The Central New York Community Foundation is inviting Oswego County residents to help decide how $75,000 will be invested in their communities through the final voting phase of its participatory budgeting initiative, part of the Community Foundation’s centennial celebration.
During two community sessions held in early May at Camp Zerbe, residents and volunteers worked together to identify the county’s most pressing needs and begin shaping solutions. Through a series of collaborative exercises, participants discussed challenges facing the community and identified comprehensive mental health, with a focus on youth and young adults ages 11-20 years old, as the focus area for funding.
Local nonprofit organizations that serve Oswego County residents were then invited to submit letters of interest outlining project ideas that respond directly to the priority. Community Foundation staff worked alongside participating nonprofits to refine proposals and ensure they reflect the input and intent of the participants.
“This process is about more than funding a project — it’s about building trust and making sure community voices guide community investment,” said Qiana Williams, senior program officer at the Community Foundation. “Residents shared what matters most to them, nonprofits stepped forward with ideas and now the decision belongs to the community.”
Residents are encouraged to learn more about the proposed projects during a virtual proposal presentation night on Wednesday, May 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. During this session, participating nonprofits will present their proposals and answer questions from the community ahead of voting.
The nonprofit organizations projects that will be presented are:
Oswego Health Foundation Inc. — Targeted Mental Health Services
Increase early intervention support for students facing anxiety, depression, trauma, and other behavioral health concerns, while strengthening community partnerships with organizations such as the YMCA and Girls Rock to provide additional emotional wellness resources for young women.
Haven of Hope — Project Park (Positive Approach to Reaching Kids)
Provide trauma-informed prevention education, mental health awareness programming, and no-cost counseling services for youth ages 11–20 and their families across Oswego County through in-school presentations, group therapy, and targeted one-on-one support. The project will also expand community wellness through Mental Health First Aid training, outdoor enrichment activities, and community events in each school district that connect families with resources in a supportive, stigma-free environment.
Fulton Public Library – Youth Ambassador Wellness Network
Provide mental health support for youth ages 11–20 by transforming libraries into active hubs of peer support, youth leadership, and community-based wellness programming. Through trained Youth Ambassadors, strategic community partnerships, outdoor wellness activities, family engagement workshops, and data-driven planning, the program empowers young people and families to play an active role in improving mental health outcomes across Oswego County.
Voting will take place on Thursday, May 28, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. All Oswego County residents aged 14 or older are eligible to vote online by visiting cnycf.org/pboswegocounty, where a voting link will be available on the day of voting. Two-factor authentication will be used to help ensure that each participant votes only once. Individuals who are unable to vote online will have the opportunity to vote in person during the evening celebration.
The Community Foundation will host a live voting night celebration on May 28 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Children’s Museum of Oswego County, located at 7 W. Bridge St. in Oswego. Residents and nonprofit partners are invited to attend as votes are cast and counted, culminating in the announcement of the winning project. Community members can register now to attend the celebration at cnycf.org/pboswegocounty. No cost parking is available at the Oswego County Courthouse or Breitbeck Park and a free shuttle will be running through the evening.
As the Central New York Community Foundation approaches its 100th anniversary in 2027, participatory budgeting is one way the organization is engaging residents in shaping the region’s future. The Oswego County initiative is the first of five projects that will take place across the Community Foundation’s service area, collectively awarding $500,000 in funding determined by community vote.
Participatory budgeting is a community engagement process in which residents help decide how funding is allocated through a structured process of community need identification, prioritization and voting. In partnership with residents, nonprofits and grassroots organizations, participants identify priorities, co-design solutions and ultimately select the project they believe will best address a community need.
Residents who need transportation assistance to attend the celebration may contact Ride Oswego County’s Office of Mobility Management at rideoc@oswegocounty.com or 315.746.4222.
