Community Foundation Awards Over $2.7 Million to Nonprofits, Opens 5 New Funds

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. 
 
In February, the Community Foundation held its Arts Grant Round aimed at supporting organizations that have projects and programs with a focus on literary, performing, and visual arts including, but not limited to, music, dance, theatre, arts and crafts, painting, and writing. Forty-three organizations received funding totaling over $270,000:

• 4 Elements Studio
• Broadway Theatre League of Utica
• C. W. Clark Memorial Library
• Capitol Civic Center
• Clinton Symphony Orchestra of the Mohawk Valley
• Dodge Pratt Northam Art & Community Center
• Frank J. Basloe Library
• Frankfort Free Library
• Fulton Chain of Lakes Performing Arts Council
• Half Moon Orchestra
• Hope in Action
• Jon Lehrer Dance
• Jordanville Public Library
• Kirkland Art Center
• Kommunity Youth and Activity Center (KYAC)
• Leatherstocking Ballet
• Little Falls Public Library
• Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts
• Munson
• Muslim Community Association of Mohawk Valley
• Newport Free Library
• Old Forge Library
• Oneida Square Arts District Association
• Players of Utica
• Poland District Public Library
• Prospect Free Library
• Remsen Performing and Visual Arts Center
• Rome Art and Community Center
• Rome Community Concert Band
• Salvation Army Utica Citadel Corps
• Sculpture Space
• Stanley Center for the Arts
• The Art Thing Collaborative
• The KEYS Program
• Thea Bowman House
• Unity Hall Foundation
• Uptown Theatre for Creative Arts
• Utica Children's Museum
• Utica Royalties
• Utica Zoological Society
• View
• Waterville Public Library
• Woodshill

Donor-advised funds are established at the Community Foundation by community donors and businesses that wish to be actively involved in the grantmaking process and distribute charitable dollars over time and with maximum impact. The Community Foundation’s donor-advised funds awarded 47 grants in the first quarter of 2025, totaling over $479,500 to the following nonprofits:

• ALS of Utica
• Anita's Stevens Swan Humane Society
• Boilermaker Road Race
• CAIR Foundation
• California Community Foundation
• Casa San Jose
• Catholic Charities of Onondaga County
• Charles T. Sitrin Health Care Center
• Clinton Dollars for Scholars
• Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
• Fenimore Art Museum
• Florida Disaster Foundation
• Food Bank of Central New York
• Fountain House
• Gerard Place
• Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood
• Hope House
• InterFaith Works of CNY
• International Institute of Buffalo
• International Thyroid Oncology Group
• Jericho Road
• Jewish Voice for Peace
• Mars Hill Network
• Mohawk Valley Blues Society
• Mohawk Valley Community College Foundation
• North Country Public Radio
• Old Forge Library
• Old Forge Volunteer Fire Department
• Oneida County History Center
• Rescue Dogs Rescue Soldiers
• Research Foundation for the State University of New York
• Rome Girls Softball League
• Rome Youth Hockey Association
• Sagamore Institute
• Sculpture Space
• St. John the Evangelist Nursery School
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
• Ulster County Canines
• Upstate Sports Charities
• Utica Public Library
• View
• Whitesboro Central School District

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

• Aileen Townsend Fund for Hospice & Palliative Care – A designated fund for the benefit of Hospice & Palliative Care established with the residuum of Aileen Townsend's charitable gift annuity.
• Michael Chanatry Scholarship Fund for Notre Dame Schools – A nonprofit agency fund established by Notre Dame Schools to support the Michael Chanatry Scholarship.
• MUNPC Fund – A nonprofit agency fund established by Mid-Utica Neighborhood Preservation Corporation to administer and invest its charitable assets.
• PHS Class of 2000 Scholarship Fund – A scholarship fund established by Monique Curry-Mims in honor of the 25th anniversary of Proctor High School's Class of 2000 graduation.
• The Lynch Wildwood Fund – A donor-advised fund established by Andrea Lynch for general charitable purposes.