of the total campaign goal and grants will not exceed $150,000. Funding for smaller projects is assessed on a case by case basis.

We fund community re-development capital grants under the following circumstances:

• The applicant is a nonprofit.
•  This work makes sense for the applicant since it is related to its organizational mission.
• The nonprofit applicant owns the building.
• It has a clear benefit for the broader community.

Program goal

To mitigate climate change, make communities more resilient to climate change, protect public health from the hazards of toxic chemicals and pollutants, and preserve biological diversity.

Grants are made to

Promote more environmentally sustainable, resilient, and just communities that mitigate climate change by:

• Promoting energy efficiency and alternative sources of energy for buildings.
• Shifting to electric or low-emission vehicles and greater use of mass transit.
• Promoting a smarter, more resilient grid and distributed (on-site) generation.
• Reducing emissions from existing fossil fuel-powered facilities and extraction activities.
• Establishing regional programs, performance standards, and regulations that help reduce emissions.

Make communities, especially the most disadvantaged, more resilient to a changing climate by:

• Creating infrastructure that reduces stormwater runoff and absorbs storm surges.
• Protecting shoreline communities by conserving or enhancing natural barriers.
• Encouraging more sustainable building design and land use through policy reforms.
• Better planning and preparation for weather-related emergencies, especially for low-income and other vulnerable residents.

Protect public health from the hazards of toxic pollutants by:

• Supporting targeted scientific research that can be used to develop policy.
• Promoting safer chemical and heavy metal policies and practices, especially for infants, children, and other vulnerable people.
• Eliminating toxic chemicals from products through market campaigns focused on retailers and manufacturers.
• Enhancing protections for low-income communities near polluting facilities.
• Minimizing the hazards of new and expanded fossil fuel extraction on nearby communities.

Preserve biological diversity through habitat conservation by:

• Establishing, enhancing, and monitoring wildlife migration corridors; and
• Supporting functional connectivity between fragmented habitat that enables species to move and live safely

We encourage initiatives that cut across these program areas, especially those focused on smart growth, sustainable agriculture and regional food systems, and sustainable production.

About Us

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that receives contributions from private donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive.

Since our inception in 1927, we have invested more than $230 million in community projects that strengthen our local nonprofits and address the most critical issues of our times. We are the largest charitable foundation in Central New York.

CNYCF Grants

We offer a number of grant programs that seek to bring about positive change and impact while honoring diversity and building inclusion within and across our many communities. The following programs provide responsive support to projects that enhance the lives of residents within Onondaga, Madison, Cayuga, Cortland and Oswego counties.

Cayuga Community Fund

The Cayuga Community Fund provides grants to nonprofit organizations that directly benefit the residents of Cayuga County. Nonprofit organizations in Cayuga County are encouraged to apply for grants to fund innovative projects in the areas of: arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services and the environment.

Challenge Overview

Climate change is an omnipresent issue with the hottest recorded year, continuous extreme weather, and long-term impacts that will be determined by near-term choices. While driven by emissions from energy, industry, and agriculture in a concentrated set of economies, climate change disproportionately impacts the up to 3.6 billion people living in contexts that are highly vulnerable to impacts including extreme heat, flooding, and droughts. The climate crisis requires dramatic action, including rapid technology deployment alongside bold policies, financial commitments from governments, private capital, and philanthropy, and global market shifts.

Technology and innovation have an important role to play in contending with the effects of climate change. Technology exists to replace or mitigate all major areas of current emissions but often has minimal adoption due to high costs, a lack of engagement with communities, and the need for design at scale. Innovation can offer new business models, decreased costs, and approaches to scaling impact alongside or in place of new technologies that can help meet mitigation and adaptation goals at the speed of the crisis.

MIT Solve seeks exceptional solutions that leverage technology to address the causes and impacts of the climate crisis. While we are excited to select and support innovators across any climate area, we have a particular interest in solutions that: 

• Adapt cities to more extreme weather, including through climate-smart buildings, incorporating climate risk in infrastructure planning, and restoring regional ecosystems.
• Enable a low-carbon and nutritious global food system, across large and small-scale producers plus supply chains that reduce food loss.
• Strengthen coastal and marine ecosystems and communities through the broader blue economy, including fisheries, clean energy, and monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV).

Special Call: Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program

Black and Latine communities in the US are structurally the most vulnerable to climate-fueled hazards and the least likely to have access to healthy and affordable food. As part of Solve’s ongoing work on US racial equity, we encourage those working to address racial disparities in climate action across US communities to apply for the Challenge and receive additional support through our Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program.

Prizes

MIT Solve - Solver Award

All Solver teams selected for Solve’s Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve.

The Seeding The Future Food Systems Prize

The Seeding the Future Food Systems Prize is open to high impact innovations focusing on transforming food systems to be more sustainable, and to enable equitable access to safe and nutritious food that is affordable and trusted. Solutions benefitting underserved communities, countries or regions are encouraged to apply. Up to $150,000 will be awarded to two or more high-impact solutions selected for any of Solve’s 2025 Global Challenges. This prize is supported by the Seeding The Future Foundation, a private nonprofit organization that seeds and supports innovative solutions to help improve the global food system.

The E Ink Innovation Prize

The E Ink Innovation Prize is open to solutions that currently utilize or propose to utilize ePaper materials, technology, or displays to address problems of global importance in any of Solve’s areas of impact, including topics such as architecture, education, or intercultural understanding. The prize is funded by E Ink, a corporation that advances healthy solutions and a sustainable future using ultra-low power, daylight readable displays. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to up to four Solver teams selected for any of the 2025 Global Challenges or Solve’s existing portfolio of alumni teams. E Ink may also opt to provide materials and technical support to its prize recipients.

The AI for Humanity Prize

The AI for Humanity Prize is open to solutions leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity. The prize is made possible by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy committed to advancing AI and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across several Solver teams from any of the 2025 Global Challenges.

The GM Prize

The GM Prize is open to solutions that help create smart, safe, and sustainable communities around the world. The Prize is funded by General Motors, which is working toward becoming the most inclusive company in the world and is dedicated to making STEM education more accessible and equitable. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across up to six Solver teams from the 2025 Global Learning Challenge, the 2025 Global Climate Challenge, and the 2025 Indigenous Communities Fellowship.

The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize

The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize seeks to accelerate the development of solutions that will prepare people for today’s opportunities and the workplace of the future, advance new ways of working, and drive economic impact within communities. Funded by Citizens, the prize furthers the company’s commitment to helping communities meet today’s demands while positioning themselves well for the future. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to up to four Solver teams across all 2025 Global Challenges or Solve's portfolio of alumni teams. Preference will be given to solutions that can be implemented to address workforce development challenges in Boston, MA and New York, NY that also have scaling potential to other geographies.

The Crescent Enterprises ‘AI for Social Innovation’ Prize

The Crescent Enterprises ‘AI for Social Innovation’ Prize supports groundbreaking solutions that leverage data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to tackle critical global social challenges. Sponsored by Crescent Enterprises - a diversified conglomerate spanning industries such as ports and logistics, power and engineering, food and beverage, life sciences and business aviation - the prize reflects the company’s dedication to innovation, sustainability, and meaningful global impact.

Up to $100,000 will be awarded to as many as four Solver teams addressing the 2025 Global Challenges or selected from Solve’s portfolio of alumni teams. This prize aims to recognise and accelerate the growth of transformative solutions, driving positive change for a better future.

Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize is open to solutions supporting innovation for coasts, oceans, and the broader blue economy. The prize is funded by Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which is committed to protecting and progressing planetary health. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to one Solver team.

The Community Innovation Prize

The Community Innovation Prize is open to innovative solutions for communities by communities. Up to $200,000, as well as custom workshops addressing innovator needs will be awarded to up to four Solver teams who are current or past Solvers across Solve's US Equity portfolio. Preference will be given to innovator teams based in or implementing/planning to implement in Chicago, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Houston, New York City, and/or Philadelphia in the areas of Health, Economic Prosperity, Climate, or Indigenous Communities.

Challenge Overview

Peace and stability are baseline conditions for economic prosperity and a thriving society, and both are at risk with escalating conflicts and economic shocks. Instability and conflict can severely erode economic prospects, reverse years of development gains, and exacerbate vulnerabilities. Poverty and lack of quality jobs contribute to conflict. With 114 million people forcibly displaced due to war, violence, and climate-related disasters, two billion workers worldwide in informal, precarious jobs, and disruptions from AI and other tech, the stakes are high.

Technology and innovation can be powerful tools to promote peace and prosperity. Social media has increased misinformation and polarization, but when well-designed, it also improved cohesion and civic participation and reduced the odds of violent conflict. Similarly, while technology can lead to more precarity, it can also facilitate more inclusive financial systems, new job opportunities, and more resilience. Ethically designing and implementing technology is a key component of building and maintaining more peaceful communities and inclusive economies. 

MIT Solve seeks exceptional solutions leveraging technology to increase peace and prosperity. Our focus centers on solutions that: 

• Promote and sustain peace by increasing community dialogue, civic participation, reconciliation, and justice efforts; strengthening cyber security, and monitoring or preventing violence, misinformation, and polarization.
• Foster financial and digital inclusion by supporting access to credit, digital identity tools, and insurance while securing privacy and personal data.
• Generate new economic opportunities and buffer against economic shocks for workers, including good job creation, workforce development, and inclusive and attainable asset ownership.

Special Call: Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program

Systemic inequities and institutional failures contribute to Black and Brown families in the US owning just 24 cents for every $1 of white family wealth. As part of Solve’s ongoing work on US racial equity, we encourage those from the US working to address these disparities to apply for the Challenge and receive additional support through our Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program.

Prizes

MIT Solve - Solver Award

All Solver teams selected for Solve’s Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve.

The Seeding The Future Food Systems Prize

The Seeding the Future Food Systems Prize is open to high impact innovations focusing on transforming food systems to be more sustainable, and to enable equitable access to safe and nutritious food that is affordable and trusted. Solutions benefitting underserved communities, countries or regions are encouraged to apply. Up to $150,000 will be awarded to two or more high-impact solutions selected for any of Solve’s 2025 Global Challenges. This prize is supported by the Seeding The Future Foundation, a private nonprofit organization that seeds and supports innovative solutions to help improve the global food system.

The E Ink Innovation Prize

The E Ink Innovation Prize is open to solutions that currently utilize or propose to utilize ePaper materials, technology, or displays to address problems of global importance in any of Solve’s areas of impact, including topics such as architecture, education, or intercultural understanding. The prize is funded by E Ink, a corporation that advances healthy solutions and a sustainable future using ultra-low power, daylight readable displays. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to up to four Solver teams selected for any of the 2025 Global Challenges or Solve’s existing portfolio of alumni teams. E Ink may also opt to provide materials and technical support to its prize recipients.

The AI for Humanity Prize

The AI for Humanity Prize is open to solutions leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity. The prize is made possible by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy committed to advancing AI and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across several Solver teams from any of the 2025 Global Challenges.

The GM Prize

The GM Prize is open to solutions that help create smart, safe, and sustainable communities around the world. The Prize is funded by General Motors, which is working toward becoming the most inclusive company in the world and is dedicated to making STEM education more accessible and equitable. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across up to six Solver teams from the 2025 Global Learning Challenge, the 2025 Global Climate Challenge, and the 2025 Indigenous Communities Fellowship.

The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize

The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize seeks to accelerate the development of solutions that will prepare people for today’s opportunities and the workplace of the future, advance new ways of working, and drive economic impact within communities. Funded by Citizens, the prize furthers the company’s commitment to helping communities meet today’s demands while positioning themselves well for the future. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to up to four Solver teams across all 2025 Global Challenges or Solve's portfolio of alumni teams. Preference will be given to solutions that can be implemented to address workforce development challenges in Boston, MA and New York, NY that also have scaling potential to other geographies.

The Crescent Enterprises ‘AI for Social Innovation’ Prize

The Crescent Enterprises ‘AI for Social Innovation’ Prize supports groundbreaking solutions that leverage data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to tackle critical global social challenges. Sponsored by Crescent Enterprises - a diversified conglomerate spanning industries such as ports and logistics, power and engineering, food and beverage, life sciences and business aviation - the prize reflects the company’s dedication to innovation, sustainability, and meaningful global impact.

Up to $100,000 will be awarded to as many as four Solver teams addressing the 2025 Global Challenges or selected from Solve’s portfolio of alumni teams. This prize aims to recognise and accelerate the growth of transformative solutions, driving positive change for a better future.

Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize is open to solutions supporting innovation for coasts, oceans, and the broader blue economy. The prize is funded by Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which is committed to protecting and progressing planetary health. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to one Solver team.

The Community Innovation Prize

The Community Innovation Prize is open to innovative solutions for communities by communities. Up to $200,000, as well as custom workshops addressing innovator needs will be awarded to up to four Solver teams who are current or past Solvers across Solve's US Equity portfolio. Preference will be given to innovator teams based in or implementing/planning to implement in Chicago, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Houston, New York City, and/or Philadelphia in the areas of Health, Economic Prosperity, Climate, or Indigenous Communities.

In 1966, a farmer-owned cooperative, formed a small foundation, the Agway Foundation, to benefit agriculture and the public good. The Foundation was organized as a trust and funded by contributions from Agway Inc. In September 2003, the Agway Foundation, Inc. was formed pursuant to Section 402 of the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. The Foundation was formed as a successor organization to the original trust. In May 2009 the organization was renamed the Northeast Agricultural Education Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”). It will function as a private foundation to promote the development of agricultural leadership and a better understanding of agriculture and agricultural-related activities within the Northeastern United States. 

The Foundation will provide financial support to organizations which are recognized as qualifying under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, accept any gifts, contributions, grants and donations which are deemed appropriate by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, and conduct any and all lawful activities which may be necessary or useful. 

The primary goal of the Foundation is to support education and leadership training organizations dedicated to serving the interests of farmers and rural communities in the Northeast. 

Contributions will be focused geographically primarily in the northeastern United States. Programs or projects are expected to be primarily statewide or larger activities.

The Foundation will support organizations whose activities either promote agricultural leadership development, help foster a better understanding of agriculture and/or our food production system, or improve the quality of life for farmers.

 Of particular interest to the Foundation are those organizations that

• provide agricultural leadership training
• provide education about agriculture
• educate citizens, especially youth, about how food is produced and processed
• promote farm safety awareness, especially those which educate and train farmers and their families

The East Hill Foundation is a privately-funded family foundation, which evolved out of the Greatbatch family’s tradition of stewardship. Funding was initiated through small grants out of the family-owned business, Wilson Greatbatch Ltd. In 1986 with the help of Peter Greatbatch, Eleanor and Wilson’s youngest son, the East Hill Foundation was established. The family’s hope was to further the tradition of stewardship which could be enhanced and passed on to future generations. With the sale of Wilson Greatbatch Ltd. in 1997 and the abrupt death of the Executive Director, Peter Greatbatch in 1998, the Foundation was restructured. Ami Greatbatch joined the Board of Directors and was appointed Co-Chairman with her husband Warren Greatbatch. The Foundation’s area of interest was extended to the eight counties of Western New York. In 1999, Michele Schmidt joined the Foundation as the full-time Grants Director.

East Hill Foundation and E & W G Foundation grant funding is currently divided into three components: Western New York Grants, Family/Board/Staff Sponsored Grants, and the North Tonawanda Grants Program.

Western New York Grants

East Hill Foundation considers grant applications from qualified 501(c)(3) organizations, which address community needs and opportunities designed to enhance the quality of life of the residents of Western New York.

Community giving is primarily focused within the eight counties of Western New York:

• Allegany,
• Cattaraugus,
• Chautauqua,
• Erie,
• Genesee,
• Niagara,
• Orleans, and 
• Wyoming County

Funding priorities include basic human needs projects for food, clothing and shelter to assist those less fortunate in our community.

About Us

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that receives contributions from private donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive.

Since our inception in 1927, we have invested more than $230 million in community projects that strengthen our local nonprofits and address the most critical issues of our times. We are the largest charitable foundation in Central New York.

CNYCF Grants

We offer a number of grant programs that seek to bring about positive change and impact while honoring diversity and building inclusion within and across our many communities. The following programs provide responsive support to projects that enhance the lives of residents within Onondaga, Madison, Cayuga, Cortland and Oswego counties.

Greater Pulaski Community Endowment Fund

The Pulaski Fund provides grants to nonprofit organizations addressing community needs in the village of Pulaski and the town of Richland in Oswego County.

Nonprofit organizations in Pulaski and the town of Richland are encouraged to apply for grants to fund innovative projects in the areas of: arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services and the environment.

Suzanne H. Lee Trust

Charitable organizations in Brockport, New York area.

Program Areas

• Religious.
• Scientific.
• Education.
• Health andMedical Research.
• Arts and Culture.

WHDC'S Grantmaking

WHDC aims to support activities that benefit West Harlem by deploying funds pursuant to the CBA through WHDC Grantmaking and other activities. WHDC’s strategy is to address the needs of West Harlem through project specific collaborations with nonprofit organizations and institutions. WHDC requires its grantees to meet specified or negotiated measurable goals within WHDC’s vision. Funded projects of organizations must be located in, or provide services to Manhattan Community District 9 (MCD9) in West Harlem, bounded as: South to North: from 110th Street to 155th Street; and East to West: from Manhattan, Morningside, St. Nicholas, Bradhurst and Edgecombe Avenues to the Hudson River.

The CBA contains a list of activities for which its original $76 million, payable over 16 years, may be spent. Included are activities to address eight need-categories namely: Arts and Culture, Community Facilities, Education, Workforce and Economic Development, Environment, Historic Preservation and Housing. In 2014, WHDC’s board decided to condense these into four categories: Education, Community Facilities, Housing, and Workforce & Economic Development. In 2015, WHDC’s Board further prioritized these into Affordable Housing, Education (including youth development), and Workforce & Economic Development. The prioritization aims to ameliorate the endemic issues of public school failure, rising unemployment and limited skills, and rising housing costs and displacement.

In 2018, WHDC’s Board made the decision to shift from two funding cycles per year to one cycle titled Community Benefits Grant Awards. WHDC continues to examine the impact of its grantmaking and thus reserves the right to set new priorities. 

Priority Areas

Health & Human Services

Projects that demonstrate that they promote and protect the health of MCD9 residents and provide essential human services to many.

Housing Affordability & Preservation

Projects that preserve and sustain affordable housing, that support racial equity and economic security, access to permanent housing opportunities and that provide a mechanism to ensure that the residential units remain affordable over time for MCD9 residents.

Economic Development

Projects that engage MCD9 local businesses, tackling current challenges, and advancing entrepreneurial economic growth as well as workforce development.

Youth & Older Adults Services

Projects in this priority area provide instruction to support older adults and youth by creating a strong foundation for growth and stability that educate and empower them.

Arts & Culture

Projects that cultivate, support, and promote the works of West Harlem artists and arts & culture organizations who create and work in MCD9. Projects that have a commitment to public service and public participation that not only commemorates and preserves West Harlem’s rich cultural history but also celebrates its rich cultural diversity.

About Us

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that receives contributions from private donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive.

Since our inception in 1927, we have invested more than $230 million in community projects that strengthen our local nonprofits and address the most critical issues of our times. We are the largest charitable foundation in Central New York.

CNYCF Grants

We offer a number of grant programs that seek to bring about positive change and impact while honoring diversity and building inclusion within and across our many communities. 

Oswego County Community Foundation

We offer a wide variety of funding opportunities, the largest of which is our Community Grants program. Nonprofit organizations in Onondaga and Madison counties are encouraged to apply for grants to fund innovative projects in the areas of: arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services and the environment.

Types of Projects

We support the following types of projects that promote community impact, capacity building and diversity:

Capital Projects – including large scale capital campaigns, repairs and replacements, technology upgrades, and equipment/furnishing purchases

Program – support for new and innovative programs, or the expansion of proven existing programs that address our community’s most pressing needs

Organizational Development – including capacity building efforts around strategic planning, board development and succession planning

Edward Sykes Foundation

Grants are made to charitable organizations serving disadvantaged children in New York City.

Program Areas

• Human and Social Services