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.
Focus Areas
Arts and cultureCivic affairsEducationHealthHuman servicesEnvironmentRacial equitySafe housingPoverty and economic developmentNonprofit effectivenessCrisis responseWomen and girlsOutdoor parks and recreationWildlife habitat and forest health
About Central New York Community Foundation
A defining feature of Central New York Community Foundation Inc is its mix of large community investments and scholarship support across Central New York. Recent grants include $2,462,750 to Manlius Pebble Hill School for general and program/project support, $1,500,000 to Onondaga County Department of Child & Family Services for scholarship support, and $1,061,350 to the Skaneateles Lake Association for general support, project support, and sponsorship support. The foundation also backs higher education, healthcare, literacy, arts, housing, and community organizations through a broad set of operating, project, capital, and student awards.
Its grantmaking reaches institutions as well as direct student support. Examples in the recent grants list include Syracuse University, St Joseph's College of Nursing, Le Moyne College Office of Advancement, and Bryant & Stratton College. The foundation also funds place-based community work through groups such as United Way of Central New York, Home Headquarters, Redhouse Arts Center, and The Reading League.
The organization’s public charity structure, scholarship administration, and affiliate funds point to a community foundation model that combines donor stewardship with local grantmaking. Its stated purpose is to grow philanthropy, steward charitable funds, and make grants and scholarships that strengthen communities across Central New York.
What Central New York Community Foundation Funds
Education and student aid are a major part of the foundation’s work. It gave $587,762 to St Joseph's College of Nursing for student support, $304,245 to Bryant & Stratton College for student support, and $202,882 to University at Buffalo for scholarship support.
Literacy is another visible focus. The foundation awarded $396,307 to United Way of CNY with support for literacy included in the purpose text, and $303,700 to The Reading League for general support and staff support. A separate 2025 grant of $245,800 to The Reading League supported a program/project.
Health and human services also appear in the recent grants list. Upstate Foundation received $249,859 for student support, program/project support, staff support, sponsorship support, and healthcare support. Interfaith Works of Central New York received $215,690 for staff support, general support, event support, sponsorship support, and program/project support.
Housing and lead-related work show up as well through Home Headquarters, which received $463,614 for lead support and project support, plus a later $246,372 capital and program/project grant.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$23.6M
Total Assets
$458.3M
Total Revenue
$50.7M
Total Expenses
$31M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $9K and $37K, with a median of $14K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$14K
75th Percentile
$37K
Geographic Reach
Local33 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Deep Analysis
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students / scholarship recipientspeople with disabilitiesdisaster-affected communitiespatients / healthcare service recipientscommunity recreation participantsnonprofit organizations (event, program, capital recipients)
Funding Style
unrestricted/general supportprogram- or project-specific fundingcapital & campaign support (infrastructure/major gifts)scholarship/student financial supportcapacity-building / staff support
Topics
healthcare services/supportresearch supportliteracy & reading programsequity-focused initiativesdisaster relief & emergency supportservices for people with disabilitiesrecreation & community recreation programs
How Central New York Community Foundation Gives
Typical grants are mid-sized: the 25th percentile is $9,000, the median is $13,950, and the 75th percentile is $37,438. The recent list also shows a long tail of much larger awards, especially for schools, hospitals, and community institutions.
This is a public charity with a community foundation structure, and the data also shows it makes program-related investments. Grantmaking is not limited to one-off awards: several recipients appear more than once across 2023 and 2025, including Manlius Pebble Hill School, Syracuse University Advancement & External Affairs, Onondaga County Department of Child & Family Services, Home Headquarters, and The Reading League.
Unsolicited applications are accepted in several active programs, including Community Grants, scholarships, partner grants, and affiliate funds.
Where Central New York Community Foundation Makes Grants
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in New York, with 83% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. The recipient-country data is entirely U.S.-based.
Syracuse appears most often among recipient cities, with grants also landing in Skaneateles, Cortland, Auburn, and Buffalo. Outside the immediate Syracuse area, the list includes Sarasota, Florida, for one grant to The Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Affiliate and community programs are local to Central New York, including Cayuga County and Syracuse neighborhoods.
Frequently Asked Questions About Central New York Community Foundation
What kinds of support does the foundation provide?
The recent grants list shows general support, program/project support, capital support, scholarship support, student support, event support, sponsorship support, staff support, healthcare support, and literacy support. Active programs also include affiliate grants, scholarships, neighborhood greening mini-grants, and strategic partner grants.
Does it support students and scholarships?
Yes. Scholarship and student support are prominent in both the program list and recent grants. Examples in the data include $1,500,000 to Onondaga County Department of Child & Family Services for scholarship support, $587,762 to St Joseph's College of Nursing for student support, and $202,882 to University at Buffalo for scholarship support.
What focus areas show up most clearly in the grants data?
Education, literacy, healthcare, equity, housing, and community development all appear. The foundation’s active programs also include Black Equity & Excellence, LeadSafeCNY, local literacy, participatory budgeting, disaster relief, women and girls funding, and community grants.
How large are typical grants?
The grant-size distribution is centered at $9,000 for the 25th percentile, $13,950 at the median, and $37,438 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes several awards in the hundreds of thousands and above, showing a wide range of grant sizes.
How local is the giving?
It is highly local. The foundation describes its geographic scope as local, and 83% of grants go to recipients in New York. Recent grants are concentrated in Syracuse and nearby Central New York communities such as Skaneateles, Cortland, Auburn, and Cayuga County.
Current and upcoming funding from Central New York Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: Up to $2K
Staff Advancement Initiative
Professional developmentWorkforce developmentCareer advancement+1 more
Who can apply: The applicant must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving residents of Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, Cortland, or Cayuga counties. Funding is limited to front-line, non-management, or entry-level management staff who interface directly with clients. No more than two grants may be awarded to one nonprofit within 12 months.
Deadline: Applications accepted year-round; decisions generally made within 10 business days.
Strategic partnershipsMergers and affiliationsStrategic planning+2 more
Who can apply: Organizations serving residents of Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, Cortland, or Cayuga counties may apply for strategic partnership activities. Organizations serving Onondaga and Madison counties may apply for organizational planning activities. Applicants may receive funding in only one of the two project categories per year.
Poverty alleviationCapital projectsInnovative programs+1 more
Who can apply: Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits, publicly supported organizations such as schools and municipalities, and organizations using a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Organizations must serve residents of Madison County. Grants support capital projects and new, innovative, or expanded programs addressing poverty.
Black equityEconomic developmentCommunity empowerment+2 more
Who can apply: Supports community-based projects that center, uplift, and serve Black communities in Central New York and address economic and social disparities caused by historic marginalization. Detailed eligibility and application requirements are provided through the grant application page.
Deadline: Grant opens November 30, 2026; the grant deadline is January 29, 2027.
Opening soonCloses Feb 19, 2027Award: $10K – $150K
Community Grants
Arts and cultureEnvironmentAnimals+8 more
Who can apply: Organizations must serve residents of Onondaga, Cortland and/or Madison counties; outdoor parks and recreation projects may also serve Cayuga and Oswego counties through the Dr. Robert J. Vitkus Fund. Applicants must not have received a Community Grant in the previous 12 months, must have submitted reports for completed prior grants, and must discuss the request with Community Foundation staff before applying. Grants may be paid only to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits or public entities; other organizations may use a fiscal sponsor.
Deadline: 2026-2027 spring round opens December 21, 2026 and closes February 19, 2027. Fall round opens July 12, 2027 and closes August 20, 2027.
Opening soonCloses Feb 19, 2027Award: $10K – $150K
Dr. Robert J. Vitkus Fund (Outdoor Parks & Recreation Grants)
Outdoor parksRecreationHunting and fishing access+4 more
Who can apply: Organizations must support outdoor parks and recreation areas in Onondaga, Madison, Cortland, Cayuga or Oswego counties. Preferences include access for hunting and fishing, naming opportunities, youth programs, and conservation efforts.
Who can apply: Organizations must serve residents of Cayuga County and have completed any projects or programs previously funded by the Cayuga Fund. Priority is given to capacity-building activities and new projects rather than ongoing programs.
Deadline: The next listed round opens February 15, 2027 and closes April 16, 2027.
Women’s Fund of Central New York (affiliate grant)
Women and girlsCapacity buildingCommunity problem-solving+2 more
Who can apply: Organizations must primarily address key issues affecting women and girls and serve residents of Cayuga, Onondaga, Madison, or Oswego counties. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, publicly supported organizations such as schools and municipalities, and organizations using a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Preference is given to organizations with annual operating budgets of $5 million or less. Recurring grants, annual operating budgets except seed or bridge funding, endowments, religious purposes, loans to individuals, and completed activities are not supported.
Deadline: One grant round per year; the 2027 deadline is June 18, 2027.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
