The Community Foundation of Otsego County has announced its Fall 2025 award cycle with a focus on family and child welfare, specifically targeting food insecurity initiatives. This cycle is supported in collaboration with the Mildred Parish Foundation Fund, the Black Family Foundation, and the Black Family Foundation Fund at the Richland Community Foundation. A total of $135,000 in funding is available for programs that aim to address pressing local needs resulting from recent reductions in federal and regional aid programs.
Funding will support a broad scope of projects, including efforts to mitigate the effects of federal food program cuts (e.g., SNAP), expansion of school-based food services, new healthy eating initiatives, and critical infrastructure upgrades at food pantries like refrigeration and energy efficiency improvements. Additional areas of interest include health services such as mental health and dental hygiene, basic needs that support educational outcomes like nutrition and warm clothing, utility and rental assistance, and childcare credentialing programs including instructor costs.
Applicants must be registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or be fiscally sponsored by one, with proper documentation required. The program encourages submissions from churches and religious organizations, provided the proposed services benefit the broader public. Organizations may submit a single application that covers multiple distinct programs. Applications are submitted via the new Foundant platform, which requires applicants to build a reusable organizational profile.
Applications must include financial statements, a project-specific budget, and information about board participation in fundraising. Evaluation criteria include alignment with funder priorities, completeness of the application, and metrics for success. Awards will be announced by the end of November 2025. A final report will be required and must include metrics, lessons learned, and forward-looking improvements.
The application deadline is October 24, 2025, and late submissions will not be accepted. Interested applicants may reach out via email at contact@cfotsego.org or phone at 607-286-3750 for support. Reports from previous awardees must be submitted and approved prior to consideration for new funding. The funders are committed to transparency and are willing to review declined applications with interested applicants.
Complete all components, ensure board giving is disclosed, include clear metrics in the final report.
