Apply for a Nonprofit Grant | Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan

Grant Opportunities

The Community Foundation grants from our more than 400 different charitable component funds. Each year, we distribute nearly $3 million in charitable grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarship awards to local students.

The Hudson Valley Animal Shelter Fund in Memory of Jean A. Rowe

This grant provides financial assistance to nonprofit animal welfare agencies throughout the Hudson Valley, in memory of Jean Rowe. Funding priority will be given to nonprofit organizations in Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Putnam, Sullivan and Rockland Counties that are dedicated to rescuing, sheltering and defending animals.

Grant applications will be accepted between February 13th and March 31st, 2023. Winners will be announced in early June.

Apply now here!

Competitive Grants

The Community Foundation manages several funds that award grants through a competitive process. Among these funds are the Orange and Sullivan COVID-19 Response Fund, the Make a Difference Fund, the Fund for Women and Children, and the Hudson Valley Animal Shelter Fund.

To be eligible for competitive grants, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as a nonprofit organization OR operate under the fiscal sponsorship of an organization that does;
Serve residents and be located within Orange and Sullivan counties unless otherwise noted.

Make a Difference Fund

The Make a Difference Fund was established in 2003 by leadership of the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan to meet emerging needs in the areas we serve. This fund has supported children and families in distressed communities achieve success through grants to nonprofits providing valuable educational, recreational and wellness opportunities.

Grant applications are accepted annually from August through October.

Orange and Sullivan COVID-19 Response Fund

The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan launched the Orange and Sullivan COVID-19 Response Fund to address immediate and longer-term needs of residents in Orange and Sullivan counties impacted by the pandemic.

This fund issues grants to established nonprofit organizations that provide front-line services to our most vulnerable populations – food for the neediest families and essentials, such as prescription drug deliveries to homebound senior citizens and people with compromised immune systems. The impacts of the novel coronavirus are uncertain and continue to mount.

Through consultation with our community partners, we are gathering information about how to effectively provide immediate support, with the understanding that the impacts may be long-lasting and recovery for many will be a difficult process.

Grants are not currently available. Updates will be posted here.

Fund for Women and Children

The Fund for Women and Children is a unique philanthropic effort designed to identify and address pressing issues impacting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Through targeted and specific funding, the goal of this initiative is for nonprofits in the region to elevate their programming to empower the women and children of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties.

Click here to learn more and for a list of 2022 grant recipients.

Connecting people who care with causes that matter

The majority of Community Foundation grants are made in partnership with individuals, families, or organizations who work with the Foundation to facilitate their charitable giving through donor advised funds. In order to better support donors’ philanthropic intentions and provide the maximum support to address community needs, we work hard to connect donors to organizations and issues aligned with their interests.