Kingston, NY – For the second year the Ulster County Community Foundation awarded grants to Ulster County nonprofits.  More than thirty grant recipients, community leaders, donors and board members gathered as the Foundation presented $19,130 in Community Response Grants to fifteen Ulster County nonprofit organizations.  In addition to the checks presented, each recipient received certificates of recognition from Assemblyperson Kevin Cahill and State Senator John Bonacic.  An awards ceremony was held at the recently completed Teen Center at the YMCA of Kingston & Ulster County.  Bob Conklin, president and CEO of the YMCA of Kingston & Ulster County invited the Community Foundation to use the facility, “I am very pleased to have people who may not have been in the “Y” before have the opportunity to see the facility and to take part in this ceremony recognizing the hard work of so many nonprofits in our community.”

Community Response Grants are awarded to help organizations be more effective and efficient.  Grants awarded throughout Ulster County include but are not limited to equipment to improve office operations, professional development for staff and/or board members and programmatic areas.  Organizations receiving grants included:  Bardavon 1869 Opera House/UPAC, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ulster County, Center for Spectrum Services (formerly the Children’s Annex), Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, Family of Woodstock, Inc., Gateway Community Industries, Inc., High Meadow Arts, Inc., Historic Huguenot Street, Kingston Hoops, Summer Sizzle, Pine Hill Community Center, Shadowland Theatre, The Susie Reizod Foundation, Ulster Literacy Association, YMCA of Kingston & Ulster County and the YWCA of Ulster County.

“The early success of the Community Foundation is the result of a unique partnership among our donors, the Dyson Foundation and the Community Foundation of Dutchess County.  Without this partnership, it would have taken the Foundation many years to initiate a grant process,” said Art Upright, Chair of the Board of Advisors of the Ulster County Community Foundation. 

Grants from the Ulster County Community Response Grants program are made in the fall of each year.  The online grant application and guidelines will be available on the Foundation’s Web site at www.uccfny.org.  The next deadline for submitting applications is October 15, 2010.

The Ulster County Community Foundation administers over $700,000 in assets, represented through 16 funds.  The Community Foundation was started to bring the services of a community foundation to Ulster County.  Guided by a local board of community leaders, monies raised for Ulster County will stay in Ulster County.  The board’s goals are to grow philanthropy in Ulster County, raise money, establish new endowed funds and award grants to make the quality of life in Ulster County even better.

For more information about the Ulster County Community Foundation, how you can contribute or start a fund please call Cynthia A. Lowe, Director at 845-338-2535 or visit www.uccfny.org.