Albany Rotary Foundation Grants

The Albany Rotary Foundation is the charitable arm of the Rotary Club of Albany, New York. It funds projects in Albany County, New York, USA. The guidelines for the Albany Rotary Foundation can be found below.

The Primary purpose of the Foundation is to provide charitable duns for people in need in the Albany community.  The Foundation has steadily grown since its inception in 1980, resulting in grant distributions totaling over $130,000 to more than 60 Albany based non-profit agencies and organizations.  For non-profits seeking funds from the Albany Rotary Foundation the following general guidelines are:

  • Organizations must be a 501(c)(3)
  • Projects or programs must support people in need
  • Locations must be in the Albany area
  • Preference is given for seed money for new projects, not annual fund drives
  • Award size range from $500 up to $5000.  Larger grants may be considered on an individual basis with special exceptions. 

Preference is given to: 

  • Programs serving children and youth
  • program targeted at underserved populations
  • One time funding requests
  • Projects that demonstrate service to an unmet need

Timetable

Requests for funding are received by September 1st of each year for consideration. Requests with urgent time considerations can be made at any time during the year.

The Board of Trustees of the Albany Rotary Foundation will review the applications and grants will be announced no later than November 1st of each year. The Foundation may consider requests received after September 1 if Funds Available for Distribution have not been completely committed.

There is no formal application. We ask that requests be submitted using the guidelines described under Specific Components.

 

 

Send Requests to:

Albany Rotary Club

Attn: Albany Rotary Foundation

PO Box 3967

Albany, NY 12203

Email to Grants

Criteria

Acceptable requests are for funding for health, human services, capital funds and arts initiatives. Requests should be for specific programs or projects, not for general operations.

Incomplete grants will be reviewed and may be returned for revisions or more information.

Organizations must have a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status in all program activities.

The Foundation is seeking Regional Projects with a Strong Preference for organizations serving residents of the City of Albany and Albany County.

Specific Components

The Albany Rotary Foundation will be looking for the following components in the grant request:

  1. Project Summary (one paragraph)

  2. Organization Description (one paragraph)

  3. Needs/Problems (developing the impact of the problem on the target population)

  4. Goals/Objectives (goals and objectives of the project, including the numbers to be served)

  5. Timetable (timeframes for accomplishing the project)

  6. Budget (proposed costs and budget for the project, including any additional sources of funding)

  7. Copy of IRS 501(c3) determination letter

$358,000

Albany Rotary Foundation 

Grant $$ Awarded

since 1980

 
 

134

Community Projects Supported

since 1980
 

$600,000

Total $$ Raised for 

Albany Rotary Foundation

 

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Albany Rotary Foundation donated $2500 to BBBS of the Capital Region as a Sponsor of their signature event Little Stars, Big Styles – an unforgettable fashion show fundraiser benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region! The grant will help BBBS continue their crucial services.
 
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region strengthens youth by creating one-to-one mentoring relationships that inspire confidence, resilience, and long-term success. Carefully matched “Bigs” and “Littles” build supportive bonds through consistent time together, empowering young people to overcome challenges, set goals, and thrive academically, socially, and emotionally throughout the Capital Region.
 

St. Catherine's

Michael's House

Albany Rotary Foundation awarded St. Catherine’s a $2,500 grant in support of Michael’s House, a program within their Homeless & Housing Services!
Michael’s House is a 20-unit, fully furnished, supportive housing facility that provides a safe and stable environment for families and individuals who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. Services include employment searches, and counseling to address mental health, behavioral, or substance issues.

South End Children's Cafe

The South End Children’s Café in Albany is dedicated to nourishing children’s bodies and minds. Founded to address food insecurity and offer a safe, supportive after-school environment, the Café provides free, healthy meals along with homework help, enrichment activities, and opportunities for creativity and play. 

Albany Rotary Foundation awarded a $2500 grant to the Cafe. This grant will help the Café continue to expand its impact, ensuring that children have consistent access to nutritious food, caring mentors, and experiences that help them thrive both in and beyond the classroom.

District Simplified Grants

Foundation Donations come back to Clubs

The donations made to The Rotary Foundation - Annual Fund comes back to our District for grants.  50% of a year's donations comes back as District Designated Fund three years later. District grants fund small-scale, short-term activities that address needs in your community and communities abroad. Each club may apply for a District Simplified Grant annually.

What district grants support

You can use district grants to fund a variety of district and club projects and activities, including:

  • Humanitarian projects, including service travel and disaster recovery efforts

  • Scholarships for any level, length of time, location, or area of study

  • Youth programs, including Rotary Youth Exchange, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), Rotaract, and Interact

  • Vocational training teams, which are groups of professionals who travel abroad either to teach local professionals about their field or to learn more about it themselves

You have plenty of freedom to customize your service projects. 

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Hoods House of Hoops

We utilized funds from our Rotary District Simplified Grant to help support Jamil Hood’s Hoods House of Hoops. This is what makes Rotary what it is, helping grassroots organizations make a difference in their communities. 

Brian Barr Youth Recognition

 

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