Pictured above: Sleep in Heavenly Peace
The Central New York Community Foundation recently distributed $1,301,606 in grants from its Community Fund and a variety of field-of-interest funds to local nonprofits through its Community Grantmaking program, which supports organizations in Cortland, Onondaga and Madison counties.
As applications to the program have more than doubled in recent years, the Community Foundation recently introduced priority areas for each grant round. This approach gives nonprofits clearer guidance on when funding is most available, allows similar proposals to be reviewed together and moves resources into the community more quickly. Arts and culture, the environment, animals, civic engagement and education are focus areas for spring grant rounds. Health, human services, workforce and economic development are the focus for upcoming fall rounds.
Residents and community organizations then help shape these focus areas every two years through the Community Foundation’s Community Insights Forums. During the 2025 forums, participants reviewed data, shared their experiences and identified Central New York’s needs, gaps and aspirations.
“From meeting immediate needs to advancing long-term opportunity, these grants reflect the wide range of priorities shaping our community,” said Danielle Johnson, senior director of grants and programs at the Central New York Community Foundation. “We’re honored to support such a diverse group of nonprofit partners and the meaningful impact they make possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors.”
The following organizations received grants during the spring round:
ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES
Breadcrumbs Productions – $15,750
Deliver free, interactive theater performances in schools and community spaces
Central New York Ballet – $25,000
Hire ASL interpreters and translators and purchase components to create an accessible, multilingual in-studio theater space for the Community Children’s Series
Earlville Opera House – $16,840
Restore the Quincy Square Museum to enhance accessibility and improve the preservation of its historical artifacts
Everson Museum of Art – $20,730
Offer free and low-cost admission, art activities and guest artist programming during City Market Sundays and Everson Community Days
Landmark Theatre – $25,000
Repair and repaint the historic theater auditorium as part of its first restoration since 1928
Restoreforlife – $25,000
Offer healing-centered arts programming for youth and caregivers who are impacted by trauma, foster care and economic stress
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park – $14,660
Create interactive outdoor displays and learning spaces for the Artland education program, providing youth and other visitors with a creative way to experience and learn about art
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Unchained – $15,400
Provide civic engagement workshops covering government, voting, organizing, reentry and leadership for people impacted by incarceration
EDUCATION
Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) – $41,600
Expand a college-to-career fellowship providing Latino students with career preparation, mentorship and paid learning opportunities
House of Psalms 23 – $41,028
Launch a digital literacy program providing computer instruction, career readiness training and access to technology-based career pathways
Kool Kidz Foundation – $20,000
Purchase a vehicle to provide reliable transportation for additional preschool students on Syracuse’s Southside
Longhouse Council, BSA – $9,500
Purchase outdoor education materials that help youth develop environmental knowledge, leadership abilities and life skills
Mercy Works – $25,000
Provide leadership development, financial literacy and paid internships for young people through the Synergy Leadership Internship Program
Oneida City School District – $60,948
Operate the Summer LEAP program that provides academic enrichment, transportation and meals for students in grades 1-4
Onondaga Environmental Institute – $28,333
Expand the Onondaga Creek Watershed Curriculum through new lessons, educational materials and teacher training developed in partnership with local schools and the Onondaga Nation
Onondaga Nation – $55,600
Provide scholarships, educational guidance and recognition opportunities for Haudenosaunee students pursuing higher education and vocational training
Our Local History at CCSI – $24,700
Create a picture book and second grade curriculum highlighting the life and impact of a local Black civil rights leader
Workforce Advancement Center (WAC) – $58,600
Offer a free summer enrichment program combining literacy, art, music and photography for children ages 6-12
Write Out Syracuse – $34,678
Lead environmental writing workshops for youth and feature their work along poetry paths in local parks
ENVIRONMENT & ANIMALS
Aura A. Cole PTO – $20,000
Install a new playground to provide students and Constantia residents with a safe and accessible space for outdoor play
Baltimore Woods Nature Center – $89,428
Construct the Vidler Education Campus to expand year-round outdoor education and recreation opportunities for youth and families
Caspar Gregory Camp – $150,000
Construct a boating dock and outdoor recreation area to expand fishing, boating and environmental learning opportunities on Cayuga Lake
Fiver Children’s Foundation – $29,915
Stabilize the Sangerfield River shoreline to address erosion, improve safety and protect an outdoor gathering space for campers in Madison County
Friends of Emerson Park – $109,972
Install an accessible playground for children and families to play, gather and connect
Haven at Skanda – $30,000
Construct an isolated facility to safely house rescued farm animals while they receive medical assessment and care
HumaneCNY – $28,624
Upgrade shelter security systems and purchase new laundry equipment to meet the growing need for animal care
Puerto Rican Environmental Action Lab – $15,300
Operate a youth workforce program that provides paid training in urban agriculture, food justice and community garden revitalization
Purpose Farm – $50,000
Construct a temperature-controlled small animal facility to provide hands-on mentoring experiences for youth and volunteers
Salt City Harvest Farm – $75,000
Purchase the 60-acre property where the farm currently operates to preserve long-term access to land for New American and beginning farmers
Town of Georgetown – $90,000
Create a community park with a walking trail and fishing area along Otselic Creek
Town of Montezuma – $50,000
Repair and expand the walking trail in the town park to improve safety, accessibility and opportunities for community recreation
HUMAN SERVICES
Sleep in Heavenly Peace – $5,000
Purchase mattresses and hardware for volunteers to build and distribute beds to children without safe places to sleep
About the Central New York Community Foundation
The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that turns community dollars into community change. Established in 1927, it receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to address the region’s greatest needs. The foundation has invested more than $350 million in community projects that benefit Central New York. It also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives that foster a thriving and equitable region and address the most critical issues of our time.
