Adirondack Foundation
Adirondack Community Foundation (also known as Adirondack Foundation) is a community foundation established in 1997 and based in Lake Placid, New York. The organization serves the Adirondack region of northeastern New York and operates as the largest private grantmaker in the Adirondack region. The foundation functions as a philanthropic intermediary, connecting donors with community needs and stewarding charitable assets to strengthen local communities.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$117.8M
+15.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.2M
+71.4% YoY
Grant Count
313
+36.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
+25.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Connecting people, ideas, and resources to improve lives and expand opportunities throughout the Adirondack region.
The foundation addresses regional challenges including elder care, early childhood development, food insecurity, opioid-related issues, education opportunities, and workforce development. The foundation stewards more than 300 charitable funds and makes grants in the following areas:
- Basic needs
- Educational pathways
- Economic vitality
- Environment
- Arts and culture
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking portfolio with typical award ranges of $5,020 to $425,000. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives within the Adirondack region of northeastern New York, though grantmaking also extends to California and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of June 2025:
- Total Assets: $117,799,803
- Total Revenue: $21,594,091
- Total Expenses: $12,846,663
- Total Liabilities: $29,300,000
Staffing: The foundation employs 15 staff members.
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since October 1997. EIN: 16-1535724.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $117,799,803 | $101,766,694 | $88,853,239 |
| Revenue | $21,594,091 | $14,349,046 | $9,291,443 |
| Expenses | $12,846,663 | $9,303,499 | $7,201,553 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $4,560,530 | $2,313,925 | $2,043,284 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
32 open opportunities from Adirondack Foundation
Adirondack Foreign Language Enhancement Fund
ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Adirondack Foreign Language Enhancement Fund Grant
ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION
Amount
US $500 - US $3,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Alfred M. Aseel Legacy Scholarship Grant
ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION
Amount
US $5,000 - US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts (alca) ($425,000), Adirondack Experience ($250,000), Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts (alca) ($98,172).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 350ORG BOSTON, MA | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $9,000 |
| ADIRONDACK ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE (AARCH) KEESEVILLE, NY | FOR UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF ELIZABETH FOLWELL AND THOMAS WARRINGTON | $42,241 |
| ADIRONDACK CENTER FOR WRITING SARANAC LAKE, NY | FOR UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF ELIZABETH FOLWELL AND THOMAS WARRINGTON | $10,560 |
| ADIRONDACK CENTER FOR WRITING SARANAC LAKE, NY | FOR UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT AT THE REQUEST OF ELIZABETH S. FOLWELL AND THOMAS WARRINGTON | $24,212 |
| ADIRONDACK CHAPTER OF THE NATURE CONSERVANCY KEENE VALLEY, NY | FOR SUPPORT OF THE HAUDENOSAUNEE CULTURAL CENTER | $15,000 |
| ADIRONDACK CHAPTER OF THE NATURE CONSERVANCY KEENE VALLEY, NY | TO SUPPORT THE NATURE CONSERVANCY'S DEIJS WORK IN THE ADIRONDACKS | $50,000 |
| ADIRONDACK CHAPTER OF THE NATURE CONSERVANCY KEENE VALLEY, NY | FOR SUPPORT OF THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM ($10,000) AND THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND COMMUNITIES WORK ($25,000) | $35,000 |
| ADIRONDACK CHAPTER OF THE NATURE CONSERVANCY KEENE VALLEY, NY | FOR SUPPORT OF THE FOLLENSBEE POND RESEARCH PROJECT | $10,000 |
| ADIRONDACK COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMS (ACAP) ELIZABETHTOWN, NY | FOR APPLICATION "NURTURING PARENTING EDUCATION AND SUPERVISED VISITATION" | $25,000 |
| ADIRONDACK COMMUNITY OUTREACH CENTER NORTH CREEK, NY | FOR SUPPORT OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDING | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Cali Brooks: President & CEO
- Lori Bellingham: Vice President Community Impact
- Brandy Hobson: Interim Chief Financial Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BILL CREIGHTON | CHAIR | 5 | — |
| DAVID SAND | SECRETARY | 3 | — |
| JAMIE BAXTER | TREASURER | 3 | — |
| ADAM BOUDREAU | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BARRY NEEDLEMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BILL POWERS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CRAIG WEATHERUP | TRUSTEE | 3 | — |
| CRAIG LEGGETT | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DAVID BRUNNER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DEB CLEARY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ETIENNE BOILLOT | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JIM ALLISON | TRUSTEE | 3 | — |
| JAMES IRELAND III | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOAN GRABE | TRUSTEE | 3 | — |
| JULIA RACE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KATHLEEN COLSON | TRUSTEE | 3 | — |
| LAWSON PRINCE ALLEN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LEA PAINE HIGHET | TRUSTEE | 3 | — |
| MARGOT ERNST | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| NANCY WOLCOTT | TRUSTEE | 3 | — |
| REGINALD GIGNOUX | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| W SCOTT MCGRAW | TRUSTEE | 3 | — |
| ZAK DAKE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CALI BROOKS | PRESIDENT & CEO | 50 | $174,190 |
| STEPHANIE PIANKA | CFO | 39 | $41,667 |
| MATT DONAHUE | VP PHILANTHROPY | 40 | $119,607 |
| BRANDY HOBSON | INTERIM CFO | 40 | $120,500 |
| LORI BELLINGHAM | VP COMMUNITY IMPACT | 32 | $106,600 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced grants to strengthen the regional safety net for Adirondack residents, including a $300,000 grant award to support social safety net improvements in the region. The foundation has also received external grant funding to advance its community impact work.
Adirondack Community Foundation receives grant to improve social ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Adirondack Foundation fund?
**Mission:** Connecting people, ideas, and resources to improve lives and expand opportunities throughout the Adirondack region. The foundation addresses regional challenges including elder care, early childhood development, food insecurity, opioid-related issues, education opportunities, and workforce development. The foundation stewards more than 300 charitable funds and makes grants in the following areas: • Basic needs • Educational pathways • Economic vitality • Environment • Arts and cult…
How do I apply for a grant from Adirondack Foundation?
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking portfolio with typical award ranges of $5,020 to $425,000. Recent grants include: • Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts: $425,000 (for the Alca Building Fund, 2025) The foundation operates multiple named funds and grant programs, including: • Adirondack Foreign Language Enhancement Fund Grant • Alfred M. Aseel Legacy Scholarship • Allen Family Career Advancement Grant (AFCAG) • Charles B. Decker Memorial Scholarship • Christopher Emmet Hallowell F…
Where does Adirondack Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives within the Adirondack region of northeastern New York, though grantmaking also extends to California and Pennsylvania.
What size grants does Adirondack Foundation award?
In 2025, Adirondack Foundation awarded 313 grants totaling $8.2M — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Adirondack Foundation's EIN?
Adirondack Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1535724. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Adirondack Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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