FAQs

Q. Do you have any other funding available?
A. Competitive grants are available for application through our Distributions Committee, Bullis Fund, John F. Wegman Fund, Feinbloom Supporting Foundation, and Wayne County Community Endowment with staff input and Board oversight. New opportunities will be listed as they become available. Email Mary Hartstein to add your email to our quarterly News You Can Use newsletter that informs on upcoming grant applications and deadlines. The Community Foundation also provides grant support to charitable activities through its donor-initiated funds, which are not available for direct application by nonprofits or individuals. If you believe you have a funding opportunity that would be of interest to Community Foundation donors, you may contact Stefanie Griffin at (585) 341-4331 to discuss it.

Q. When are applications due?
A. Deadlines vary depending on the application process. Please review or download specific deadline information here. This document is for reference only. Always confirm the deadline with the section of our website dedicated to a specific funding opportunity. 

Q. Am I eligible to receive a grant from Rochester Area Community Foundation?
A. Competitive grants are generally limited to organizations engaged in charitable activities in Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties in upstate New York. Public sector entities are eligible for funding. Please see the Eligibility Criteria in Grants for more specific information.

Q. Can I get more than one grant per year?
A. You may apply for as many grants across different interest areas and funding opportunities as your organization qualifies. For instance, your program may be eligible for funding under the John F. Wegman Fund, Health Interest Area, and Civic Engagement Interest Area. However, for opportunities that advertise multiple grant applications per year (such as the John F. Wegman Fund quarterly application deadlines), it is encouraged that applicants only apply within that funding opportunity once every 12 months.  Please check the section of our website dedicated to a specific funding opportunity to confirm eligibility criteria.

Q. Are there any types of activities you don't fund?
A. We generally do not support debt reduction, religious activities, special events, or endowment, capital, or annual campaigns.

Q. How much money should I apply for?
A. Funding can vary from $500-$50,000 depending on the specific funding opportunity. Please refer to "Typical Grant Size" in the section of our website dedicated to a specific funding opportunity.

Grantmaking Principles

Rochester Area Community Foundation believes that all people and all communities, even those perceived as most in need, have assets and resources as well as needs and challenges.  Consistent with that philosophy, we seek to support programs and projects which:

• Focus on important community issues that are not or cannot be addressed easily by other funders
• Are preventive rather than remedial
• Identify, mobilize, and invest in local strengths and capabilities
• Build the capacity of individuals, organizations, and the community
• Exhibit inclusive practices in their services and staffing
• Involve stakeholders
• Engage local and national partners
• Leverage investment of local, regional and national resources, both private and public
• Measure results and outcomes
• Incorporate an appropriate monitoring and evaluation component
• Promote advocacy and  public policy consistent with the principles above

Within the Community Foundation’s interest areas, the grantmaking guidelines are determined by the strategies of each interest area and may be updated or changed on an annual basis.  Please note that grants within interest areas generally are NOT given to support:

• Debt reduction
• Fundraising campaigns, such as endowment, capital, or annual campaigns
• Religious activities (although the Community Foundation may support nonreligious activities provided through religious institutions)
• Underwriting of special events
• Individuals

Grant applicants must comply with all local, state, and national anti-discrimination laws. The Community Foundation is legally prohibited from funding political campaigns or partisan political issues.