Read the 2024 Annual Report
Better Communities for All Since 1944
Our Rochester Area Foundation
Rochester Area Foundation is a place where generous people from diverse backgrounds come together to make our communities better places.
As the Rochester area’s philanthropic leader, we award grants each year that are made possible by financial gifts from donors—people who care about the greater Rochester community and want to see it thrive. Our endowment relies on donor gifts and market growth for its success.
We lead by bringing people together to solve complicated community problems, realizing that for some issues there are no immediate solutions or simple answers.
Recent News
Vote for the December Community Choice Grant!
To celebrate 75 years of Rochester Area Foundation’s impact on our communities, we are giving special grants all year long! We’re highlighting a different aspect of “better communities” each month – and December’s theme is GENEROUS. The following nonprofits have been...
Stories of Giving: Lora Anderson
Lora Anderson was born in 1884, and graduated from Rochester High School in 1903. After attending college, she returned to teach at Rochester High School. Lora continued teaching in Rochester until 1950. During her decades of teaching, Lora bestowed a legacy of care...
Dave Oeth: Tips to Maximize Your Charitable Giving Impact
You can make your charitable gifts go further with smart and simple financial strategies. In fact, you may find that you can increase your giving by 20 percent or more with some thoughtful planning. We recently spoke with RAF Trustee Dave Oeth, Retired Partner at RSM,...
November Community Choice Grant Voting is Open!
To celebrate 75 years of Rochester Area Foundation’s impact on our communities, we are giving special grants all year long! We’re highlighting a different aspect of “better communities” each month – and November’s theme is GRATEFUL. The following nonprofits have been...
RAF Awards $146,000 in Fall Better Communities Grants
Rochester Area Foundation awarded $146,000 in grants to 18 community nonprofits in the 2019 fall cycle of Better Communities Grants. Each year, Rochester Area Foundation awards grants in two competitive cycles, which are supported by the Better Communities Fund and...
Overwhelmed by your charitable giving options? We’re here to help.
Rochester Area Foundation offers local solutions to simplify your year-end giving dilemmas. Looking to receive maximum tax benefits for your charitable contributions? Consider combining several years’ worth of planned giving into a single tax year by opening a Donor...
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