Wyoming Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Wyoming Foundation supports arts and culture and youth programming Wyoming County, New York.
IP TAKE: This is a community-focused funder that has recently prioritized programs responding to young people’s needs following the COVID-19 crisis. It also supports local arts programs with strong community outreach and participation. The Wyoming Foundation accepts applications through the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo’s application portal during the month of April, but reach out to Darren Penoyer at any time with questions or ideas. This is an accessible funder for area organizations working in its areas of interest.
PROFILE: Established in 1974, the Wyoming Foundation is a community funder that focuses on Wyoming County, New York. Dr. James MacCallum founded it to improve the quality of life of local people. Since becoming a division of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo (CFGB) in 2007, it has had increased capacity to serve local residents. It has its own set of officers to guide grantmaking, while also benefiting from CFGB’s infrastructure and expertise. Recent funding has focused on arts and culture and “educational
opportunities for youth which equip them for future careers.”
Grants for K-12 Education, Work and Opportunity
In recent years, the Wyoming Foundation has focused its educational grantmaking on supporting Wyoming County’s youth as they recovered from “isolation and academic struggles” exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. Several career planning and development programs at local public libraries and other youth-serving organizations received funding, including the Wyoming Free Circulating Library, the Eagle Free Library and the GLOW YMCA in Warsaw, New York.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The Wyoming Foundation’s grantmaking for arts and culture focuses on local history and public-access programming for families. Recent grants have supported the Arts Council for Wyoming County’s Woolly Wonders Program, the Warsaw Historical Society, Shake on the Lake’s Sea Serpent Puppet Parade and Young Audiences of Western New York.
Important Grant Details
This funder awards about $30,000 annually in grants, with grants ranging from $800 to $5,000. Grantees tend to be small- to medium-sized organizations with strong reputations for community service and participation. For detailed information about past giving, see the foundation’s list of past grant recipients.
The Wyoming Foundation typically accepts applications during the month of April via the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo’s grant application portal. Application guidelines are provided on the foundation’s web page. Questions about the application process may be directed to Darren Penoyer via email or telephone at (716) 852-2857.
PEOPLE:
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