Central New York Community Foundation
The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity and community foundation established in 1927 in Syracuse, New York. The organization collects contributions from private donors, manages and invests those funds to grow over time, and distributes funding to address the region's greatest needs. The foundation serves as a civic leader, convener, and sponsor of strategic initiatives that foster a thriving and equitable region.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$458.3M
+7.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$23.6M
Grant Count
436
Avg Grant Size
$54K
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To foster a thriving and equitable Central New York region by leading and inspiring a community culture of giving, celebrating legacy and stewarding charitable resources for today and tomorrow.
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Education — Including scholarship programs and educational access initiatives
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking — Supporting nonprofit capacity and development
- Human Services — Addressing community needs across the region
- Strategic Initiatives — Including collective impact efforts on critical regional issues
The foundation's programs are designed to support nonprofits across their lifecycle, from the birth of new organizations addressing community concerns to the launch or expansion of new service ideas and professional development of staff and organizational processes.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates multiple grant programs and funds:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds in Central New York, with a focus on the Syracuse area and surrounding counties. Grant activity also extends to New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of March 31, 2025:
- Total Assets: $458,328,795
- Total Revenue: $50,696,520
- Total Expenses: $31,016,629
- Total Liabilities: $31,400,000
Investment Performance (Period Ending 12/31/2025):
Main Investment Pool:
- One Year: 15.7%
- Three Years: 12.3%
- Five Years: 7.5%
- Ten Years: 8.7%
- Fifteen Years: 7.6%
Sustainable Responsible Impact (SRI) Investment Pool:
- One Year: 15.6%
- Three Years: 14.2%
The foundation has invested nearly $300 million in community projects that benefit Central New York since its establishment.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $458,328,795 | $425,141,081 | $389,455,496 |
| Revenue | $50,696,520 | — | $34,290,952 |
| Expenses | $31,016,629 | — | $25,334,728 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $10,528,895 | — | $4,687,610 |
| 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
200 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
27 open opportunities from Central New York Community Foundation
Alpha Kappa Alpha Fund Grant
CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Carol Hansen & Ethel Bauder Fund Grant
CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Cayuga Community Fund Grant
CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President and CEO: Melanie Littlejohn
- Board Chair: Bea González
The foundation employs 31 staff members as of 2025.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BETHAIDA GONZALEZ | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| SUSAN FURTNEY | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| JOSEPH LAZZARO | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MARTIN A SCHWAB | COMPLIANCE OFFICER | 1 | — |
| LISA D ALFORD | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JAIME ALICEA | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CATHERINE A BERTINI | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| REBECCA BRONFEIN RAPHAEL | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| WILLIAM H BROWER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARTIN T DURKIN JR | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| STEPHEN D FOURNIER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LISA S GERMAIN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARK S HALL | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DR WARREN HILTON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LEYLA Z MORGILLO | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DUANE B OWENS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KEVIN E SCHWAB | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KATHLEEN L WIESE | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MELANIE LITTLEJOHN | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $331,054 |
| KIMBERLY SADOWSKI | VP & CFO | 40 | $200,163 |
| KATRINA CROCKER | VP OF COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $147,512 |
| THOMAS GRIFFITH | VP OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $188,127 |
| FRANK RIDZI | VP OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT | 40 | $160,430 |
| AHMEED TURNER | VP OF SCHOLARSHIPS | 40 | $147,986 |
| ELIZABETH HARTMAN | SENIOR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $122,278 |
| MONICA MERANTE | SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PHILANT | 40 | $120,147 |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grant distributions include:
Nearly $1.5 million distributed to Central New York nonprofits
Nearly $1.5 Million Distributed to CNY Nonprofits$325,000 in grants awarded to uplift and serve Black communities
$325,000 in Grants Awarded to Uplift and Serve Black Communities - Central$45,000 in grants distributed to Cortland County nonprofits
Nearly $1.5 Million Distributed to CNY NonprofitsThe foundation continues to serve as a steward of charitable assets and a leader in addressing critical community issues through strategic grantmaking and collaborative initiatives.
Sample Press Release - Central New York Community FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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