Central New York Community Grants Program

The Central New York Community Foundation offers Community Grants to support innovative projects benefiting residents of Onondaga and Madison counties. The foundation encourages nonprofit organizations to apply for funding that addresses needs in arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services, and the environment. Funding is also available through the Dr. Robert J. Vitkus Fund for outdoor parks and recreation area projects, with eligibility extended to organizations in Onondaga, Madison, Cortland, Cayuga, and Oswego counties. Preferences for these specific grants include facilities that provide access for hunting and fishing, naming opportunities, programs involving youth, and conservation efforts to improve wildlife habitat and forest health. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, publicly supported organizations such as schools and municipalities, and organizations using a qualified 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Applicants must serve residents of Onondaga and/or Madison counties, must not have received a Community Grant from the foundation within the past 12 months, and must have submitted grant reports for any prior funding received. The foundation prioritizes projects that demonstrate significant community impact, promote diversity, foster collaboration, and show organizational capacity to successfully execute the work. The foundation supports capital projects, new and innovative programs, expansions of existing proven programs, and organizational development efforts such as strategic planning, board development, and succession planning. The foundation typically funds project budgets covering a one-year period but may consider multi-year requests where appropriate. Administrative or overhead costs up to 10% of program-related requests are allowed, covering items such as information technology, financial management, project evaluation, and human resources. Projects not supported include annual operating budgets except for seed or bridge funding, endowments, religious purposes, loans or assistance to individuals, medical or academic research unless donor-requested, and activities occurring prior to the decision date. The application process consists of two annual cycles. For the Spring 2025 round, applications open on December 20, 2024, and close on February 28, 2025, with decisions communicated between May 21 and June 18, 2025. For the Fall 2025 round, applications open on July 7, 2025, and close on August 29, 2025, with decisions shared between November 20 and December 18, 2025. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their project ideas with foundation staff prior to starting an application and must register in the new grant portal before submission. Returning applicants from the old system must create a new account if they have not already done so after July 15, 2024. Applicants must submit required attachments via the online portal, including three vendor quotes for capital expenditures over $500, a list of the board of directors and meeting schedule, the most recent fiscal year-end financial statements, the current year’s operating budget, and year-to-date financial statements. Letters of support, multimedia presentations, photos, and renderings for capital projects may be included as optional attachments. Reports are required from grantees, including both midterm and final progress reports. The foundation applies specific evaluation criteria, including an organization’s ability to address the identified community need, the sustainability and measurable outcomes of the proposed project, and the degree of collaborative engagement with community stakeholders. Capital campaign requests for projects valued at $1 million or more will only be considered once 50% of the goal has been raised, and the foundation will award no more than 10% of the total campaign goal, capped at $150,000. Capital projects must generally be for property owned by the applicant, although exceptions may be considered for innovative and sustainable partnerships. For more information, applicants may contact the Senior Director of Grants & Programs, Danielle Johnson, at 315-883-5554 or by email at grants@cnycf.org.