Nine Organizations Receive Power of Our Community Neighborhood Impact Grants

As part of its Community Equity Initiative, the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties has awarded a new series of “Power of Our Community Neighborhood Impact Grants.” Black- and Brown-led organizations as well as other nonprofit organizations located within and/or serving Utica’s Cornhill and West Utica neighborhoods were asked to apply.

“The goal of the new grant round was to build capacity of diverse neighborhood organizations, community leadership and supporting programs and projects,” said Olivia Paul, director of community engagement. “And we wanted to ensure an immediate positive impact for residents that will advance neighborhood revitalization.”

The Community Foundation awarded $43,000 to nine applicant nonprofit organizations serving residents in the West Utica and Cornhill neighborhoods. Funded programs, projects, and organizations included:

Cornhill Cares, for community engagement and events, and Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc., for technology upgrades to enable it to serve its diverse resident clientele;

Midtown Utica Community Center, Mohawk Valley Frontiers Club, Mohawk Valley Latino Association, Rebuilding the Village, and Utica Royalties, to support ongoing youth programming, including afterschool programs, language and cultural education, and mental health education; and

Hope Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church, and Muslim Community Association of Mohawk Valley, for youth and education, including school supplies and/or health screenings. 

The Community Equity Initiative is a multimillion-dollar commitment to work toward neighborhood revitalization that will help to realize the Community Foundation’s vision, a vibrant region with opportunity for all. In addition to the new grant round, the initiative has included a continuing series of town hall forums—the most recent on June 2—partner collaboration toward major neighborhood investments, and the Mohawk Valley Equity Pledge at mvequitypledge.org, which commits signers to “encourage diversity, challenge injustice and help build opportunity for all.”

The Community Foundation is committed to ensuring we fulfill our mission to Engage, Invest, and Lead to strengthen Herkimer and Oneida counties and continue to build a Vibrant Region with Opportunity for All.

More on Community Equity and other Community Foundation initiatives is available online at https://foundationhoc.org/impact/initiatives/.