Generous Acts Grant Program

The Generous Acts Grant Program, backed by the Adirondack Foundation, supports nonprofits and community organizations in the Adirondack Region. Since 2014, it has allocated over $1 million to initiatives addressing basic needs, educational pathways, and economic vitality. Grants range from $2,500 to $30,000, focusing on underserved populations and promoting collaboration for a more inclusive future. Applicants are encouraged to align their proposals with the program's mission to tackle racial and economic disparities.

What is the Generous Acts Program?
Generous Acts is a force for good, backed by generous donors who care deeply about local communities. Since 2014, Generous Acts has awarded more than $1 million in grants to nonprofits, schools, and community-based organizations. We seek applications that are mindful of underserved populations, help address racial, economic or other disparities, and demonstrate collaboration and community buy-in. These are especially important considerations as the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 persist and work together toward a brighter and more inclusive future.
Grants
We seek applications that align with the following priority program areas: basic needs, educational pathways, and economic + community vitality. We will fund operations or specific programs/projects, but do not typically fund large capital campaigns, tuition assistance or re-granting programs.
To help organizations determine whether to apply this year, we provide the following guidelines.
Basic Needs
Providing basic needs for people such as food and housing, creating age-friendly communities, enhancing home and community-based services from early childhood development to elder care
Educational Pathways
Promoting literacy, improving school-readiness for young children, strengthening post-secondary pathways and support networks for education and employment
Economic + Community Vitality
Supporting local workforce initiatives to train workers and fill jobs, improving access to child care and other support services for working families, overcoming economic or racial inequities, bolstering civic engagement, addressing common community needs
Grant Size
Generous Acts awards both small grants that range from $2,500 - $7,500 and several larger grants that invest in long-term change and range from $10,000 - $30,000.

Eligibility

Nonprofit organizations, schools, and municipalities located in or serving the people of the Adirondack Region, defined for this purpose as all of Clinton, Essex, Franklin and Hamilton counties as well as the parts of Herkimer, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties within the Adirondack Park boundary.