$250,000 Endowment Matching Challenge, New Capacity Building Grant Opportunity Offered
WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation is excited to announce a pair of strategic initiatives to support the longevity and capacity of local nonprofits.
First, the Community Foundation is launching a $250,000 matching commitment to build existing nonprofit endowment funds the Foundation stewards. The Foundation will award ten individual matching grants of $25,000 for each participating organization. Eligible nonprofits must already have an endowment fund at the Community Foundation to participate.
This initiative is driven by the Foundation’s mission and purpose to build lasting charitable support for the future of local nonprofits and strengthen the region overall. In addition to providing reliable, lasting charitable impact, these funds also offer a variety of benefits to donors who want to perpetuate their support for the causes that matter most to them. There are also additional ways the endowment partnership can benefit charitable organizations, including greater planned giving options, heightened visibility, support for a wider variety of gifts, and maximum diversification of investments.
“We view this as another way to partner with local charitable organizations to provide greater awareness of the importance of strengthening them reliably, over time, for generations. They are a powerful tool for enduring stability and resiliency and make a strong statement of sustainability,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We are continually working with donors who are exploring the best way to benefit the things that matter most to them, both now and in the future. These funds provide an additional option of stewardship in those conversations.”
The ten matching grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the Community Foundation will confirm each commitment with the organization. Qualified nonprofits with an endowment fund at the Foundation may declare their interest by email to Kraig Everard, director of philanthropy, at kraig@nnycf.org. For the purposes of this initiative, only organizations with a current, active 501(c)(3) IRS determination letter will be considered. The Foundation is home to endowment funds for more than 100 tri-county nonprofit organizations.
“This initiative is an enduring investment in our partners and their work and missions,” Mr. Everard said. “We believe now is an opportune time to build upon all the efforts of the past decade while making a significant investment in endowment as a tool to support financial stability of our nonprofit partners and long-term capacity building.”
Nonprofit organizations will have three years to raise each $25,000 match. If an organization has an open endowment match from a previous Community Foundation commitment, that match must be fulfilled first before being eligible for the new matching opportunity.
Selected organizations should encourage new gifts to their endowment funds from individuals, couples, families, and businesses. Existing funds transferred by an organization will not count toward the match, only donor gifts made on or after February 9, 2026.
Improving nonprofit effectiveness
The Community Foundation is also introducing the Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative — a new grant program to help strengthen the effectiveness of local nonprofit organizations.
This grant program encourages nonprofits to assess their present operational model and identify an area of the organization that needs improvement. Grants up to $5,000 may be awarded to nonprofits seeking outside expertise and resources to develop and grow their internal structure and practices.
“The needs of our region’s nonprofit community are diverse,” said Max DelSignore, Community Foundation vice president. “The Community Foundation wants to connect nonprofits with qualified resources and responsibly deploy grants that will position them to become more efficient, grow properly, and serve the community at the highest level.”
Examples of capacity building requests may include, but are not limited to: Strategic planning, executive and leadership coaching, grant writing and seeking support, fundraising and development strategy, governance and board development, organization assessments, nonprofit collaboration plans and joint ventures, and more.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and nonprofits must be located in and serving residents of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.
Applicants are required to articulate a strong case with a clear focus and supporting rationale for funding consideration. A conversation with Community Foundation staff is encouraged before starting an application. Visit bit.ly/NPOCapacity to learn more about this grant opportunity.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.
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