In Seneca County
Signature Work
This county’s proximity to Rochester, the lure of the wineries and vacation spots along the adjacent lakes, and its historical significance to the region make the 2011 addition of Seneca County to the Community Foundation’s service region quite natural.
The expansion means that Seneca County nonprofits can now apply for grants from Rochester Area Community Foundation and Seneca County students will have the opportunity to apply for scholarships in the coming year. In addition, endowments built by contributions from county residents will help ensure a bright future for Seneca County and, for generations to come, support local nonprofit organizations that are on the front lines dealing with the area's always-evolving needs.
Major Fund
Investment in Seneca County:
Over the past five years, the Community Foundation has made almost two dozen grants to nine nonprofit organizations in the county, including the Seneca Falls Library and Seneca Cayuga ARC. Most of these grants have been from donor-advised funds; two were for an organization serving as a fiduciary for historical preservation projects. Some recent Community Foundation grants included:
Seneca County Demographics
More than 34,000 people live in 10 rural towns and five villages nestled between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. In this vertical 33-mile stretch of land, more than half of the residents live in or around the two most prominent villages — Seneca Falls and Waterloo. The county covers about 300 square miles, excluding the lakes.
A report commissioned by the Community Foundation contains detailed information on each of its regional counties and their potential giving power, including this overview of Seneca County.
Photo and graphic credit: View of a Seneca County vineyard by Mary F. Holleran. Seneca County map by Sarah Wisbey.