Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan
/OVERVIEW: The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan supports health, human services, education, community development, animals and more in the New York counties of Sullivan and Orange.
IP TAKE: This funder works hard to match nonprofits with donor-advised funds and welcomes interface with local organizations at any time. Its biggest grants support area healthcare providers, but there appears to be plenty to go around, as many small community organizations have received support as well. This is a community foundation that prioritizes its most vulnerable residents across all areas of giving and an important source of funding for Sullivan and Orange County nonprofits.
PROFILE: Established in 1999, the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan (CFOS) is a community foundation based in Montgomery, New York. This community funder manages over 400 separate funds. CFOS aims to “enable charitable individuals and organizations to become meaningful donors by providing trusted support and expertise for their contributions to make a difference in our community, now and forever.” This funder supports local efforts related to public health, education, community development, economic opportunity, animals and more in Orange and Sullivan Counties in New York.
Grants for Public Health, Community Development, Education, Women and Girls
CFOS makes grants to nonprofits in Orange and Sullivan Counties via its Competitive Grants Program. Three of the largest grantmaking funds housed at CFOS are the Make a Difference Fund, the Fund for Women and Children and the Orange and Sullivan Covid-19 Response Fund.
The Make a Difference Fund was established in 2003 “to meet emerging needs in the areas we serve.” Grants appear to target “distressed communities” and provide support in the areas of education, health and outdoor recreation. Grantees have included Cornerstone Family Healthcare, the Garent Health Foundation, the Wallkill Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA of Middletown, New York.
CFOS’s Fund for Women and Children makes grants to address “pressing issues” that affect the area’s most vulnerable residents. Grantmaking helps area nonprofits “elevate their programming to empower the women and children of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties.” Recent grants have gone to Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, the Worker Justice Center of New York, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York and Baby Steps Baby Pantry, which distributes diapers and other necessities to families in need.
The Orange and Sullivan COVID-19 Response Fund worked with multiple community partners to provide emergency assistance, food, medicine and other necessities to vulnerable people during pandemic shutdowns and related supply shortages. This fund has paused grantmaking as it organizes efforts for grantmaking and projects supporting long-term community recovery. Past grantee partners included the Catskill Food Hub, the Greater Middletown Interfaith Council, the Hudson Valley Cancer Resource Center and the Sacred Heart Parish Outreach in Monroe, New York.
This funder also runs many scholarship programs for high school, college and non-traditional students from Orange and Sullivan Counties.
Grants for Animals and Wildlife Conservation
CFOS manages the Hudson Valley Animal Shelter Fund in Memory of Jean A. Rowe. This fund gives to “nonprofit organizations in Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Putnam, Sullivan and Rockland Counties that are dedicated to rescuing, sheltering and defending animals.” Recent grantees include the Sullivan County SPCA and the Iron Horse Sanctuary in Goshen, New York.
Important Grant Details
In a recent year, this funder gave away around $4 million in grants. Grants have typically ranged from $5,ooo to $100,000, with few larger grants supporting major healthcare providers in the area. This funder supports organizations of all sizes, but grantmaking is mainly limited to organizations serving communities in Orange and Sullivan Counties, New York. For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s recent tax filings.
CFOS accepts applications for many of its grants via its online grant application portal. Eligibility, guidelines and due dates vary by program. Because of the large number of donor-advised funds, this funder encourages nonprofits to get in touch to discuss needs and ideas.
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