How to Apply

To apply for a United Way of Tompkins County grant, visit our grant management platform Foundant.  If you need assistance with the platform, please review this Applicant Tutorial. For further assistance contact UWTC Director of Community Impact Rebekah Hinton at rhinton@uwtc.org or call (607)272-6286.

United Way of Tompkins County Grant Cycles

United Tompkins Impact Fund (UTIF): United Tompkins Impact Fund grants are awarded on a 2-year cycle to agencies and organizations that address identified priorities to meet community needs. The priorities and desired outcomes are identified every two years in advance of the grant cycle and are based on assessing community needs and the resources needed to meet them. Every year, UWTC ensures that donor dollars are well-invested by tracking and measuring these outcomes.  All three stages of this process are conducted by UWTC volunteers and staff with the approval of the UWTC Board of Directors.  All applicants must have operations in Tompkins County, be a tax exempt 501c3 organization, a tax exempt church, a tax exempt governmental organization, or have a tax exempt 501c3 as a fiscal sponsor.  Applications for the 2026-2028 UTIF cycle will open early spring 2026.  Check back for more updates.  To learn more, visit our United Tompkins Impact Fund page.

Youth and Philanthropy: Youth and Philanthropy (YAP) empowers local 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students to take an active role in their community and understand the role of philanthropy in their lives. Participating students come together as grant reviewers to assess community needs and disperse $25,000 each year to organizations addressing those needs. All applicants must have operations in Tompkins County, be a tax exempt 501c3 organization, a tax exempt church, a tax exempt governmental organization, or have a tax exempt 501c3 as a fiscal sponsor. Applications must be for a program request. Funding for the grants awarded is provided by a generous donation from Triad Foundation. Applications for the 2026 YAP cycle open early October 2026. To learn more, visit our Youth Programming page.

Focus on Community Understanding Service (FOCUS): FOCUS is an extension of UWTC’s Youth and Philanthropy Program. UWTC staff and volunteers work with Dryden middle school students on leadership and development activities; community needs assessments; and a $2,000 competitive grant cycle for their rural town. All applicants must have operations in the Town or Village of Dryden, be a tax exempt 501c3 organization, a tax exempt church, a tax exempt governmental organization, or have a tax exempt 501c3 as a fiscal sponsor. Applications must be for a program located in the Town or Village of Dryden. Half of the funding for grants awarded is provided by a generous donation from the Dryden Youth Opportunity Fund. Applications for the next FOCUS cycle will open April 2026. Check back for more details. To learn more, visit our Youth Programming page.

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