Mid-Hudson Valley Grantmaking Program
The Dyson Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations in the Mid-Hudson Valley (Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, and Ulster counties) that are addressing basic human needs including housing, family stability, youth development, health care access including behavioral health, food access, and other human services, with a special focus on organizations working with those who are economically disadvantaged or otherwise marginalized.
Learn how to apply for Dyson Foundation funding.
We have some general funding guidelines, and specific policies for funding of faith-based organizations, schools, and after-school and summer programs, all found here»
The Dyson Foundation does not fund: the arts, historic preservation, the environment, capital campaigns, or endowments.
General Operating Support Grants
General operating support, or “unrestricted” grants, are flexible funds that can be used by organizations at their discretion. These grants are available to organizations working on priority funding issues if they:
- meet our principles of best practice for nonprofit governance, finance, public disclosure, and programming
- have at least three years of stable executive leadership
- have received a designated Dyson Foundation grant within the last three years.
Unrestricted grants are aligned with the grantee’s fiscal year; submit an initial letter of inquiry no later than six months prior to the start of the fiscal year. Organizations with annual budgets in excess of $20 million are generally not eligible for unrestricted grants.
Designated Grants
Designated Grants are grants made for a specific purpose or program. These grants are available towards:
- activities that align with our priority funding areas (listed at the top of this page) but operate within an organization with a broader mission
- youth after-school and summer programs (see our specific guidelines)
- economic development with a clear charitable purpose, public benefit, and a direct link with our priority funding areas
- on a very limited basis, arts councils and/or arts organizations that have demonstrated significant job creation and local economic impact
The Dyson Foundation encourages applicants for designated support to account for the full cost of providing services by including indirect or overhead costs on the project budget. For guidance about including indirect costs, please contact your program officer.
Management Assistance Program
Our Management Assistance Program provides three types of support:
- organizational capacity building activities through our Mini-Grants
- mergers, acquisitions and/or collaborations though our Strategic Restructuring Initiative
- short term loans through our Cash Flow Loans
- scholarship funding toward nonprofit, finance, grantsmanship, and executive leadership programs through our Professional Development Scholarships
