Cleopatra Fund Grants

The Cleopatra Fund Grants are administered by the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, a philanthropic organization serving Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York. The Community Foundations aim to improve quality of life through strategic grantmaking, donor engagement, and community investment. With a long-standing commitment to addressing regional needs, they support a diverse range of charitable initiatives across multiple sectors. The Cleopatra Fund was established to support animal welfare initiatives in the Hudson Valley. The purpose of this grant is to fund tax-exempt organizations that provide services or programs that directly benefit animals, with a specific focus on cats, dogs, retired circus animals, and retired farm animals. The fund is structured to prioritize programming that has a tangible and positive effect on the lives of these animals, reflecting a targeted philanthropic effort toward underserved animal populations. Eligible applicants for this opportunity must be tax-exempt organizations operating in one or more of the nine Hudson Valley counties listed above. The grant program explicitly excludes other types of applicants, such as individuals or for-profit organizations. Applicants must demonstrate their capacity and financial stability, as well as present a compelling and feasible project plan. This ensures the funding is allocated to reliable organizations with the infrastructure and experience to successfully implement animal welfare initiatives. The grant application process is entirely online, with access provided through the Grants Portal of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley website. The deadline for the fall grant cycle is October 15, and successful applicants will be notified in December. There are no pre-application deadlines or Q&A sessions listed. The application must provide detailed project descriptions, budgets, timelines, and evidence of other sources of support if the project requires significant resources. Applications are reviewed based on specific criteria, including the quality and clarity of the project proposal, the applicant’s organizational stability and capacity to execute the program, a realistic and thorough budget, and the projected impact of the initiative. Additionally, evaluators consider the urgency, innovativeness, and potential ripple effects of the proposed project. All applications are rated by the Community Foundations’ Grants Committee, and final decisions are made by their Board of Trustees. Applicants may request up to $3,000 in funding, with typical grants ranging from $500 to $2,000. There is no matching fund requirement. For questions, applicants can contact Cristin McPeake, Vice President of Programs, via email at grants@communityfoundationshv.org or by phone at 845-452-3077. The main office of the Community Foundations is located at 25 Van Wagner Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603.