Annual Fund

Why Invest in the Annual Fund? 

The Annual Fund supports our foundation’s operations, empowering staff who engage with this community. This fund helps us recruit and retain the high-level talent required to expertly steward your dollars and bring our community together to solve tough challenges and meet big opportunities.  

By providing current-use resources, a gift to the Annual Fund gives our team agility to pivot when community needs shift. Your investment directly supports: 

• Strategic Mobilization: Funding the staff hours and leadership required to open new grant cycles and orchestrate regional food access relief during emergencies. 
• Crisis Intervention: Sustaining the specialized program officers who step in to help community partners navigate and adapt to sudden federal funding cuts. 
• Hands-on Nonprofit Support: Enabling our team to work with local organizations to expand or enhance data tracking to support informed decision-making.
• Expert Stewardship: Retaining top-tier philanthropic professionals to manage and maximize the community impact of every dollar you give. 

To ensure our staff can sustain this vital work for years to come, donations over $5,000 are invested into permanent endowment, while gifts up to $5,000 remain immediately available for pressing operational needs.  

Every year, Rochester Area Community Foundation asks people like you who care deeply about this region to support our annual Community Sponsors Campaign. Together we can leverage our resources to build a community in which we can all take pride and create positive, enduring community change.

Support our Mission 

By investing in the Annual Fund, whether through immediate dollars or a larger legacy gift, you are directly sustaining the people who maximize your philanthropic impact.