Rochester Area Community Foundation
Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation established in 1972 and based in Rochester, New York. The organization connects donors with critical community needs across an eight-county region, leveraging financial expertise and community knowledge to maximize philanthropic impact. RACF operates as a public charity with a donor-advised fund component, allowing donors to direct the distribution and investment of their charitable contributions.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$510.7M
+4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$22.9M
-6.0% YoY
Grant Count
554
+7.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
-12.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Since 1972, Rochester Area Community Foundation has worked to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in its eight-county region through leadership and strategic grantmaking. The Foundation positions donors as partners, with every gift viewed as an investment in a better future.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Human Services
- Arts and Culture
- Civic Improvement
Grantmaking
RACF distributes grants to a broad range of organizations and individuals across its service region. In recent activity, the Foundation made distributions to 1,745 agencies and individuals.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
RACF serves an eight-county region in New York, including Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Livingston, Genesee, Orleans, Seneca, and Yates counties. The Foundation's grantmaking priorities focus primarily on this New York region, though some giving extends to Pennsylvania and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2025:
- Total Assets: $511 Million
- Total Revenue: $64.8 Million
- Total Expenses: $38.1 Million
- Total Liabilities: $2.82 Million
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $490.6 Million
- Total Revenue: $47.9 Million
- Total Expenses: $36.0 Million
Investment Performance (as of December 31, 2025):
The Foundation maintains diversified investment portfolios with the following annualized performance:
- RACF Domestic Equity Managers: 16.3% (1-year), 15.5% (3-year), 10.0% (5-year), 11.8% (10-year)
- RACF International Equity Managers: 22.2% (1-year), 14.4% (3-year), 7.3% (5-year), 7.4% (10-year)
- RACF Total Equity Portfolio: 18.4% (1-year), 14.7% (3-year), 8.7% (5-year), 9.9% (10-year)
- RACF Fixed Income Portfolio: 9.2% (1-year), 5.8% (3-year), 0.5% (5-year), 2.9% (10-year)
- RACF Alternatives Portfolio: 16.8% (1-year), 16.5% (3-year), 9.9% (5-year), 6.8% (10-year)
- RACF Blended Endowment Portfolio: 16.4% (1-year), 13.1% (3-year), 7.3% (5-year), 8.3% (10-year)
Staffing: The Foundation employs 39 staff members.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $510,712,589 | $490,582,295 | $444,119,417 |
| Revenue | $64,764,956 | $47,939,929 | $42,793,588 |
| Expenses | $38,141,014 | $36,020,652 | $33,549,993 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $30,271,344 | $22,888,976 | $24,522,182 |
| 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
27 open opportunities from Rochester Area Community Foundation
African American Giving Initiative Grants
ROCHESTER AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Armenian Scholarship Fund in memory of Charles J. Churukian
ROCHESTER AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
$4,000
Deadline
February 28, 2027
Black Giving Collective
ROCHESTER AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOLLENE BENISON CPA | MEMBER | 3 | — |
| DR WILLIAM M VALENTI | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ABIGAIL J BENNETT | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SUJATHA RAMANUJAN MD | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JAMES H NORMAN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARK A EIDLIN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| THOMAS C MITCHELL | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANN STEVENS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| R SCOTT BURDETT | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| FRANCIS J CLEMENT | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ADAM P ANOLIK | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| FRED A BEER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAVID P VENISKEY CPA | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAVID R FERRIS ESQ | CHAIR | 5 | — |
| CAROLYN G NUSSBAUM ESQ | COUNSEL | 3 | — |
| ARLINE L BAYO SANTIAGO ESQ | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROB GALLINA | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| FLOR M COLON | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ANN H MCMULLEN | MEMBER | 2 | — |
| PATRICK CUNNINGHAM | MEMBER | 2 | — |
| ALYSSA S WHITFIELD | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TODD BUTLER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DENISHEA R ORTIZ | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ABIGAIL A REINHARD | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| THOMAS S RICHARDS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LANGSTON MCFADDEN ESQ | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| GAY MILLS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BARBARA MULLEN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| AMY VARS CPA | SENIOR VP AND CFO | 34 | $247,491 |
| SIMEON BANISTER | PRESIDENT AND CEO | 34 | $312,105 |
| KAREN KOONS | SR. DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 38 | $129,131 |
| ANDREW MULDOON | VP OF PHILANTHROPIC ENGAGEMENT | 34 | $195,506 |
| BERTA RIVERA | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS | 34 | $128,993 |
| ERIN BARRY | VP OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS | 34 | $154,844 |
| NICOLE SCARBOROUGH | SR. FINANCE MANAGER | 34 | $112,316 |
Contact Information
Address: 500 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607-1949
Phone: 585-271-4100
Website: www.racf.org
EIN: 23-7250641
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rochester Area Community Foundation fund?
Since 1972, Rochester Area Community Foundation has worked to improve the quality of life for people who live and work in its eight-county region through leadership and strategic grantmaking. The Foundation positions donors as partners, with every gift viewed as an investment in a better future. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Human Services • Arts and Culture • Civic Improvement
How do I apply for a grant from Rochester Area Community Foundation?
RACF distributes grants to a broad range of organizations and individuals across its service region. In recent activity, the Foundation made distributions to 1,745 agencies and individuals. Recent notable grants include: • Geva Theatre Center: $2,745,362 (General Support) • St John Fisher University: $879,191 (General Support and Scholarships) Typical grant awards range from $5,100 to $3,550,000. The Foundation maintains multiple grant programs including: • Brockport Arts Fund • Bullis Fund Gra…
Where does Rochester Area Community Foundation make grants?
RACF serves an eight-county region in New York, including Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Livingston, Genesee, Orleans, Seneca, and Yates counties. The Foundation's grantmaking priorities focus primarily on this New York region, though some giving extends to Pennsylvania and Florida.
What size grants does Rochester Area Community Foundation award?
In 2025, Rochester Area Community Foundation awarded 554 grants totaling $22.9M — an average of about $41K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Rochester Area Community Foundation's EIN?
Rochester Area Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7250641. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rochester Area Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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