Grantmaking: Funding Program for the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York State

Funding Program for the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York State

The Dyson Foundation is strongly committed to the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York State and to improving and enhancing the quality of life in the region for all of its residents, especially those most vulnerable or economically disadvantaged. We define the Mid-Hudson region as including Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam and Ulster Counties. We have a particular emphasis on Dutchess County, our home community.

Read more below about our funding in Dutchess and other Mid-Hudson Valley counties, as well as our Management Assistance Program and our Nonprofit Strategic Restructuring Initiative.

Dutchess County
The Dyson Foundation will consider grants to organizations in Dutchess County for:

social services,
health,
community and economic development,
arts and cultural programs.

We are especially interested in supporting projects that focus on:

economically disadvantaged children and youth,
improving the community's health care services,
strengthening the infrastructure of the nonprofit sector,
increasing philanthropy and charitable giving in the region.

For more information, visit the Mid-Hudson Valley page of our website.

Other Mid-Hudson Valley Counties
Applications from these communities will be considered if the proposed program:

has a substantial impact on Dutchess County (e.g., serves a large number of Dutchess County residents),
will have a regional impact on problems or issues that are significant in their scope,
represents true regional collaborations between multiple organizations or agencies,
provides important and needed services to economically disadvantaged children, youth and families,
improves access to health care for economically disadvantaged communities.

For more information, visit the Mid-Hudson Valley page on our website.

Management Assistance Program

The Dyson Foundation believes that nonprofit organizations that are well managed and fiscally sound, have engaged boards and appropriate governance, and rely on sound planning for strategic results, are more likely to produce better programs, higher performance, and have greater impact in the communities they serve.

The Management Assistance Program (MAP) is designed to improve the organizational health of nonprofits in the Mid-Hudson Valley by providing the following capacity-building programs.

Mini-Grant Program
This program helps nonprofits in the six-county Mid-Hudson region develop new skills by providing financial support to hire consultants or to attend conferences, workshops, or seminars. Grant amounts of up to $10,000 (covering no more than 80% of the project budget) are awarded on a competitive basis.

Cash Flow Loans
This program, for current or recent Mid-Hudson Valley Dyson Foundation grantees, allows organizations to continue operating without a disruption of services when funding from other sources is delayed. This program makes interest-free short-term (30-180 days) cash flow loans of up to $50,000 per loan against fully approved government contracts and foundation or corporate grants at the cost of a small service charge.

As part of the MAP program, the Dyson Foundation has also partnered with the Council of Community Services of New York State (CCSNYS), a membership organization that provides management assistance to nonprofits. They offer a wide range of services at competitively low rates.

Please note that the application procedures for MAP funding are different from the Foundation's regular grant application process. Visit the MAP page on our website for specific guidelines and applications.

Nonprofit Strategic Restructuring Initiative
This initiative offers information and grant support to Mid-Hudson Valley organizations that are considering or engaging in some form of strategic restructuring such as an alliance, partnership, or merger. Visit the Nonprofit Strategic Restructuring Initiative page on our website for guidelines and application details.