Apply for a Grant

• 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, publicly supported organizations such as schools and municipalities, and organizations using a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor
• Organizations serving residents of Cayuga County
• Organizations that have completed any projects/programs previously funded by the Cayuga Fund

The Leadership Council looks for innovative programs that address problems to be solved, or opportunities to be seized, in Cayuga County. Priority is given to capacity-building activities and new projects within an organization rather than ongoing projects/programs. We invite proposals that:

• Suggest practical approaches to community problems.
• Promote cooperation among agencies without duplicating services.
• Generate community support, both professional and volunteer.
• Strengthen an agency’s effectiveness or stability.
• Address prevention as well as remediation.

We do not make grants for the following:

• Recurring grants to a program previously supported.
• Annual operating budgets, except when it is “seed” or “bridge” funding.
• Endowments.
• Religious purposes.
• Loans or assistance to individuals.
• Medical or academic research (except where requested by a donor).
• Activities that occurred before the Cayuga Fund’s decision date.

The 2026 Cayuga Fund grant application round opens Monday, February 16, 2026 and closes Friday, May 1, 2026. There is only one grant round per year.

• All Cayuga Fund applications and attachments must be submitted through our online system. Click here to register and log-in to the grant application online portal.
• Grant requests should not exceed $10,000.
• You will be notified of the grant decision approximately eight weeks after the deadline date.

If your organization receives a grant, we encourage sharing of photos, outcomes and testimonials upon completion of your funded project. We may also request supplemental information about a previous grant project if your organizations applies for another grant in the future. This information assists us in assessing our grantmaking efforts and sharing stories of impact.

If your organization is not recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit, municipality or school district, you may identify a qualified sponsor to act as your organization’s fiscal agent. The fiscal agent must be a legitimate 501(c)(3) organization [or publicly supported organization, e.g., municipality/school district]. One copy of the sponsoring organization’s IRS Letter of Determination showing 501(c)(3) [or equivalent] status must be uploaded with your proposal, along with one copy of the sponsor’s most recent annual financial statements (audited if available), and a current board list. The sponsoring organization must also provide a letter of support, indicating their willingness to oversee the grant finances. If a grant is approved, payment will be made to your organization through your fiscal agent.