The Madison County Rural Poverty Fund is an effort to support poverty-related causes in Madison County, where 10 percent of the population was living below the federal poverty rate in 2018, according to CNY Vitals. The Community Foundation is committed to tackling this issue through multiple approaches including funding, impact investing and community leadership.

  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, publicly supported organizations such as schools and municipalities, and organizations using a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.
  • Organizations serving residents of Madison County

Grants from the Madison County Rural Poverty Fund support the following types of projects:

  • Capital – including large scale capital campaigns, repairs and replacements, technology upgrades, and equipment/furnishing purchases that address poverty
  • Program – support for new and innovative programs, or the expansion of proven existing programs that address poverty
  • Applications to the Madison County Rural Poverty Fund are accepted year-round.
  • Prospective applicants are asked to discuss their grant request with Community Foundation staff before beginning the application process. Please call our office at (315) 422-9538 or email us at grants@cnycf.org.
  • The use of a fiscal sponsor is allowed.

If your nonprofit has received a grant from us, we request that you submit a report on the outcome of your project. This report assists us in assessing our grantmaking efforts. Please contact us at grants@cnycf.org for a report form.

The Community Foundation can only pay grants to registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations (including churches) or to a public entity such as a town, public school or state agency. All others will need to use a fiscal sponsor.

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