Investing in Community
Schenectady's Community Foundation
The Schenectady Foundation was established in 1963 to benefit the people who live and work in Schenectady County, NY. To date we have invested more than $35 million into our communities, and plan to commit about $1.2 million in grants and scholarships in 2026.
OUR GRANTS
The Schenectady Foundation plans to invest $1.2 million into charitable projects with the greatest potential to positively impact our community. Our priorities: Equitable Access to Healthy Food Initiative, Neighborhood Revitalization and Emergent Needs. Also included is our grants portfolio are Micro Grants, Scholarships and Community Event Sponsorships. New this year is funding for the Arts, and a Grassroots Fund to support community-based grassroots and neighborhood level initiatives.
The projected total investment in each funding area is as follows:
- Equitable Access to Healthy Food - $500,000
- Neighborhoods – $250,000
- Emergent Needs and "Open" Grants - $250,000
- Micro Grants, Sponsorships and Special Initiative Funds - $165,000
- Scholarships - $80,000
2026 Application Dates
Emergent Needs:
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- RFP Released: April 3rd
- Letter of Inquiry (LOI) due: May 1st
- Grant Application due: June 5th
- Approximate decision date: June 29th
Equitable Access to Healthy Food Grants:
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- RFP released: August 7th
- Letters of Inquiry (LOI) due: September 4th
- Grant Applications due: October 9th
- Approximate decision date: October 28th
Neighborhood Revitalization Grants:
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- To Be Announced
Impact Statements
The Schenectady Foundation’s impact statements describe to applicants how we plan to fulfill our mission to benefit the health and well-being of people who live and work in Schenectady County. The Foundation has created an impact statement for each area of focus, and encourages proposals that will help to drive Schenectady’s results closer and closer to the achievement of these impacts.
Equitable Access to Healthy Food
Impact Statement: Schenectady County will be food-secure, ensuring that all residents have consistent access to fresh, healthy, and nourshing food.
Neighborhood Revitalization
Impact Statement: Schenectady’s neighborhoods will thrive, becoming places where residents feel safe, supported and valued.
Emergent Needs
Impact Statement: Schenectady County residents are supported by projects that are responsive to new or emergent needs.
Micro Grants
Impact Statement: Organizations will have access to seed funding to plan, research, and pilot new initiatives that foster innovation and build stronger connections within the community.
The Foundation offers a “Micro Grant” program to address requests of $10,000 or less. Micro Grants are often utilized for planning, research, and development of future projects, or to get pilot projects off the ground. While the maximum Micro Grant award is $10,000, the majority of them fall into the $3,000 - $7,000 range.
ABOUT THE GRANTS PROCESS
The Foundation serves as a catalyst for community change, supporting projects—large or small—where targeted funding and engagement can deliver meaningful impact. The Foundation prioritize initiatives with clear, measurable outcomes and those whom have the potential to be transformative for people, organizations, neighborhoods, and the broader community.
While strengthening organizations and programs is an important aspect of the Foundation's work, we are increasingly placing emphasis on how applicants are engaging their clients and program beneficiaries in their work. Grant applications are strengthened when they demonstrate that those who use services are listened to, and have influence on the design and delivery of those services.
Outcomes Matter
It is a core value and responsibility of The Schenectady Foundation to be a good steward of the funds gifted by donors. Given that there are numerous charitable entities within Schenectady County, the Foundation is highly selective in its funding decisions. Most years, funding requests far exceed the available resources, and so the Foundation prioritizes grant requests that are most likely to have significant impacts within the strategic focus areas.
Measurable or observable outcomes that can be achieved with our financial support are a high priority. The use of measurable outcomes may be new to some applicants. Foundation staff is available to guide applicants through this process.
We recommend that you review this outline of Outcomes Terms so that there is a common understanding of their meaning within the Foundation's application process.
APPLY FOR A GRANT
The Foundation has a two-step online grant process. The first required submission is a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) form which provides a general overview of the proposed project and its associated outcomes. Upon approval of an LOI, applicants will be given access to the full grant application.
Please review The Schenectady Foundation’s Criteria and Eligibility prior to beginning an application, as the information contained therein is used to guide decisions by the Foundation’s Distribution Committee.
Getting Started with Your Application
To access The Schenectady Foundation’s online grant portal, please follow this link, Foundation Online Grants. New applicants will need to establish accounts while those who have applied to the Foundation for funding in the past will be able to log in with their email address and password. For assistance with the online grant application, please contact Sofia Pawlusik at (518) 393-9500 or spawlusik@schenectadyfoundation.org.
Letters of Inquiry
Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) may be submitted through the Foundation’s grant portal at any time, once the RFP has been released. The Foundation responds to appropriate and complete LOIs within 10 days of submission. During the review period, applicants may be asked to submit additional information or to meet with Foundation staff. LOIs that are approved will gain access to the full grant application process.
Grant Applications
Grant applications must be submitted through the Foundation’s online grant portal. Those submitted by the due dates – and that meet all requirements for substance, accuracy and completeness – will be forwarded to the Foundation’s Distribution Committee for consideration. The Foundation’s practice is to meet with each applicant in a grant conference to ensure that all decision-makers understand the proposed projects, and have the opportunity to fully explore the potential of each one.
Notification & Award
Once grant conferences take place, applicants can reasonably expect to be notified of funding decisions within approximately 2 weeks. Applicants will receive email and/or phone communications from Foundation staff to make them aware of final funding decisions.
If a grant is approved, applicants should anticipate an additional 2–3 weeks for funds to be processed and the check to be issued after the grant agreement is signed and returned.
If you have any questions regarding the grants process, please contact Sofia Pawlusik.
Click the link below to start your application:
RESOURCES
Explore the resources below to assist you with your grant application. From application guidance to orientation sessions, we’re here to support you throughout the process.
Office Hours for Applicant Support
Office hours are available twice a week to support applicants during the process. Feel free to reach out during these times if you have questions or need guidance—whether by email, phone, or Zoom. No appointment needed, just send a quick message, and we can connect!
These are designated times, but applicants are always welcome to reach out at any time.
Office Hours:
- Tuesdays: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Wednesdays: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Click Here for Foundant Application Assistance
Support Series Videos: Here are several videos created to support you throughout the grant process. You can also find them on our Youtube Channel.
