Community Foundation Awards Over $1 Million to Nonprofits, Opens Six New Funds

During the second quarter of 2019, The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties awarded grants totaling more than $507,000 to 22 nonprofit organizations through its competitive grants process. Competitive grants are awarded to local nonprofits to support projects and initiatives primarily within 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:

• American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) – Utica Region – $2,500 to replace soccer goals and nets
• City of Little Falls – $6,000 for new playground equipment for the city pool playground
• City of Rome – $100,000 to support paving expenses associated with the downtown pedestrian art plaza construction
• City of Sherrill – $5,000 to install a new multifunction scoreboard at Noyes Park
• Dolgeville Forward – $10,000 for improvements and upgrades to a basketball court
• Erwin Library and Institute – $2,300 emergency grant for building maintenance
• City – $15,000 for the purchase of a portable stage and inflatable bandshell
• Herkimer County Historical Society – $2,350 emergency grant for roof repairs
• Jordanville Public Library – $10,000 for building rehabilitation projects
• Oneida Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) – $930 to restore an antique curio cabinet
• On Point for College – $20,000 to expand outreach efforts
• Project Fibonacci Foundation – $25,000 to fund scholarships for students to attend Project Fibonacci STEAM Leadership events
• Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL) – $150,000 to assist with renovations to RCIL’s new location
• Rising Stars Soccer Club of CNY – $5,000 to purchase new soccer and lacrosse goals
• Rome Baseball Association – $2,000 for the addition of protective dugout netting
• Rust2Green – $79,400 to advance placemaking projects in downtown Utica
• The New York Community Trust – $10,000 to support the New York State Census Equity Fund’s efforts to ensure an accurate 2020 census count
• Utica Curling Club – $15,000 for expenses related to paving the curling club parking area
• Utica Monday Nite Corporation – $25,000 to support the 2019 Levitt AMP Utica concerts, park improvements and placemaking activities
• Waterville Historical Society – $850 emergency grant for furnace repairs
• Woods Valley Alpine Ski Racing Foundation – $6,500 for the purchase of a race timing system
• YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley – $15,000 to fund development and design services for its new facility

In addition to competitive grants, The Community Foundation’s donor-advised funds awarded 98 grants in the second quarter of 2019 totaling nearly $633,000 to 72 organizations, including:

• 20schemes
• Abraham House
• Albany City Rocks
• Albany Law School
• Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization
• All Hallows Foundation
• American Cancer Society
• Boston College
• Brothertown Scholarship Fund
• Care Net Pregnancy Center of CNY
• Center for Family Life and Recovery
• Central Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired
• Central New York Conservancy
• Chamber Music Society of Utica
• Church of the Annunciation
• Clinton Youth Foundation
• Daughters of St. Mary of Providence
• Dodge Pratt Northam Art & Community Center
• Empowered Pathways
• Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind
• Glimmerglass Opera
• Hamilton College
• Herkimer County Humane Society
• HomeOwnershipCenter
• Hope House
• Hospice & Palliative Care
• Humane Society of Rome
• ICAN (formerly Kids Oneida)
• Ilion Little League
• Independent Baptist Church
• Johnson Park Center
• KEYS Corp.
• Kommunity Youth and Activity Center (KYAC)
• Landmarks Society of Greater Utica
• Life Training Institute
• Long Lake Central School
• Madison-Oneida BOCES
• Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
• Masonic Medical Research Institute
• Mid-York Library System
• Mohawk Valley Frontiers Club
• Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees
• Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute
• New Hartford Citizens Band
• North Country Public Radio
• Notre Dame Jr./Sr. High School
• On Point For College
• Oneida County History Center
• Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES
• Our Lady Of The Rosary Church
• Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson
• Rescue Dogs Rescue Soldiers
• Rescue Mission of Utica
• Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL)
• Road to Emmaus Ministry of Syracuse
• Road2Recovery CNY
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
• Spring Farm CARES
• Helena’s Church
• Jude Children’s Research Hospital
• Stanley Center for the Arts
• Stevens-Swan Humane Society
• Symphoria
• Thea Bowman House
• The House of the Good Shepherd
• Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust
• Uptown Theatre for Creative Arts
• Utica College
• Utica Monday Nite Corporation
• Utica Public Library
• Utica Zoological Society
• View Arts Center
• Whitesboro Central School District
• Women’s Fund of Herkimer & Oneida Counties
• 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:

• Freedom Guide Dogs Fund – An agency fund benefiting Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind, a nonprofit organization that breeds, raises, trains, and places guide dogs with individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
• Kirkland Trails Fund – A fiscal sponsorship of Kirkland Trails, a newly created not-for-profit that is developing a network of multiuse trails, paths, and bike lanes owned by the Town of Kirkland.
• Nazareth Community Impact Fund – A donor-advised fund established by Nazareth Nursery for charitable grantmaking to help make a lasting impact in communities where ministries of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities are currently or have been located.
• Nazareth Fund – Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities Project Fund – A donor-advised fund established by Nazareth Nursery for general charitable purposes.
• Nazareth Ministry Mission Integration Fund – A donor-advised fund established by Nazareth Nursery for charitable grantmaking to the ministries of the Partners in Franciscan Ministries for use in furthering its charitable activities.
• Stevens-Swan Humane Society Fund – An agency fund established by Stevens-Swan Humane Society to administer and invest its charitable assets.