The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation annually awards over $1.5 million through its competitive grant processes to charitable organizations working to make a difference across the region.
The Community Foundation is able to grant to 501 (c) (3) organizations located in or serving Southern Chautauqua County, with some grant funding made to municipalities, school districts (for public purposes) and religious organizations.
2022 Competitive Grant Opportunities
The Strategic Project grant process hosts two cycles per year and is intended to support large scale programming or capital projects that address documented community needs or deliver significant economic impact.
Recent grants include:
Chautauqua Watershed and Management Alliance – 2022 Consolidated Foundation Request
Healthy Community Alliance – Strong Starts Chautauqua
Jamestown Renaissance Corporation – Neighborhood Program Administrative Support
Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County – Organizational Support: Peer Recovery Coaching and Management
The Salvation Army – The ANEW Center – Domestic Violence Emergency Shelter Capital Campaign
United Way of Southern Chautauqua County – Chautauqua County Inclusion, Dversity, Equity, Accessibility (IDEA) Framework Implementation Phase
YWCA of Jamestown – Early Care and Education (ECE) Program Stabilization
The Community Impact grant process hosts two cycles per year and is intended to support programming and capital improvement projects that seek to address a community need or deliver broad community benefit.
American Red Cross of WNY – Home Fire Relief, Financial Assistance for Chautauqua County Residents
Audubon Community Nature Center – Updates to Fireplace Room Exhibit and Programming Space
Chautauqua County Humane Society – Start-up Costs for Community Cat Pilot Program in the City of Jamestown
Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation – Scholarship Support for First-Time Home Buyer Program
Chautauqua Institution – Chautauqua Art Education Programming in Area Schools
Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System – Support for Summer Reading Programs for 17 Member Libraries and New E-Books
Community Connections at Findley Lake – Support for Independent Senior Resident Programs
Dream It Do It WNY – Programming to Promote Manufacturing and Career Opportunities for Area Students
Infinity Visual and Performing Arts – Scholarship Assistance, Instrument and Equipment Repair or Purchases
James Prendergast Library Association – Community and Partner Programming and Supplies
Jamestown Community Learning Council – Parents as Teachers +Linkages Until Success Program (PAT PLUS)
Lawson Boating Heritage Center on Chautauqua Lake – Replacement of Upper Deck Awning
Myers Memorial Library – Main Level Renovation Project
Rotary Club of Jamestown – North Main Street Welcome Sign Project
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church – Jamestown Public Market Programming
Stanley Hose Company Volunteer Fire Department – Community Building Kitchen Renovation Poject
The Chautauqua Center – Purchase of Furniture and Finishes for Behavioral Health Suite
Western New York Mountain Bicycling Association –Overland Trails Revitalization Project Phase II
Winifred Crawford Dibert Boys and Girls Club of Jamestown – Camp Hiak Tilikum Summer Day Camp
YMCA of Jamestown – YMCA Camp Onyahsa Dining Hall Roof Replacement
The General grant process occurs every other month and provides the most flexible funding opportunities for grantees. It is intended to assist with emergent needs or one-time costs.
Recent grants include:
Aspire of WNY – Sensory and Activity Materials for Respite Program
Audubon Community Nature Center – Purchase of Heavy Duty Tent for Outdoor Programs
Audubon Community Nature Center – Technology for Staff
Centaur Stride – Training of New Horses and Staff
Chautauqua Blind Association – Youth Vision Screening Support
Chautauqua Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial – Cenotaph Memorial Bricks for MIA and KIA Veterans
Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame – Video Recording Equipment
Falconer Central School – Swimming Lessons for 5th Graders
Fenton History Center – 2022 Chautauqua Region Genealogy Conference
Friends of the Chautauqua Child Advocacy Program – Technology and Equipment Updates for Staff
Girl Scouts of WNY – Equipment for Outdoor Summer Camp
Jamestown Area Soap Box Derby – New Timing Equipment and Supplies for Repairs
Kennedy Fire Department – High Band Pagers
Love INC of Southern Chautauqua County – Purchase of Laptops and Database Software
Reg Lenna Center for the Arts – Security Camera System
Volunteer Firemen’s Association of Falconer – Battery Powered Rescue Tools
Additionally, the General grant process provides funding opportunities for religious organizations and is intended to support congregational needs.
Recent grants include:
Emmanuel Temple Church – Church Pew Upholstery Project
First Covenant Church – Preschool Classrooms and Outdoor Programs Materials
Hillcrest Baptist Church – Update Sanctuary Lighting
Hurlburt United Methodist Church – Audio/Video System Upgrades
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church – New Carpet Installation
Zion Lutheran Church – Updated Technology and Equipment for Streaming Services
The Community Foundation also administers Geographic Funds which annually benefit charitable activities in specific communities.
The Falconer Region Community Fund is awarded for charitable activities in the Falconer, Kennedy and Ellington communities.
Ellington Farman Library –Community Programming for All Ages
Falconer Central School District –Bike Helmets for New Mountain Bike Program
Falconer Central School District – Pre-Kindergarten STEAM Supplies
Falconer Public Library – Summer Family Movie Nights
Kennedy Fire Department – Milwaukee Battery Scene Lights and Reciprocating Saw
Kennedy Free Library –Children’s and Young Adults Area Enhancements
Our Lady of Loreto Church – Improvements to Parish Hall and School Entrance
Ross Mills Church –Sanctuary Wall Refurbishments
Town of Poland – Town Wide Flag Replacement
The John Edward McLaughlin Family Fund is awarded for charitable activities in the Randolph community.
East Randolph Cemetery – Tree Trimming
Grace Episcopal Church – Gutter Guards and Heat Tape for Roof
Grace Episcopal Church – Ecumenical Vacation Bible School with four area churches
Randolph Area Development Corporation – Children’s Activities at the Arts and Crafts Festival
Randolph Library –Library Signage
Randolph Cemetery Association – New Laptop, Scanner/Printer and Software
Randolph Central School District –Junior/Senior After Prom Event
Randolph Fire Company –smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for Fire Safety Outreach
Randolph Regional EMS Corp – EMS Pediatric Training
St. Patrick Church – Renovation of Classroom in Church Basement
2021 Competitive Grant Results
In 2021, the Community Foundation invested over $1.6 million in the community through its competitive grant processes. Grants were awarded to the following organizations:
#IntegrityFirst
5 Loaves and 2 Fish Outreach Ministry
American Red Cross of Western New York
Art Services, Inc.
Audubon Community Nature Center
Blackwell Chapel A.M.E. Zion
Busti Historical Society
Camp Mission Meadows
Carroll Historical Society
Centaur Stride
Chautauqua Adult Day Services
Chautauqua Bird, Tree and Garden Club
Chautauqua Blind Association
Chautauqua County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Chautauqua County Humane Society
Chautauqua County Hometown Heroes Veterans Memorial
Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance
Chautauqua Lake Child Care Center
Chautauqua Lake Rowing Association
Chautauqua Rails to Trails
Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet
Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony
Chautauqua Safety Village
Chautauqua Striders, Inc.
Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System
Christ First United Methodist Church
Christian and Missionary Alliance Church
City of Jamestown
Clymer-French Creek Free Library
Community Connections at Findley Lake
Community Helping Hands
Community Music Project
Conduit Ministries
East Randolph United Methodist Church
Edwards Chapel United Methodist Church
Elizabeth Warner Marvin Community House
Ellery Baptist Church
Ellington Farman Library
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Erie 2 Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES Educational Foundation
Falconer Central School District
Falconer Little League
Falconer United Methodist Church
Family Service of the Chautauqua Region
FeedMore WNY
Fenton History Center
Field and Fork Network
Fluvanna Community Church
Fluvanna Community Historical Society
Frewsburg Alliance Church
Girl Scouts of WNY
GLYS of WNY
Grace Episcopal Church
Harmony Historical Society
Hazeltine Public Library
Healing Word Ministries of God
Heritage
Hillcrest Baptist Church
IMPACT Campus Fellowship
Infinity Visual and Performing Arts
James Prendergast Library Association
Jamestown Center City Development Corporation (Northwest Arena)
Jamestown City Public Schools
Jamestown Community College Foundation
Jamestown Community Learning Council
Jamestown Knights
Jamestown Renaissance Corporation
Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency
Junior Achievement of WNY
Kennedy First United Methodist Church
Kennedy Free Library
Koinonia Christian Fellowship
Lakewood Community Development Corporation
Lawson Boating Heritage Center on Chautauqua Lake
Lutheran
Mary S. Seymour Memorial Free Library
Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County
Myers Memorial Library
National Comedy Center
New Hope Community Church
North Main Street Church of God
Our Lady of Loreto Church
Peace Wesleyan Church
Randolph Area Community Development Corporation
Randolph Fire Company
Randolph Free Library
Randolph Regional EMS Corp.
Recovery Options Made Easy
Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
Roger Tory Peterson Institute
St. Elia Albanian Orthodox Church
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
St. Patrick Church
The Relief Zone
The Salvation Army
The Volunteer Firemen’s Association of Falconer
Town of Clymer
Town of Ellington
Town of Poland
Tree of Life Evangelical Lutheran Church
Trinity United Methodist Church
United Christian Advocacy Network
Village of Bemus Point
Village of Falconer
Village of Lakewood
WCA Foundation
Western New York Mountain Bicycling Association
WIB (Chautauqua Works)
Winifred Crawford Dibert Boys and Girls Club of Jamestown
YMCA of Jamestown
YWCA of Jamestown
Zion Covenant Church
Additional Grant Funding Opportunities
The Community Foundation utilizes Chautauqua Grants, a shared grants portal, for nonprofit organizations to access grant applications for more than 10 area funders. Each funding organization has an individual web page with details about their grant processes, including deadlines, priority areas and contact information.
