Community Foundation Impact Grants

The Community Foundation Impact Grants support projects that address pressing community needs in the Capital Region of New York. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $15,000 and focus on areas such as homelessness, disabilities, land conservation, and services for new Americans. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations located within the ten-county region. This funding opportunity aims to leverage local expertise to create significant social impact.

Funding Priorities
The Foundation manages several funds that allow discretion to make grants that fund projects and programs that are responsive to changing community needs. These funds, our “Community Impact Funds,” are either Discretionary Funds, which allow the Foundation the flexibility to use its extensive knowledge of community issues and organizations to make grants that address emerging issues; or Field-of-Interest Funds, which give the Foundation grantmaking discretion within given areas of interest. With these funds, the Foundation utilizes the expertise of its staff and Board of Directors to identify opportunities to make grants that will have the most impact in the community.
Due to restrictions placed on some of our funds by our donors, preference may be given to organizations and/or programs that address the following issues:
Homelessness: Organizations/programs that serve the needs of a homeless population;Disabilities: Organizations/programs that serve the needs of the intellectually and/or physically disabled, including the hearing and sight impaired;Land Conservation and Preservation: Organizations/programs that focus on the preservation/conservation of land for the protection of wildlife;New Americans: Organizations/programs that focus on supporting new Americans;Programs that benefit the residents of Amsterdam, NY: Organizations/programs that focus on the provision of services to the residents of Amsterdam, NY.
Funding Amount
Community Foundation Impact Grants usually range from $1,000 to $15,000. Grant period will not exceed one year.

Eligibility

To be eligible for competitive grants, applicants must meet the following requirements:Qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as a nonprofit organization OR operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a qualifying nonprofit organizationServe residents and be located within the ten-county Capital Region of New York State (Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Washington Counties) unless otherwise indicated

Ineligibility

The following are generally not eligible for competitive grants:Programs that the Community Foundation will have to operate;Individuals;Scholarship or fellowship programs;Research;Endowments;Political, governmental or religious activities;Travel;Conferences and/or speakers’ expenses;Advertisements in programs, journals or other publications;Special events and other fundraising events;Annual appeals or membership contributions