Community Grant Program for Nonprofit Organizations

The Central New York Community Foundation's Community Grant Program is designed to fund innovative projects across a range of vital areas, including arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services, and the environment. This program aligns with the Foundation's broader mission to foster community impact, capacity building, and diversity within Onondaga and Madison counties. By supporting a wide array of initiatives, the Foundation aims to address pressing community needs and enhance the quality of life for residents in these regions. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are nonprofit organizations serving residents of Onondaga and Madison counties. These organizations are encouraged to propose projects that lead to positive community impact, strengthen their own organizational capacity, and promote diversity. The ultimate impact goal is to create healthier, more vibrant, and more equitable communities through strategic investments in various sectors. The Foundation prioritizes projects that fall into three main categories: Capital Projects, Program support, and Organizational Development. Capital Projects can include large-scale campaigns, repairs, technology upgrades, and equipment purchases. Program support is allocated for new and innovative programs, or the expansion of existing, proven programs that directly address community needs. Organizational Development focuses on capacity-building efforts such as strategic planning, board development, and succession planning. The Foundation emphasizes that it does not typically fund annual operating budgets (unless it's seed or bridge funding), endowments, religious purposes, individual assistance, medical or academic research (unless donor-requested), or activities that occurred before the decision date. The expected outcomes of the Community Grant Program are multi-faceted, aiming to result in stronger community infrastructure, innovative solutions to social challenges, and more robust nonprofit organizations. Measurable results could include increased access to arts and cultural programs, improved educational outcomes, enhanced health services, stronger civic engagement, and a more protected environment. The Foundation's strategic priorities are implicitly linked to its funding categories, focusing on sustainable growth and impactful change. While a specific "theory of change" isn't explicitly detailed, the program's structure suggests a belief that targeted investments in key community areas, delivered through capable nonprofit partners, will lead to significant and lasting positive transformations for the residents of Onondaga and Madison counties.