Community Foundation Awards More Than $1.57 Million to Nonprofits, Opens Six New Funds

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties announced awards totaling more than $686,000 to 10 nonprofit organizations through its competitive grants process for the first quarter of 2018. Competitive grants are awarded to area nonprofits primarily in support of The Community Foundation’s strategic investment areas of education, economic development, health and wellness, and arts and culture.

The following organizations were awarded competitive grants:

• • Arc Herkimer – A $50,000 grant for strategic service development.
  • Catholic Charities of Herkimer County – A $98,000 grant in support of the Herkimer County Continuum of Care project.
  • Catholic Charities of Oneida & Madison Counties – A $250,000 grant for start-up funding for Grady’s Way, an emergency shelter for homeless and at-risk boys and teens.
  • Guardians of Freedom Memorial – A $5,000 grant for improvements to German Flatts Town Park.
  • Landmarks Society of Greater Utica – A $920 grant to build capacity for strategic planning and board development.
  • On Point For College – A $75,000 grant to provide college preparation services, internship opportunities and career services to low-income students.
  • Oneida County History Center – A $2,400 grant for repairs to the exhibit gallery.
  • Rescue Mission of Utica – A $120,000 grant to support the Skills for Success job training program and small community house project.
  • UNHS NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center – A $75,000 grant to hire a lead-based paint risk assessor.
  • YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley – A $8,700 grant to conduct a study to determine how to best meet the needs of Rome residents.

In addition to competitive grants, The Community Foundation’s donor-advised funds awarded 75 grants totaling $890,000 to 56 organizations, including:

• • Abraham House
  • American Red Cross of the Mohawk Valley
  • Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse
  • Animal Protective Foundation of Schenectady
  • Broome County Humane Society and Relief Association
  • Camp Kesem
  • Care Net Pregnancy Center of CNY
  • Central New York Conservancy
  • Chamber Music Society of Utica
  • Chenango County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  • Children’s Dyslexia Center
  • Clinton Youth Foundation
  • CNY Cat Coalition
  • Compassion Coalition
  • For the Good
  • Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind
  • Helping Animals Live Organization
  • Herkimer College Foundation
  • Herkimer County Humane Society
  • Hope House
  • Hospice & Palliative Care
  • Humane Society of Rome
  • Kindred Spirits Greyhound Adoption
  • Landmarks Society of Greater Utica
  • Little Falls Historical Society
  • Masonic Medical Research Laboratory
  • New Hartford Citizens Band
  • North Country Public Radio
  • Notre Dame Jr./Sr. High School
  • On Point For College
  • Oneida Community Mansion House
  • Oneida County History Center
  • R-CATS
  • Road to Home Rescue Support
  • Rome Capitol Theatre
  • Rome Hospital Foundation
  • Rotary Club of Utica
  • Sitrin Health Care Center
  • Spay and Neuter Syracuse
  • Spring Farm CARES
  • St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church
  • St. Helena’s Church
  • Stanley Center for the Arts
  • Stevens-Swan Humane Society
  • The Good News Foundation
  • The Women’s Fund of Herkimer & Oneida Counties
  • Town of Trenton Joint Fire District
  • United Way of the Valley & Greater Utica Area
  • University of Colorado Foundation
  • Utica College
  • Utica Public Library
  • VIEW
  • Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association
  • WRVO Stations
  • YWCA of the Mohawk Valley

Grants are made possible through the generosity of donors and organizations that create funds at The Community Foundation. The following new funds were created to benefit residents of Herkimer and Oneida counties for years to come:

• All In For Vin Memorial Fund – A donor-advised fund created in memory of Vincent “Vinny” Maugeri. The Maugeri Family and the All in For Vin Committee will recommend grants that support youth-based causes in Vinny’s memory.
• Central Association for the Blind Fund – An agency fund benefiting the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a nonprofit agency that assists people who are blind or visually impaired to achieve their highest levels of independence.
• Clinton Symphony Orchestra of the Mohawk Valley Fund – An agency fund benefiting the Clinton Symphony Orchestra of the Mohawk Valley, an organization that promotes and presents classical music of substance, beauty and noble design to the citizens of the Mohawk Valley.
• Freedom Guide Dogs Charitable Fund – An agency fund benefiting the Freedom Guide Dogs, a nonprofit organization which breeds, raises, trains and places guide dogs with individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
• Herkimer County Humane Society Fund – An agency fund benefiting the Herkimer County Humane Society, a nonprofit organization that provides a safe haven for animals.
• Irish Cultural and Historical Society of the Mohawk Valley Charitable Fund – An agency fund benefiting the Irish Cultural and Historical Society of the Mohawk Valley, a nonprofit organization determined to preserve and share the historical legacy of Irish culture in Utica.