Adirondack Foundation Grants More than $1M to Community Organizations

Birdhouse workshop - The Adirondack Folk School received a Generous Acts grant from Adirondack Foundation to offer low- and no-cost programs that increase access for the local community. — Birdhouse workshop – The Adirondack Folk School received a Generous Acts grant from Adirondack Foundation to offer low- and no-cost programs that increase access for the local community.

As local nonprofits face uncertainty, Adirondack Foundation has partnered with donors and community leaders to strengthen the region’s response—boosting grantmaking, building capacity, and fostering collaboration. Over $1 million was awarded through the Generous Acts program to address urgent needs, along with a new $100,000 initiative to promote civic engagement in rural areas. The Foundation also co-hosted a six-week webinar series with Cloudsplitter Foundation and United Way of the Adirondack Region, engaging 250+ nonprofit staff and board members from 50 organizations in conversations about strengthening boards and building resilience.

“This is a difficult time for many nonprofits,” said Stephanie Pianka, Adirondack Foundation CFO. “Policy shifts and funding cuts are straining services. While philanthropy can’t replace federal funding, we and our partners are taking steps to help.”

Generous Acts

Through an open-call process, Generous Acts annually supports nonprofits, schools, and municipalities focused on basic needs, educational pathways, and economic vitality. Fueled by thousands of individual donors, the program serves the Adirondack Park, Clinton and Franklin counties, and Akwesasne Mohawk Territory.

In 2025, 129 organizations received $1.04 million, with more grants expected from co-funders—donors who have a charitable fund with Adirondack Foundation and award grants in conjunction with Generous Acts. Key funding partners include Hudson Headwaters Health Network’s Upstream Fund, the Stewart’s Shops/Dake Family Foundation, and the WaterWheel Foundation Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation.

Bill and Lisa Powers, of Queensbury and Colton, support Generous Acts through their donor-advised fund. “We’re guided by the Foundation to co-fund projects that align with our values, helping neighbors meet basic needs and strengthen community resilience,” said Bill.

Nearly half of all Generous Acts funding supported essential services such as food pantries and homelessness prevention. The Rotary Club of Chestertown received a grant to stock its Community Share Shop.

“For families who can’t afford basic household and hygiene items, this support is a lifeline,” said Debra Eves, past president of the Rotary Club of Chestertown. “When children can go to school in fresh, clean clothes or when homebound seniors can get what they need—this kind of help fosters not just dignity, but real emotional relief.”

Full list of 2025 recipients: bit.ly/2025GAF

Civic Entrepreneur Grants

Adirondack Foundation, in partnership with the Trust for Civic Life, is supporting 10 local projects with $10,000 each through the Civic Entrepreneur Grant program. These efforts aim to bring people together around community visioning, problem-solving, and leadership.

“We are excited to partner again with the Trust for Civic Life, ” said Jennifer Russell, Adirondack Foundation’s VP of Grants and Program. “Last year, the Trust helped us fund the Kindling Awards for social events during the winter months. This program builds on that energy by fostering meaningful community conversations.”

Grant recipients include the Common Ground Alliance, the Adirondack Explorer, and the Adirondack Climate Outreach and Resilience Network (ACORN).

Sunita Halasz, ACORN Project Coordinator, said, “With this support, we are able to expand our work to stimulate shared climate resilience initiatives across the North Country, which helps to make our region a safer, healthier, and yet more neighborly place in which to live, work, and thrive.”

Launched in 2024, The Trust for Civic Life is a national grantmaker bringing together 16 funders to strengthen civic culture in rural communities. Through its small grants program and Civic Hub initiative, the Trust aims to invest $50 million into 500 communities by 2028, supporting local projects that foster trust, belonging, and civic participation. Learn more at trustforciviclife.org.

To learn more about Generous Acts at Adirondack Foundation, or to make a gift in support of future grants, visit adirondackfoundation.org or contact Jennifer Russell at jennifer.russell@adkfoundation.org.

About Adirondack Community Foundation

Love for the Adirondack region runs deep – and when your heart is captured, it forges a deep connection that can span time, family generations, and distance. It’s because of this love that we are fortunate to live, work, and play in this place, one of the most unique on the planet. It’s this very love that has fostered a spirit of generosity that has become one of the defining characteristics of the Adirondacks.

That generosity was the driving force behind Adirondack Community Foundation’s creation in 1997, when we began building charitable assets to strengthen Adirondack communities. Since then, we’ve worked with thousands of generous individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to channel philanthropy into our communities and ensure everyone who loves this place can thrive in it. Learn more at adkcommunityfoundation.org.