The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties and UpMobility Foundation will host the fourth-annual online day of community giving, “Mohawk Valley Gives,” on Friday, September 19, 2025, to benefit local nonprofits serving Herkimer, Oneida and Otsego counties.  

The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties is once again inviting the region to rally behind nonprofits with the return of Mohawk Valley Gives on September 19, 2025. Now in its fourth year, the community-wide day of giving, powered by the Community Foundation and UpMobility Foundation (UMF), continues to break records and expectations alike.

For nearly 75 years, the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties has stood as a beacon of local philanthropy. But what exactly is a community foundation—and how does it differ from other grantmaking and philanthropic organizations? 

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties announced that more than $2.7 million in grants were awarded during the first quarter of 2025 to support nonprofit organizations and community initiative work, primarily in the areas of arts and culture, human services, animals, and education. 

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties offers meaningful ways to give back through its Memorial and Celebration Funds, which allow individuals to commemorate loved ones or celebrate life’s special moments while making a lasting impact on the community. 

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties concluded another year of community investment in 2024, awarding grants, scholarships, and emergency relief funds totaling more than $15.7 million, marking the highest dollar amount awarded in a single year in the Community Foundation’s 70+ year history.  Additionally, donations received in 2024 totaled over $16 million – the second-highest year on record in terms of dollars raised.

In the third quarter of 2024, the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties awarded more than $4.8 million, which is comprised of grants to nonprofits, scholarships to students, and support for those impacted by the July 2024 tornado in Rome. Grants were awarded primarily in the areas of education, human services, and community and economic development.

Through the Helpful Harvest Grant Round, supported by the Helpful Harvest Fund, the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties awarded $100,000 to 36 human service organizations including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and others to help alleviate food insecurity and support increased need around the holiday season and colder months.

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties will join a nationwide celebration, November 12-18, 2024, to recognize the increasingly important role that community foundations play in strengthening local communities and addressing area needs.