What Nonprofits Should Know About the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes

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The Southern Tier region of New York state has its own community foundation that serves the counties of Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben and Yates. Based in the village of Horseheads, the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes (CFECFL) has over 40 years of grantmaking experience and community involvement. Here are the top things local nonprofits should know about this funder.

Broad priorities

Like many community foundations, CFECFL takes multiple approaches to addressing problems and finding creative solutions. It also looks at community needs in a holistic way, covering topics as diverse as education, the arts, animals, infrastructure, wellness and the environment. The foundation has also made a commitment to anti-racist work, prioritizing support for Black-led community organizations. The foundation’s community grant program has the broadest reach and also has opportunities to secure capacity-building support.

Multiple funds

CFECFL hosts numerous funds that accept grant applications, and each have their own deadlines. In general, the foundation looks for grantees that engage in collaboration, serve low-income or underserved populations and take creative approaches to addressing community needs. You can find a list of funds currently accepting applications and their deadlines on the foundation’s website. Examples include the Central Christian Church Fund, Schuyler County Fund, Fund for Women of the Southern Tier and Rose’s Youth Philanthropists. There is also a general community grant program as well as mini-grants for situations when a small amount of financial assistance is needed quickly.

Responding to urgent needs

This is a responsive foundation that has been known to shift its grantmaking focus during times of emergency. For example, CFECFL created a COVID-19 Unity Response Fund to support food pantries, childcare programs, mental health support and frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic. These grants focused on basic needs, especially meals for vulnerable people and emergency food for residents. There’s an e-newsletter offering updates on the foundation’s current opportunities and strategies.

Other ways to get involved

In addition to awarding grants, CFECFL hosts trainings to help staff and board members in the local nonprofit community. It assists with mini-grants and larger grants to schools and teachers, while also helping with organizational endowments for nonprofits. There’s a LinkedIn group that one can join to connect with other nonprofits and share best practices. Local high school seniors and adult learners can also apply for scholarships through this foundation.

In our New York City and Tri-State Funding Guide, we feature a full profile of CFECFL and many other community funders in the region.