The Schenectady Foundation
The Schenectady Foundation is a public charity based in Schenectady, New York, that makes grants to benefit the health and well-being of people who live and work in Schenectady County. Its 2024 filing says its competitive grant program considers community need, organizational capacity, and program effectiveness; it also awards college scholarships to students from the county.
The Schenectady Foundation at a glance
In short: The Schenectady Foundation gave $1.4M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $64K). 64% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,411,382
- +5.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $64,154
- +5.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $47,500
- Total assets
- $56,001,047
- +9.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 64% first-time grantees (14 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Schenectady Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit an LOI through the online process; applicants whose LOIs are accepted are invited to complete a full application. The Foundation’s decision criteria include community need, target population, community engagement, measurable outputs and outcomes, collaboration where relevant, sustainability, and budget.
- Review Cycle
- For the 2026 Equitable Access to Healthy Food Grants, concept proposals were due September 4, 2026, and full applications are due October 9, 2026. The Emergent Needs Grants’ June 5, 2026 application deadline has passed. Neighborhood Revitalization grant dates are to be announced.
- Deadline
- For the 2026 Equitable Access to Healthy Food Grants, concept proposals were due September 4, 2026, and full…
- Contact
Mailing address: P O Box 710, Schenectady, NY 12301
Phone: (518) 393-9500
Website: https://schenectadyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from The Schenectady Foundation
Anna Hudson Erbacher Scholarship Grant
The Schenectady Foundation
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Micro Grants
The Schenectady Foundation
Amount
Up to $10,000
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Neighborhood Revitalization Grants
The Schenectady Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Schenectady Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hamilton Hill Arts Center ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 101 (51%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s stated service area is Schenectady County, New York. Its 2026 grant programs also identify Schenectady County as their geographic scope.
Is The Schenectady Foundation open to new grantees?
64%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 22 grantees (64%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $60K; repeat grants $72K. How we count
Medians: $48K first-time, $38K repeat.
- 23% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $935K (2020) to $1.5M (2021). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Hill Arts Center | Museum, Gallery, and Performing Arts Center | $250,000 |
| Empire State Youth Orchestras | CHIME | $200,000 |
| Better Community Neighborhoods Inc | Housing Support | $200,000 |
| Ellis Hospital Foundation | Expanding Care for Adolescents in Crisis | $150,000 |
| Schoharie River Center | Environmental Study Team-Urban Ecology | $80,000 |
| The Community Builders | Community Life | $76,500 |
| Literacy Volunteers Rens CO | Literacy and Workforce Readiness | $75,000 |
| SUNY Schenectady | Workforce Initiative | $59,882 |
| Risse-Refuge and Immigrant Support | Schenectady Co. Support Services for Immigrants | $50,000 |
| Center for Community Justice | Legal Assistance Call-in Center | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Schenectady Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $56,001,047 | $3,458,158 | $2,518,678 | $1,411,382 | 22 | $3,095,106 |
| 2023 | $51,236,167 | $2,957,210 | $2,240,624 | $1,334,700 | 22 | $2,185,570 |
| 2022 | $45,821,219 | $1,792,002 | $2,418,619 | $1,286,500 | 16 | $1,353,803 |
| 2021 | $55,199,163 | $5,442,270 | $2,348,958 | $1,487,050 | 24 | $4,149,814 |
| 2020 | $48,593,832 | $2,292,776 | $1,812,211 | $935,300 | 17 | $1,641,301 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated in the Foundation’s 2024 filing is to achieve sustainable improvement in the health and welfare of people, organizations, and neighborhoods in Schenectady County through philanthropic investment.
For its 2026 grantmaking, the Foundation identifies Equitable Access to Healthy Food, Neighborhood Revitalization, and Emergent Needs as priorities. Its website also lists micro-grants, scholarships, community event sponsorships, funding for the arts, and a Grassroots Fund for community-based and neighborhood initiatives. The Foundation’s 2026 projections allocate $500,000 to healthy food, $270,000 to neighborhood revitalization, $270,000 to emergent needs, $165,000 to micro-grants, sponsorships and special initiative funds, and $80,000 to scholarships.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 22 grants totaling $1,411,382. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $250,000, with a median grant of $47,500.
Among the largest reported grants were $250,000 to Hamilton Hill Arts Center for a museum, gallery, and performing arts center; $200,000 to Empire State Youth Orchestras for CHIME; $200,000 to Better Community Neighborhoods Inc for housing support; $150,000 to Ellis Hospital Foundation for expanding care for adolescents in crisis; and $80,000 to Schoharie River Center for an urban ecology environmental study team. Other listed awards included $76,500 to The Community Builders for community life, $75,000 to Literacy Volunteers Rens Co for literacy and workforce readiness, and $59,882 to SUNY Schenectady for a workforce initiative.
The Foundation describes a two-step online process: applicants first submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), and those whose LOIs are accepted receive access to a full application. Its micro-grant program considers requests of $10,000 or less through an abbreviated process; the Foundation says most micro-grants are between $3,000 and $6,000. Eligible applicants are nonprofit corporations registered with the New York State Office of Charities Registration and designated by the IRS as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. The Foundation says it does not fund individuals seeking grants or loans, private businesses seeking grants or loans, or requests to fund endowments or quasi-endowments.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Foundation’s 2024 filing lists Omayra Padilla DeJesus as chair, Mona Golub as vice chair, Kevin Smith as treasurer, and Robert Carreau as executive director and secretary. It also lists Alfred Tompkins, Raysheea Turner, Kirk Lewis, Johan Matthews, Pamela Pearlman, and Jennifer Kenneally as distribution committee members.
The Schenectady Foundation is led by Robert Carreau, Executive Director & Secretary since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 3 of 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Carreau
Executive Director & Secretary
Executive Director → Executive Director & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Omayra Padilla Dejesus
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
KEY Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$20K (2020) → $26K (2024)
Saratoga National Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$685 (2020) → $5K (2024)
Trustco Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$155K (2020) → $189K (2024)
Michael Ozimek
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mona Golub
Vice Chair
Distribution Committee Member → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alfred Tompkins
Distribution Committee Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Johan Matthews
Distribution Committee Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Smith
Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Kenneally
Distribution Committee Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pamela Pearlman
Distribution Committee Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Raysheea Turner
Distribution Committee Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kirk Lewis
Distribution Committee Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Kimberly Kilby (2022–2023) — Distribution Committee Member
- Former: Joseph Tardi (2020–2022) — Distribution Committee Member
- Former: Martha Asselin (2020–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: Herb Schultz (2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Deborah Mullaney (2020–2021) — Distribution Committee Member
- Former: Herbert L. Shultz Jr. (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Robert Bylancik (2020–2021) — Distribution Committee Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $189K, to Trustco Bank (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Schenectady Foundation
How much does The Schenectady Foundation give each year?
The Schenectady Foundation gave $1.4M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 22 grants.
What is The Schenectady Foundation's typical grant size?
The Schenectady Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $47,500, and its average grant was $64,154, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Schenectady Foundation that year got $60K on average.
Does The Schenectady Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on The Schenectady Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Schenectady Foundation's largest grantees?
The Schenectady Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hamilton Hill Arts Center ($250,000), Empire State Youth Orchestras ($200,000) and Better Community Neighborhoods Inc ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Schenectady Foundation?
The Schenectady Foundation reported $56.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.5M.
What does The Schenectady Foundation fund?
The mission stated in the Foundation’s 2024 filing is to achieve sustainable improvement in the health and welfare of people, organizations, and neighborhoods in Schenectady County through philanthropic investment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Schenectady Foundation?
Submit an LOI through the online process; applicants whose LOIs are accepted are invited to complete a full application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Schenectady Foundation make grants?
The Foundation’s stated service area is Schenectady County, New York. Its 2026 grant programs also identify Schenectady County as their geographic scope.
What is The Schenectady Foundation's EIN?
The Schenectady Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 14-6019650. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Schenectady Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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The Schenectady Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?