Everyone Deserves Green Spaces
Protect Her Independence
Give Kids a Fair Chance
Preserve Our History
Expand Access to the Arts
Demand Racial Equity
Everyone can take action to make our world a more equitable and vital place. Since 1972, Rochester Area Community Foundation has connected donors to the critical needs of our eight-county region, leveraging financial expertise and community knowledge to maximize impact. At the Foundation, donors are partners and every gift is an investment in a better future.
Join us on Wednesday, June 24th for Evening out with Jazz -– a night filled with elevated bites, summer drinks, live music, and prime access to post-event performances. 🎶
Every ticket supports our Arts & Culture Fund, ensuring our region remains a hub for artistic excellence and creative expression. RSVP here: ... See MoreSee Less
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Here, funds aren't viewed as lines on a balance sheet, but as the living history and future aspirations of our neighbors. Your vision is our "North Star."
Donor-advised funds are a versatile giving tool, but the cautionary examples in the news have something critical in common: they reflect high-volume, transactional providers. Community foundations are different: accredited, relationship-based, focused on the community, and built for permanence.
For most donors, giving isn't about the fine print; it is about a promise. While the legal ownership of a donor-advised fund sits with the foundation, accredited organizations use donor intent to ensure your gift serves the specific purpose you envisioned for generations.
Simeon Banister, Rochester Area Community Foundation president & CEO, spoke to the Wall Street Journal about the covenant between a community foundation and its donor-advised fundholders.
Read more: ... See MoreSee Less
A Lawsuit Raises Questions About Popular Tax-Saving Charity Funds
www.wsj.com
It’s not clear what legal rights charitable givers to donor-advised funds have.Meet the LGBT+ Giving Circle's 2025 grant recipients!
Now through May 15th, your donation makes twice the impact thanks to a generous donor match. Donate to help support LGBT+ led organizations and initiatives in our region:
bit.ly/lgbtrocfund ... See MoreSee Less
It may be the final day of Earth Month, but your sustainable habits can last year-round.
Did you pick up a new sustainable practice or support a local eco-friendly business this Earth Month? Let us know in the comments below! 🌿 ... See MoreSee Less
Meet a program officer! Annette Jiménez Gleason is a mover and shaker in Rochester, co-founder of the Latino Giving Circle, former journalist, and for the last eight years, has been using grantmaking to improve access to the arts, historic preservation, and the environment.
Read more: ... See MoreSee Less
Staff Spotlight: Annette Jiménez Gleason - Rochester Area Community Foundation
www.racf.org
Annette Jiménez Gleason uses grantmaking to address inequities and improve access in arts & culture, historic preservation, and environment justice and sustainability.Congratulations to RENEW for last week's proclamation from Rochester City Council, recognizing ten years of "unwavering commitment to environmental justice, reducing our community's carbon footprint, and improving energy-efficiency."
In celebration of this news, our Director of RENEW, Elizabeth McDade, reflects on ten years of impact. ... See MoreSee Less
One Cubic Foot — a hands-on conservation activity by the Seneca Park Zoo — shows just how much life can be found within an area the size of a toaster. The answer is more than 100 species!
Through a grant from the David and Grace Strong Family Fund, One Cubic Foot experiments were shared with 600 students at local R-centers, exploring biodiversity and inspiring conservation. Read about the Strong Family's love of nature, and how their fund is helping the next generation discover the abundance of life all around us.
Read the full story: ... See MoreSee Less
Bringing the Natural World into Focus - Rochester Area Community Foundation
www.racf.org
The David and Grace Strong Family Fund will forever connect youth to nature. A grant to the Seneca Park Zoo supports conservation learning.Did you know Seabreeze is recognized as the 5th oldest amusement park in the country?
Cabin Nine Films, one of last year’s Preserving Historical Assets grant recipients, explores the historical impact of Seabreeze in a PBS documentary, “Trolley Park: Great Lakes.” Attend a free screening with filmmaker Peter Daulton at The Little Theatre on April 29 and see how historic preservation grants are helping keep our region's stories alive. ... See MoreSee Less
Trolley Park: Great Lakes – Apr. 29 | The Little Theatre
thelittle.org
EVENT @ THE LITTLE Trolley Park:Great Lakes Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 7:00pm Little Theatre 1 (240 East Ave.)Doors open at 6:30pmFREE Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 8:15pm Little Theatre 1 (240 East Av...