The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region is a collection of more than 340 different charitable funds, and grants are distributed through many different channels.  In 2010, the Community Foundation distributed more than $3 million in grants to hundreds of not-for-profit organizations in the Greater Capital Region and beyond.

Competitive Grants

The Community Foundation manages several funds that award grants through a competitive process.  These funds are described in the 2013 Grant Guidelines.  This document includes detailed descriptions of eligibility requirements and application guidelines and deadlines for competitive grants.

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 not-for-profit organization OR operate under the fiscal sponsorship of an organization that does
• Serve residents and be located within the ten-county Greater Capital Region (Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Washington Counties) unless otherwise noted

Some of the donors we work with have their own websites with more information on their grantmaking priorities and procedures:

The Bender Family Foundation

The Standish Family Fund

Connecting Donors to Issues and Organizations They Care About

The majority of Community Foundation grants are made in partnership with individuals, families, or organizations who work with the Foundation to facilitate their charitable giving through donor advised funds.  In order to better support donors’ philanthropy and provide the maximum financial support possible to meet community needs, staff augments the funds available through our competitive grant programs by connecting donors to organizations, issues, and approaches aligned with their interests.  We regularly refer proposals we receive in conjunction with competitive grant cycles to our donor advisors.