2024 Record-Breaking Year for Community Foundation Grantmaking

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.

Category: Donors, General, Grants, Nonprofits

February 25, 2025

The Community Foundation made the following commitments in support of major community projects and programs through community leaders and partners. While these projects were approved and committed to in 2024, projected timelines and completion may extend to future years:

Blaque Acres – $200,000 investment to launch Blaque Acres Farm
Herkimer County – $450,000 investment to support a new childcare facility in Herkimer County
Mid-Utica Neighborhood Preservation Corporation – $300,000 investment to build the organization’s capacity

In 2024, the Community Foundation held the following grant rounds:

The Education, Health, and Sciences (EHS) Grant Rounds awarded $367,000 to 16 organizations, supporting outcomes-driven programs or projects in EHS focus areas. The grant rounds were supported by the Mele Family Fund, a donor-advised fund of the Community Foundation.
The Equity Grant Round aims to address fundamental causes of systemic racism and socioeconomic inequity that impact historically marginalized populations. In total, $234,700 was awarded to 21 organizations.
The Library Grant Round awarded $35,000 to 21 libraries for program-related expenses, physical structure updates, or technology upgrades that will enhance the services they provide to patrons.
The First Responders Grant Round, powered by the Hero Fund America Fund, awarded over $20,000 to 17 first-responder organizations across the United States. The grant round helps support the education, training, lifesaving equipment, and mental health needs of fire, emergency medical services, and law enforcement agencies.
The Senior Grant Round awarded more than $340,300 to 32 organizations that provide programs and services focused on the health and well-being of older adults living in the Mohawk Valley.
Through the Helpful Harvest Grant Round, supported by the Community Foundation’s Helpful Harvest Fund, $100,000 was awarded 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. An additional $30,000 was granted directly from donor-advised funds at the Community Foundation in support of 16 human service organizations.

The Community Foundation’s donor-advised funds awarded 761 grants in 2024, totaling more than $5.7 million to 368 organizations locally and across the country. Donor-advised funds are a great tool for donors that wish to be actively involved in the grantmaking process and distribute charitable dollars over time and with maximum impact.

For scholarships, the Community Foundation awarded more than $415,000 to 155 students through 70 different scholarship funds.

Following the July 16, 2024, tornado that severely damaged Downtown Rome, the Community Foundation established the Rome, NY Emergency Response Fund to collect and distribute emergency funds to impacted residents. The fund raised roughly $2 million, with $1.5 million from Oneida County and more than $450,000 from individual and corporate donors. Over 500 residents received emergency funds to aid in their recovery efforts.

Grants are made possible through the generosity of donors and organizations that create funds at the Community Foundation. The following new funds were created in 2024 to facilitate the charitable goals and initiatives of each fundholder:

American Dream STEM, Trades and Medical Sciences Scholarship Fund – A scholarship fund established to benefit graduates from the town of Edmeston pursuing studies in STEM, the trades, or medical sciences.
Anthony "Chip" Lombardo Memorial Fund – A donor-advised fund created by Karen Lombardo in memory of her husband, Anthony "Chip" Lombardo.
Bernice Benson Memorial Scholarship Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by Brothertown Scholarship Fund in memory of Bernice Benson.
Broadway Utica – UticaWorx Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by Broadway Utica for UticaWorx, a transformative program dedicated to fostering educational growth through the powerful medium of theater.
Central New York Health Home Network Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by CNYHHN to administer and invest its charitable assets.
Chief Russell Brooks Memorial Fund – A memorial fund established by the friends and family of Chief Russell E. Brooks II, Ret. UFD.
Clinton Historical Society Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by the Clinton Historical Society to preserve and improve the Old Burying Ground in Clinton, NY and honor those who rest there.
DiMeo Family Fund – A donor-advised fund established in memory of Steve DiMeo for general charitable purposes.
ECR International – Utica Division Scholarship Fund – A scholarship fund established by ECR International's Utica Division to offer scholarship opportunities to dependents of employees.
Fred C. Snyder Education Scholarship Fund – A scholarship fund established by the Fred C. Snyder Education Scholarship Trust to benefit graduates of Dolgeville Central School pursuing an engineering degree.
Griffiss Institute Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by Griffiss Institute to administer and invest its charitable assets.
Herkimer County HealthNet Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by Herkimer County HealthNet to administer and invest its charitable assets.
Joan and Eugene Sampson Endowment Fund – A designated fund established by Paul and Gayle Sampson to support scholarships at MVCC and Munson, as well as the Community Foundation.
John H. Sheridan Memorial Fund – A donor-advised fund established in memory of John Sheridan by his family.
Kessler Promotions, Inc. Charitable Fund – A donor-advised fund established for general charitable purposes.
Knop Family Fund – A donor-advised fund established for general charitable purposes.
Midtown Utica Community Center Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by the Midtown Utica Community Center to administer and invest its charitable assets.
Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, Inc. Endowment Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts to administer and invest its endowed charitable assets.
NHK Charitable Fund – A donor-advised fund established by Nancy Ketz for general charitable purposes.
Olmsted City of Greater Utica Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by Olmsted City of Greater Utica to administer and invest its charitable assets.
Project Fibonacci Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by the Project Fibonacci Foundation to administer and invest its charitable assets.
Pulver Roofing Charitable Fund – A donor-advised fund established for general charitable purposes.
Robert and Lynne Angelicola Family Fund – A donor-advised fund established by the Angelicola family for general charitable purposes.
Rome, NY Emergency Response Fund – An emergency response fund established to support the recovery efforts in Rome, NY from the damage caused during the massive storms that occurred on July 16, 2024.
Salerno Catholic Education Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by Utica’s Notre Dame Schools to support Catholic education.
Samaritan Counseling Center of the Mohawk Valley Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by the Samaritan Counseling Center of the Mohawk Valley to manage its charitable assets.
Teresa D. Huggins Memorial Fund – A donor-advised fund created by the Huggins family in memory of Teresa D. Huggins.
The Ride for Missing Children - Mohawk Valley Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by The Ride for Missing Children - Mohawk Valley to administer and invest its charitable assets.
Utica Royalties, Inc. Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by Utica Royalties to administer and invest its charitable assets.
View Board Restricted Fund – An endowed nonprofit agency fund established by View Arts Center to administer and invest its charitable assets.
WCNY Mohawk Valley Sustainability Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by WCNY to administer and invest charitable assets from the Mohawk Valley.
Wilson Family Fund – A donor-advised fund established by Robert and Jane Wilson to benefit emergency services in the greater Adirondacks.

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