Banner Photo Credit: Daylight Blue Media
The Fall 2020 Newsletter
Embracing Disruption
Supporting Our Community Since 1954
Through initiatives, grantmaking and neighborhood engagement the Gifford Foundation strengthens community assets in order to improve the quality of life for the residents of Central New York.
Capacity Building
We help nonprofits build the skills and resources necessary to boost their impact.
Grants
Since our inception, we have given out over $44 million to CNY nonprofits.
A Network of Support
Our staff works to facilitate development and growth within our community.

Our Vision
We recognize that there are many individuals and organizations who have a drive to make a difference within their community. Unfortunately, a lack of resources and training can stand in the way of making these ideas a reality. For over sixty years, the Gifford Foundation has provided the grants and leadership training necessary to facilitate broad, community based change across CNY. Our capacity building initiatives help raise the bar for what’s possible.
Over $44 million in grants awarded
Grantmaking is traditionally reactive, but in line with our belief in community engagement we emphasize a personal approach. By developing a relationship with each grantee, we are better able to help them become strong and durable forces within our community.
Grants awarded since our founding
Engage With Us
Fall 2020 Newsletter
Information
Resources about capacity building and grantmaking have been updated to reflect the latest developments.
Meet Our Team
Our new directory allows you to instantly connect with and learn about our team members.
Read Our History
Take a look back at the origins of The Gifford Foundation as we celebrate our 66th year.
Sign Up For Our Mailings
Stay informed about events, grants, workshops, and more by joining our email list.
Socialize With Us
Are you connected with us on all of our platforms?
Featured Stories
Our stories provide increased access and allow our community to see what we’ve been up to and the type of work that we support.
Energizing the Electorate
We sat down with Councilor Joe Driscoll to discuss the challenges surrounding engagement during a pandemic, fake news, and how to fight back against a loss of faith in our civic institutions.
ADVANS Program Evaluation Summary
We preach the value of self-assessment to all of the organizations we work with. After running the ADVANS capacity building program for more than 13 years and investing nearly $4 million into it, we wanted to properly gauge its impact and effectiveness. The completion of this report marks the first time in the Gifford Foundation’s history that a program evaluation of this nature and magnitude has been conducted.
Broadening Perspectives: Staying Nimble, Compassionate, and Connected
Across Central New York, the United States, and the world – 2020 has been a year defined by disruption. As we prepare for the holidays and look ahead to 2021, we need to understand what that disruption really means and how we can prepare for it. At the Gifford Foundation, we believe that the key to this lies in balancing consistency in mission with flexibility in practice.
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