Rochester Area Community Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $29,333,381 (2024)
Success Rate: ~50% of applications funded at some level
Grant Range: $500 - $50,000+
Geographic Focus: Eight counties in upstate New York (Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates)
Grant Awards: 515 awards in 2024, 576 in 2023
Founded: 1972

Contact Details

Address: 500 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607
Phone: (585) 271-4100
Fax: (585) 271-4292
Website: https://www.racf.org
Grant Inquiries: Grants@racf.org

Overview

Since 1972, the Rochester Area Community Foundation has connected donors to critical needs across their eight-county region, leveraging financial expertise and community knowledge to maximize impact. The foundation has distributed $562 million in grants and scholarships since its founding. RACF holds significant assets and distributed over $29 million in grants in 2024 across 515 awards. In October 2022, Simeon Banister assumed the role of President and CEO, succeeding Jennifer Leonard who led the organization since 1993. The foundation employs a data-driven strategy through ACT Rochester, blending quantitative analysis with narrative storytelling to address systemic issues rather than symptoms, particularly focusing on racial inequities and economic disparities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Competitive Grants (Discretionary and Field of Interest Funds)

Applications accepted on predetermined schedules
Staff and volunteer committees review and recommend to board of directors
Grants typically range from $500 to $50,000+ depending on opportunity
Examples include:
- Brockport Arts Fund: Up to $2,000
- Bullis Fund: More than $10,000 (Wayne County focus, especially Town of Macedon/Palmyra-Macedon School District area)
- Feinbloom Family Fund: Up to $20,000
- Rochester Women's Giving Circle: Up to $25,000 for single-year grants
- Wilson Youth Sports Fund: Youth sports and recreation projects
- Vitality Grants: Arts and culture (2024: nearly $300,000 to 61 arts nonprofits)

Quick Review Grants

Rolling basis, no set deadlines
Applications reviewed as received
Areas: aging, arts and culture, children, education, health, historical preservation
Minimum grant amount: $250 for most funds

Donor Advised Funds

Recommendations accepted on ongoing basis
Processed weekly (recommendations by Friday, paid following Friday)

Designated Funds

Grants to predetermined charities
Processed annually, though custom schedules can be established

Priority Areas

The foundation promotes two broad grantmaking goals:

Creating an Equitable Community:

Closing Academic Achievement and Opportunity Gaps: Sustainable reduction in achievement gaps, emphasis on children living in Rochester
Fostering Racial and Ethnic Understanding and Equity: Building community awareness and sustained collaborative initiatives to remediate and prevent racial/ethnic inequities
Upward Mobility: Advancing racial equity by creating opportunities for economic success, dignity, belonging, power, and autonomy

Strengthening the Region's Vitality:

Supporting Arts and Culture: Encouraging vibrant, diverse offerings and improving capacity of local arts organizations
Advancing Environmental Justice and Sustainability: Addressing climate change threats, promoting individual/collective action, ensuring equitable access to green economy
Promoting Successful Aging: Creating more age-friendly communities

What They Don't Fund

The competitive grants program generally does not fund:

Special events
Fundraising campaigns
Religious activities
Endowments
Buildings (except for historical assets)
Debt retirement

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Simeon Banister (assumed position October 2022)

Rochester native who previously served as Vice President of Community Programs
Succeeded Jennifer Leonard who retired in September 2022 after serving since 1993

Senior Leadership Team:

Erin Budd Barry: Vice President
Amy Vars: Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Iris Bieri: Chief of Staff
Denishea Ortiz: Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Andrew Muldoon: Vice President, Philanthropic Engagement

Board of Directors: Features leaders from law, business, education, and healthcare

Key Quote from CEO Simeon Banister: "There's a million things that we can do, and if we try to do all of them, we're probably going to do all of them poorly. So, how do we choose which things to focus on so that we can really have the kind of progress our communities deserve?"

On environmental justice (a priority area): "Such funding is rooted in the understanding that the adverse effects of climate change are felt disproportionately in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color."

On Rochester's opportunity: "On one hand, social justice and equity. On the other hand, innovation. They've been parallel, but the opportunity for us now is to make them confluent."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Rochester Area Community Foundation accepts applications through their online grant portal at https://www.racf.org/grants/grant-portal/. The application process and timeline vary by fund type:

For Competitive Grants:

Applications accepted on predetermined schedules (varies by fund)
All applications reviewed by staff and volunteer committees
Recommendations presented to board of directors for final approval or decline
Sign up for quarterly newsletter "Grant Opportunities" for specific deadlines
Contact Grants@racf.org for questions

For Quick Review Grants:

Rolling applications accepted year-round
No set deadlines
Applications reviewed as received

General Requirements:

Organizations must be engaged in charitable activities
Generally within eight-county service area
Public sector entities are also eligible
Only scholarship recipients eligible for individual funding

Decision Timeline

Donor Advised Funds: Weekly processing - recommendations received by Friday are paid the following Friday

Competitive Grants: Timeline varies by fund type and application cycle. Each fund has its own grantmaking process and schedule.

Quick Review Grants: Reviewed on rolling basis as applications are received

Success Rates

Approximately 50% of grant applications are funded at some level, indicating a competitive but accessible process. In 2024, the foundation made 515 awards totaling over $29 million.

Reapplication Policy

For opportunities allowing multiple applications in one year, RACF recommends applicants only apply for that funding opportunity once every 12 months. For some programs (like Summer Meals Mini-Grants), previous recipients are eligible to reapply, though priority may be given to organizations that have not received grants in the past.

Application Success Factors

Demonstrate Capacity for Impact Competitive grant proposals are expected to demonstrate capacity and potential for achieving and sustaining results. Successful proposals have:

Clearly described projects with compelling, documented need
Clearly defined outcomes with outlined measurement processes
Strong organizational capacity including representative board of directors and experienced management staff

Show Innovation and Transformative Potential The foundation prefers projects with:

Design or delivery that is new to the community
Potential to address needs at lower cost or address root causes (not just symptoms)
Potential to be transformative within the project target area when successfully implemented

Align with Foundation Priorities Projects must support attainment of the foundation's mission around creating an equitable community and strengthening regional vitality. The foundation has shifted focus to address systemic issues, particularly racial inequities and economic disparities.

Demonstrate Collaboration The foundation prioritizes collective impact initiatives and values organizations that demonstrate willingness to collaborate across sectors. They emphasize trust-building and relationship development before establishing common agendas.

Seek Multiple Funding Sources RACF expects organizations to seek additional resources, as they are rarely the sole financial supporter of projects. Show evidence of diversified funding or plans to secure additional support.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples:

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra: $30,000 for education programs including OPUS (Orchestral Program for Urban Students)
Garth Fagan Dance: $50,000 for operational support for dance company and school
Rochester Fringe Festival: $22,520 for 2024 festival
Rochester International Children's Film Festival: $10,000 for underserved students
Wilson Youth Sports Fund: 14 local programs funded for youth sports
Environmental Justice grants across Genesee, Orleans, Livingston, Ontario, and Seneca counties totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Geographic requirement is strict: You must serve one or more of the eight counties (Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates)
Focus on root causes, not symptoms: The foundation has explicitly shifted to addressing systemic issues rather than surface-level problems
Collaboration matters: Demonstrate willingness to work with other organizations; collective impact initiatives are prioritized
Equity is central: All priority areas emphasize creating more equitable outcomes, particularly for communities of color and low-income residents
With 50% success rate, quality matters: Invest time in clearly articulating need, outcomes, and measurement processes
Multiple pathways to funding: If competitive grants aren't the right fit, explore Quick Review Grants for smaller projects or specific fund opportunities that align with your work
Long-term thinking: The foundation values sustainable solutions and transformative potential over short-term fixes

References

All sources accessed December 25, 2025.