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80 Washington Street, Suite 201
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
845-452-3077
Representing thousands of donors through more than 425 separate funds that make up its endowment, your Foundation encourages a sense of community by channeling much-needed resources to area organizations.
Just last year more than $1.6 million in grants and scholarships were awarded in Dutchess, Ulster, Putnam and surrounding counties – dollars that are working in our communities in response to the needs of our fellow residents.
The Foundation holds more than $28 million in assets.
In 1965, a small group of Poughkeepsie business and professional leaders met to share a vision of a foundation organized and supported by community people to reflect the distinctive needs of our community. In 1969, their planning led to the creation of the Poughkeepsie Area Fund, the forerunner of today’s Community Foundation of Dutchess County. Established with a "seed money" grant of $100,000 awarded by the McCann Foundation, the Community Foundation was launched to achieve the vision of those leaders to make a significant impact on the quality of life in our area.
The Community Foundation of Dutchess County (legal name, The Area Fund) made many important contributions to the community:
- spearheaded the initial capital campaign to construct the Mid-Hudson Civic Center
- acquired and restored two historic landmark buildings: The Vassar Brothers Institute and the former Vassar Home for Aged Men; buildings now managed by the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center
- provided low-cost rental space to a number of nonprofit agencies serving the community
- constructed the Stanford Medical Center in Stanfordville in partnership with the Stanford Lions Club.
Gifts and income from endowments established at the Community Foundation of Dutchess County have provided many grants to not-for-profits to assist them in carrying out worthwhile programs and projects that further enrich the lives of many citizens in our community. The Foundation has helped not-for-profits achieve a greater level of programmatic efficiency and effectiveness through scholarships for seminars and grants for equipment and software. The Foundation is committed to working with other local foundations to enhance these endeavors.
Since 1986, the Partnership in Education Grants Program has provided grants to teachers in public, private, and parochial schools to be used for professional development and/or programs to be carried out with their classes.
Today, the Community Foundation of Dutchess County is one of more than 700 community foundations in the United States, collectively holding more than $35 billion in charitable assets. It is a link between generous citizens and their commitment to the advancement of the arts, human services, the environment, health care, and the education of young people throughout Dutchess County. |
