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Rochester Area Community Foundation’s recent grantmaking is shaped by a mix of large institutional awards and local collective-giving funds. The biggest recent grant in the data is $3,550,000 to Sea Education Association for the purchase of the Miller House property from an anonymous donor, alongside major support for Geva Theatre Center, the University of Rochester, and Seneca Park Zoo Society. That combination shows a funder that supports both cultural and educational institutions and also backs health, scholarship, and community projects through multiple vehicles. The foundation’s priorities are broad but not diffuse. Recent grants include support for nursing and memory-care work, cancer-immunity research, mental health programs, housing stability, and youth-serving organizations. It also funds racial equity, arts and culture, historic preservation, and LGBTQ+ equity through named grant programs and collective giving circles. Several awards are unrestricted general support, while others are tied to capital projects, research, or specific programs. The pattern points to a community foundation that uses a range of grant types to serve Rochester-area institutions, county-based endowments, and regional partners.
Health and clinical research appear repeatedly in the recent awards. The University of Rochester received $570,748 for research on T cells in cancer immunity, and the U of R Department of Psychiatry received $544,222 for research projects relating to mental health or illness. Emory University also received $1,800,000 for the School of Nursing integrated memory care in the community, linking health systems work with older-adult care. Education and youth development are another thread. St John Fisher University received $879,191 for general support and scholarships, while University of Rochester Gifts & Donor Records received $473,286 for nursing scholarships. Children’s Institute Inc received $287,268 for RECAP, behavioral supports for children, ROC the Future. Arts and civic institutions also receive support, including $2,745,362 to Geva Theatre Center for general support and $480,299 to Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for general support.
Typical grant size clusters in the five-figure range, with p25 at $8,971, a median of $13,000, and p75 at $32,000. The recent grants list also shows that the foundation makes some much larger awards to institutions and capital projects, including multimillion-dollar grants. Grants recur across years to the same organizations: Geva Theatre Center, University of Rochester, U of R Department of Psychiatry, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, and Genesee Land Trust each appear multiple times in the recent data. Rochester Area Community Foundation is a mixed community foundation and also makes program-related investments. Several active grant programs accept unsolicited requests.
$22.9M
$510.7M
$64.8M
$38.1M
Most grants fall between $9K and $32K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$32K
SIMEON BANISTER
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Grantmaking is concentrated in New York, which accounts for 67% of grants in the data. Rochester is the clearest center of activity: many recent awards go to Rochester-based organizations such as Geva Theatre Center, Seneca Park Zoo Society, and the University of Rochester. The list also reaches nearby places like Fairport and Canton, plus a smaller number of out-of-state recipients in Massachusetts, Georgia, Maine, and Indiana. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 1,673 grants in the United States.
The recent grants show support for arts and culture, education, health, environmental and land work, and community equity. Named examples include general support for Geva Theatre Center and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, scholarship support for St John Fisher University and University of Rochester, and research and service work in nursing, mental health, and cancer immunity.
Typical grant size is in the five-figure range: p25 is $8,971, the median is $13,000, and p75 is $32,000. The foundation also makes much larger institutional and capital awards, including multi-hundred-thousand-dollar grants and a $3,550,000 grant in the recent data.
Yes. The recent data includes repeated grants to the same organizations across different years, such as Geva Theatre Center, University of Rochester, U of R Department of Psychiatry, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, and Genesee Land Trust. That indicates ongoing relationships, not only one-off awards.
Yes. Several active grant programs in the data explicitly accept unsolicited applications, including Equity and Vitality Grants, Giving Circle Grants, Competitive Grants, the Bullis Fund, and the Yates Community Endowment grants.
Grantmaking is concentrated in New York, where 67% of grants go. The recent list is dominated by Rochester-based recipients, but it also includes organizations in Fairport and Canton, and a smaller number of awards outside New York in Massachusetts, Georgia, Maine, and Indiana.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Rochester Area Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations must have, or be developing, a nondiscrimination policy inclusive of LGBT people, and the project must align with the Giving Circle mission.
Deadline: Membership contributions for voting members must be received by August 30 of the grant cycle year.
Who can apply: Open competitive grant opportunities; applications are reviewed as received. Specific eligibility details are not provided in the scraped content.
Deadline: No set deadlines; reviewed as received.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY | CANTON, NY | $558,334 | 2026 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| FRIENDS OF ACADIA | BAR HARBOR, ME | $500,000 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT |
| ST JOHNS HEALTH FOUNDATION | JACKSON, WY | $500,000 | 2026 | HEALTH-GENL,PREV |
| NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART FOUNDATION INC | RALEIGH, NC | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROCHESTER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA | ROCHESTER, NY | $470,189 | 2026 | MUSIC |
| UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER GIFTS & DONOR RECORDS | ROCHESTER, NY | $456,014 | 2026 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL LLC | ROCHESTER, NY | $404,000 | 2026 | MUSIC |
| U OF R DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY | ROCHESTER, NY | $363,579 | 2026 | MENTAL HEALTH |
| ROCHESTER MUSEUM & SCIENCE CENTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $333,640 | 2026 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| MARY PARKES ASTHMA CENTER ENDOWMENT OF RACF | FAIRPORT, NY | $313,160 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOODLINK INC | ROCHESTER, NY | $281,607 | 2026 | FOOD, NUTRITION |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER ROCHESTER AND THE FINGER LAKES | ROCHESTER, NY | $274,082 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GEVA THEATRE CENTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $263,218 | 2026 | VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS |
| GREATER ROCHESTER AFTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE FUND OF RACF | ROCHESTER, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | CHILD/YOUTH DEV |
| DEPAUL HUTHER-DOYLE | ROCHESTER, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | MENTAL HEALTH |
| ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL | ROCHESTER, NY | $236,400 | 2026 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| CENTER FOR TEEN EMPOWERMENT | ROCHESTER, NY | $230,250 | 2026 | CHILD/YOUTH DEV |
| FLOWER CITY ARTS CENTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $224,761 | 2026 | ARTS EDUCATION |
| GEORGE EASTMAN MUSEUM | ROCHESTER, NY | $219,854 | 2026 | VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF GREATER ROCHESTER INC | ROCHESTER, NY | $219,763 | 2026 | HUMAN SERV/GENL |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NEUROLOGICAL SURGEONS INC | ROLLING MEADOWS, IL | $213,000 | 2026 | SPECIFIC DISORDER |
| WAYNE COUNTY COMMUNITY ENDOWMENT FUND OF RACF | ROCHESTER, NY | $209,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER ROCHESTER | FAIRPORT, NY | $206,601 | 2026 | ANIMALS |
| BULLIS FUND OF RACF | ROCHESTER, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GENESEE LAND TRUST | ROCHESTER, NY | $189,600 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT |
| BURROUGHS AUDUBON NATURE CLUB | ROCHESTER, NY | $187,426 | 2026 | ANIMALS |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE FINGER LAKES | GENEVA, NY | $184,719 | 2026 | HUMAN SERV/GENL |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW YORK | ROCHESTER, NY | $183,199 | 2026 | HEALTH-GENL,PREV |
| SUMMERVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | ROCHESTER, NY | $180,000 | 2026 | RELIGION |
| ROCHESTER AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | ROCHESTER, NY | $173,750 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE OUTER LOOP THEATER EXPERIENCE | FAIRPORT, NY | $153,000 | 2026 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| COMMUNITY ACTION OF ORLEANS AND GENESEE INC | ALBION, NY | $150,166 | 2026 | HUMAN SERV/GENL |
| THE CHILDREN'S AGENDA INC | ROCHESTER, NY | $148,000 | 2026 | ADVCY/CVL RGHTS |
| LIFESPAN OF GREATER ROCHESTER INC | ROCHESTER, NY | $145,918 | 2026 | AGING |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER ROCHESTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $143,242 | 2026 | RELIGION |
| GARTH FAGAN DANCE | ROCHESTER, NY | $137,177 | 2026 | VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS |
| ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | ROCHESTER, NY | $134,165 | 2026 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| PRO ACTION OF STEUBEN AND YATES INC | BATH, NY | $133,800 | 2026 | HUMAN SERV/GENL |
| ROCHESTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION | ROCHESTER, NY | $132,839 | 2026 | K - 12 EDUCATION |
| NATIVITY PREPARATORY ACADEMY | ROCHESTER, NY | $126,600 | 2026 | K - 12 EDUCATION |
| YMCA OF GREATER ROCHESTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $126,379 | 2026 | CHILD/YOUTH DEV |
| GREATER ROCHESTER SUMMER LEARNING ASSOCIATION | ROCHESTER, NY | $123,000 | 2026 | K - 12 EDUCATION |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES | ROCHESTER, NY | $121,050 | 2026 | HUMAN SERV/GENL |
| MEMORIAL ART GALLERY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $119,878 | 2026 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| ROCHESTER ORATORIO SOCIETY INC | ROCHESTER, NY | $118,748 | 2026 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| CAUSE WAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS | ROCHESTER, NY | $115,240 | 2026 | ORG CAPACITY BLD |
| WRITERS & BOOKS | ROCHESTER, NY | $114,534 | 2026 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| AQUINAS INSTITUTE | ROCHESTER, NY | $110,967 | 2026 | K - 12 EDUCATION |
| CLARK UNIVERSITY | WORCESTER, MA | $109,070 | 2026 | HIGHER EDUCATION |
| WILLIAM EDWARD BROWNE AND DOROTHY DENTON BROWNE FUND II | ROCHESTER, NY | $107,162 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER GIFTS & DONOR RECORDS
$456,014HIGHER EDUCATION
ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL LLC
$404,000MUSIC
U OF R DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY
$363,579MENTAL HEALTH
GREATER ROCHESTER AFTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE FUND OF RACF
$250,000CHILD/YOUTH DEV
DEPAUL HUTHER-DOYLE
$250,000MENTAL HEALTH
GEORGE EASTMAN MUSEUM
$219,854VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF GREATER ROCHESTER INC
$219,763HUMAN SERV/GENL
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NEUROLOGICAL SURGEONS INC
$213,000SPECIFIC DISORDER
BURROUGHS AUDUBON NATURE CLUB
$187,426ANIMALS
SUMMERVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$180,000RELIGION
THE OUTER LOOP THEATER EXPERIENCE
$153,000ARTS & CULTURE
COMMUNITY ACTION OF ORLEANS AND GENESEE INC
$150,166HUMAN SERV/GENL
NATIVITY PREPARATORY ACADEMY
$126,600K - 12 EDUCATION
CATHOLIC CHARITIES FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
$121,050HUMAN SERV/GENL
MEMORIAL ART GALLERY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
$119,878ARTS & CULTURE
ROCHESTER ORATORIO SOCIETY INC
$118,748ARTS & CULTURE
WRITERS & BOOKS
$114,534ARTS & CULTURE