To benefit the health and well-being of people who live and work in Schenectady County by serving as a catalyst for change through strategic initiatives, grantmaking, convening community partners, and stewardship of charitable funds.
The Schenectady Foundation Inc. concentrates its giving in Schenectady County and backs a mix of direct-service needs, neighborhood projects, and scholarship support. One of its largest recent grants went to the Regional Food Bank of Neny for the Weekend Backpack Program and SCSD food pantries, showing how closely the foundation ties grantmaking to food access for local students and families. It also supports neighborhood improvement work through projects such as Bellevue Ball Field, Hamilton Hill Pride, and park installations, alongside recurring scholarship programs for graduating high school seniors in the county. The foundation’s stated purpose is to benefit the health and well-being of people who live and work in Schenectady County through strategic initiatives, convening community partners, and stewardship of charitable funds. Its active programs include scholarships for teacher preparation, STEM, and vocational study; micro grants for planning and seed funding; neighborhood revitalization grants; and support for equitable access to healthy food. Recent grants also show attention to housing-related COVID response and local food system planning, including a market survey and planning grant for a co-op market.
Food security is a major thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $60,000 to the Regional Food Bank of Neny for the Weekend Backpack Program and SCSD food pantries, and in 2024 it awarded $15,165 to SUNY Schenectady for the Royals Care Center food and hygiene supplies pantry. Neighborhood revitalization is another visible area. The foundation gave $26,045 to Seat Center in 2025 for Hamilton Hill Pride, $16,837 to the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority for a disc golf installation at Steinmertz Park, and $23,384 to the Capital Region Land Bank for Wallingford Park and the Engine Hill project. It also funds planning and local food infrastructure. Electric City Food Co-op received $20,000 for a market survey and planning for a co-op market, while Schenectady Community Action Program received $10,717 for COVID-related housing assistance.
Typical award size sits at $10,625 at the 25th percentile, $15,776 at the median, and $29,538 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list includes several larger awards, but the foundation also uses smaller grants for neighborhood projects and event support. Its programs are structured around local, often unsolicited opportunities in Schenectady County, including micro grants, scholarships, equitable food access, neighborhood revitalization, and emergent needs. The grant record shows repeated support for some organizations across multiple years, such as the Regional Food Bank of Neny and the Capital Region Land Bank, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards alone. The foundation also funds community event sponsorships, though that program does not accept unsolicited requests.
$147K
$663K
$959K
$886K
Most grants fall between $11K and $30K, with a median of $16K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$16K
75th Percentile
$30K
ROBERT CARREAU
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All recent grants in the provided list went to U.S. recipients, and the foundation’s giving is local to New York. Schenectady is the main city in the record, with multiple awards to organizations there, including Seat Center, the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority, Schenectady Community Action Program, and Schenectady Community Ministries. Latham and Albany also appear in the recent list through the Regional Food Bank of Neny and Albany Barn Inc. The grant program descriptions point to Schenectady County as the main service area.
Its active programs cover scholarships, micro grants, neighborhood revitalization, equitable access to healthy food, community event sponsorships, and emergent needs. The recent grants list also shows support for food pantries, park and playground improvements, housing assistance, and food-system planning.
Yes for several programs, including scholarships, micro grants, neighborhood revitalization grants, equitable access to healthy food grants, and emergent needs grants. Community Event Sponsorships are the exception in the active-program list and do not accept unsolicited requests.
The typical grant size is $10,625 at the 25th percentile, $15,776 at the median, and $29,538 at the 75th percentile. Program ranges also show smaller awards for micro grants and scholarships, with some larger awards available in the food-access program.
The scholarship programs are for graduating high school seniors in Schenectady County. The Schenectady STEM Scholarship is for seniors from Schenectady City School District pursuing STEM studies, and the Anna Hudson Erbacher Scholarship supports students who aspire to become teachers.
Its giving is local and centered on Schenectady County, New York. The recent grants list shows all awards going to New York recipients, with most organizations located in Schenectady and a smaller number in nearby Latham and Albany.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Schenectady Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Funds nonprofit corporations registered with the New York State Office of Charities Registration and designated as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Does not fund individuals, private businesses, endowments, or quasi-endowments.
Deadline: 2026 LOI due September 4; grant application due October 9; approximate decision date October 28.
Who can apply: Requests must be for $10,000 or less. Intended for nonprofit community-based initiatives; the Foundation funds nonprofit corporations registered with the New York State Office of Charities Registration and designated as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations.
Deadline: No specific annual deadline stated; LOIs may be submitted once the RFP has been released.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGIONAL FOOD BANK OF NENY | LATHAM, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM; SCSD FOOD PANTRIES |
| SEAT CENTER | SCHENECTADY, NY | $26,045 | 2025 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE PROJECTS - HAMILTON HILL PRIDE |
| ALBANY BARN INC | ALBANY, NY | $17,824 | 2025 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD - SCH BLUE JAYS |
| SCHENECTADY MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITY | SCHENECTADY, NY | $16,837 | 2025 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - DISC GOLF INSTALLATION STEINMERTZ PARK |
| CAPITAL REGION LAND BANK | SCHENECTADY, NY | $15,820 | 2025 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - ENGINE HILL |
| SYCAMORE COLLABORATIVE | SCHENECTADY, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - PROJECT ASL PARK PROJECT WALLING FOR PARK |
| REGIONAL FOOD BANK OF NENY | LATHAM, NY | $141,098 | 2024 | WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM; SCSD FOOD PANTRIES |
| ELECTRIC CITY FOOD CO-OP | SCHENECTADY, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | MARKET SURVEY AND PLANNING FOR COOP MARKET |
| SUNY SCHENECTADY | SCHENECTADY, NY | $15,165 | 2024 | ROYALS CARE CENTER - FOOD AND HYGIENE SUPPLIES FOR PANTRY |
| CAPITAL REGION LAND BANK | SCHENECTADY, NY | $11,384 | 2024 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - ENGINE HILL |
| SCHENECTADY MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITY | SCHENECTADY, NY | $10,350 | 2024 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - CARING FOR CARRIE ST PARK |
| SCHENECTADY COMMUNITY MINISTRIES | SCHENECTADY, NY | $5,030 | 2024 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE PROJECT-ASL PARK PROJECT WALLINGFORD PARK |
| REGIONAL FOOD BANK OF NENY | LATHAM, NY | $113,350 | 2023 | PRODUCT FOR MAZZONE FOOD BOX DELIVERY; WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF SCHENECTADY COUNTY | SCHENECTADY, NY | $48,000 | 2023 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE PROJECTS - BELLVUE BALL FIELD |
| CAPITAL REGION LAND BANK | SCHENECTADY, NY | $23,384 | 2023 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE PROJECTS - WALLINGFORD PARK, AND ENGINE HILL PROJECT |
| SEAT CENTER | SCHENECTADY, NY | $16,388 | 2023 | NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE PROJECTS - JAYLEN'S PARK |
| SCHENECTADY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM | SCHENECTADY, NY | $10,717 | 2023 | COVID RESPONSE - HOUSING ASSISTANCE |
| CITY MISSION OF SCHENECTADY | SCHENECTADY, NY | $6,379 | 2023 | SCHENECTADY PATRIOT BASEBALL |
ALBANY BARN INC
$17,824NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD - SCH BLUE JAYS
SCHENECTADY MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITY
$16,837NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - DISC GOLF INSTALLATION STEINMERTZ PARK
CAPITAL REGION LAND BANK
$15,820NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - ENGINE HILL
NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - PROJECT ASL PARK PROJECT WALLING FOR PARK
ELECTRIC CITY FOOD CO-OP
$20,000MARKET SURVEY AND PLANNING FOR COOP MARKET
SUNY SCHENECTADY
$15,165ROYALS CARE CENTER - FOOD AND HYGIENE SUPPLIES FOR PANTRY
CAPITAL REGION LAND BANK
$11,384NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - ENGINE HILL
SCHENECTADY MUNICIPAL HOUSING AUTHORITY
$10,350NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE - CARING FOR CARRIE ST PARK
NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE PROJECT-ASL PARK PROJECT WALLINGFORD PARK
PRODUCT FOR MAZZONE FOOD BOX DELIVERY; WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF SCHENECTADY COUNTY
$48,000NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE PROJECTS - BELLVUE BALL FIELD
CAPITAL REGION LAND BANK
$23,384NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE PROJECTS - WALLINGFORD PARK, AND ENGINE HILL PROJECT
SCHENECTADY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM
$10,717COVID RESPONSE - HOUSING ASSISTANCE