Monroe County > Rochester
When Rochester was a thriving manufacturing center, nonprofit organizations could rely on the largesse of large corporations such as Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch and Lomb. Kodak founder George Eastman had set a high bar, giving away much of his fortune.
However, as these corporations downsized, so did their charitable contributions.
Today, many local nonprofits turn to the Rochester Area Community Foundation, which reports assets of more than $300 million. In 2016, the organization announced its largest gift ever – $61 million from the Sands family, who built Constellation Brands.
As a college town, Rochester attracts significant education and research funding. Both the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology receive millions of dollars from federal sources such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. The U.S. Department of Energy has spent hundreds of millions on the UR’s inertial confinement fusion program.
Other major grant recipients in Rochester include Hillside Children’s Foundation and Rochester Regional Health.
School districts: Rochester City School District
Hospitals: Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester General Hospital, Highland Hospital, Monroe Community Hospital
Fraternal organizations: American Legion, Elks, Lions, VFW, Zonta
Change agents:
Grants to local organizations have supported summer camps, literacy programs, food distribution, legal services for older adults, LGBTQ activities, downtown revitalization, pedestrian safety, marketing to Canadian tourists, and other initiatives.
Rochester grants by interest:
Agriculture
Animals
Arts and culture
Business and professional
Children and youth
Civil rights
Colleges
Community building
Economic development
Education
Emergency services
Employment
Financial services
Fraternal organizations
Food
Government
Health
History
Hospice
Hospitals
Housing
Human services
International
Justice and legal services
Land conservation and environment
LGBTQ
Libraries
Media
Nonprofit sector
Parks
Refugees and immigrants
Religion
Research
Seniors
Special needs
Sports and recreation
Transportation
Veterans
Women
Largest nonprofits in Rochester (by assets) include:
University of Rochester
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester General Hospital
Highland Hospital of Rochester
Unity Hospital of Rochester
Rochester Area Community Foundation
St. John Fisher University
Rochester Regional Health
Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation
Nazareth University
Greater Rochester Health Foundation
Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum
United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
GRHS Foundation
United Memorial Medical Center
YMCA of Greater Rochester
Roberts Wesleyan University
St. Anns Home for the Aged
Jewish Home of Rochester
Hillside Childrens Center
Sidney Hillman Health Center of Rochester
Sands Family Supporting Foundation
Pathstone Corporation
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester