As nonprofits across the Finger Lakes and Greater Rochester region grapple with shrinking public funding and growing demand for services, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes has awarded more than $1.7 million in emergency grant funding to help stabilize critical programs.
The organization announced that 17 health and human services agencies will receive one-time grants through its newly created Community Responsiveness Fund, which was launched this spring to address the mounting challenges facing the nonprofit sector.
United Way officials said the fund was created in March after organizations throughout the six-county region reported increased financial pressure tied to funding reductions, policy changes and rising administrative demands. The grants are intended to help agencies maintain operations and continue serving residents during a period of uncertainty.
Demand for assistance far exceeded available funding. United Way received 71 applications requesting a combined $8.6 million, nearly five times the amount available through the program. Applications were evaluated using criteria that included demonstrated community need, organizational impact, ability to reach vulnerable populations and plans for using the funds effectively.
Grant awards ranged from $50,000 to $200,000 and will support services including food access, legal assistance, healthcare, youth services, support for unhoused young people and other basic needs programs.
Among the organizations receiving funding are Community Place of Greater Rochester, Empire Justice Center, Geneva 2030, Keeping Our Promise, Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Rochester Hope, The Center for Youth, Trillium Health, Wayne County Action Program and Worker Justice Center of New York.
Additional recipients include Catholic Charities Family & Community Services, Catholic Charities Steuben/Livingston, Charles Settlement House, Children’s Institute, Refugees Helping Refugees, UR Medicine Home Care Certified Services and The Salvation Army’s Batavia Corps.
United Way leaders said the grants are intended to provide immediate relief but acknowledged they do not fully address the scale of need facing the region’s nonprofit sector. The organization said it plans to continue working with community partners, donors and agencies to identify additional resources and support opportunities.
The Community Responsiveness Fund builds on United Way’s broader investment strategy, which includes multi-year program grants and other funding initiatives aimed at strengthening the region’s nonprofit infrastructure and expanding access to essential services.
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