The Community Foundation has three community goals it seeks to advance through its grantmaking:
- Community Impact
The Community Foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for those who live and work in the community. We support innovative programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, health, environment and civic affairs. Successful projects will address community needs through programs and activities that demonstrate sustainable impacts and measurable outcomes.
- Community Building
Community building is central to the work of the Central New York Community Foundation. Therefore the Community Foundation will give preference to projects that increase civic participation and community vitality. Successful projects will build community connections, especially among diverse groups, and build mutual trust and reciprocity in community relationships.
- Diversity
The Community Foundation believes that a community’s strength lies in its diversity. It commits its resources in ways that signal to groups with diverse cultures, philosophies and experiences that they are welcome partners in its efforts. It seeks grantees and partners that incorporate diversity into their missions and operations, striving to encourage diverse governance boards, work force, partner organizations and served constituencies. To that end, diversity will be an important consideration in the evaluation of requests for Community Foundation funding.