Cayuga Community Fund Grant

The Cayuga Community Fund, established by the Central New York Community Foundation, supports nonprofit organizations in Cayuga County through grants for innovative projects in arts, education, health, and more. Since 1927, the foundation has invested over $230 million into community projects. The fund prioritizes capacity-building initiatives and encourages proposals that foster cooperation among agencies, addressing local challenges effectively while ensuring inclusivity and diversity in community impacts.

The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that receives contributions from private donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive.
Since our inception in 1927, we have invested more than $230 million in community projects that strengthen our local nonprofits and address the most critical issues of our times.
CNYCF Grants
We offer a number of grant programs that seek to bring about positive change and impact while honoring diversity and building inclusion within and across our many communities. The following programs provide responsive support to projects that enhance the lives of residents within Onondaga, Madison, Cayuga, Cortland and Oswego counties.
The Cayuga Community Fund provides grants to nonprofit organizations that directly benefit the residents of Cayuga County. Nonprofit organizations in Cayuga County are encouraged to apply for grants to fund innovative projects in the areas of: arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services and the environment.

Eligibility

501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, publicly supported organizations such as schools and municipalities, and organizations using a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor
Organizations serving residents of Cayuga County
Organizations that have completed any projects/programs previously funded by the Cayuga FundThe Leadership Council looks for innovative programs that address problems to be solved, or opportunities to be seized, in Cayuga County. We invite proposals that:Suggest practical approaches to community problems.
Promote cooperation among agencies without duplicating services.
Generate community support, both professional and volunteer.
Strengthen an agency’s effectiveness or stability.
Address prevention as well as remediation.

Ineligibility

We do not make grants for the following:Recurring grants to a program previously supported.
Annual operating budgets, except when it is “seed” or “bridge” funding.
Endowments.
Religious purposes.
Loans or assistance to individuals.
Medical or academic research (except where requested by a donor).
Activities that occurred before the Cayuga Fund’s decision date.