Adirondack Foundation has announced that their 2020 Generous Acts grant application is open and available online until 5 pm, February 3, 2020.

Nonprofit organizations, schools, and municipalities serving the people of the Adirondack region, defined for this purpose as all of Clinton, Essex, Franklin and Hamilton counties as well as the parts of Herkimer, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties within the Adirondack Park boundary, are eligible to apply.

Projects are evaluated for their alignment with Adirondack Foundation’s priority program areas, overall effectiveness, articulation of needs being served, and capacity of the applicant to carry out the work.

Generous Acts grant applications can be submitted through the Foundation’s online grants manager, adirondackfoundation.org/online-grants-manager. Requests up to $20,000 will be considered. The Foundation will fund operations or specific programs/projects, but does not typically fund large capital campaigns, tuition assistance, or re-granting programs, and welcomes applications in these priority areas:

· Wellbeing – Providing basic needs for people such as food and housing, creating age-friendly communities, enhancing home and community-based services from early childhood development to elder care.

· Educational Opportunity – Promoting literacy, improving school-readiness for young children, strengthening post-secondary pathways and support networks for education and employment.

· Community & Economic Vitality – Supporting workforce initiatives to fill local employment needs, improving access to child care and other support services for working families, investing in local programs that demonstrate clear economic benefits.

With its funding partners, the Foundation anticipates awarding as much as $500,000 in grants through Generous Acts this year. Hudson Headwaters Health Foundation for instance, will review applications to identify and directly fund community-based projects that address socio-economic issues affecting health. Applications are also expected to be shared with other potential funders to amplify the amount of grant dollars supporting local efforts.

Generous Acts combines individual generosity for greater impact, supporting an array of initiatives, such as the following:

· Food assistance programs for school children in Elizabethtown, Indian Lake, Keeseville, Malone, Minerva, and Ticonderoga
· Community opportunities to promote health and vitality in Brushton-Moira, Piseco, the town of Plattsburgh, and Tupper Lake
· Literacy programs in Brant Lake, Lake Placid, Salmon River, and Clinton, Franklin and Essex counties
· Workforce development programs in Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake, and Ticonderoga

Interested applicants who have questions can contact Adirondack Foundation staff at (518) 523-9904, or visit the Generous Acts website.

Photo of summer literacy program in Brant Lake by Erika Bailey, Adirondack Foundation.