A Bridge to the Future

 

For All of Us

The Allegany County Area Foundation (ACAF) offers an opportunity for everyone to invest in the present and future of Allegany County, NY. Support for the Foundation comes from local individuals, civic groups, businesses, and estates. We also receive a number of donations annually from persons who left Allegany County years ago but retain a fondness for their former home and want to support our local students, organizations, and communities.

News & Information

ACAF Grants Have Supported

Highlighted Funds

Haggstrom Family Scholarship will Help GVCS Grads

(Sept 2024) The Allegany County Area Foundation (ACAF) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Haggstrom Family Scholarship....

Creative New Fund Supports Fillmore Graduates

(Sept. 2024) The Allegany County Area Foundation’s (ACAF) newest scholarship, the Fillmore Central School (FCS) Alumni Scholarship,...

ACAF and United Way Establish Emergency Fund for Crisis Response

(August 2024) In response to the recent flooding in Allegany County, United Way of Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties (UWCAC) and...

Kendall Fund Supports Environmental Study and Projects

(Feb. 2024) An anonymous donor has established an innovative, environmentally focused fund with the Allegany County Area Foundation....

Allegany County Area Foundation’s March Grants

(March 2024) The Allegany County Area Foundation recently awarded over $10,000 in grants, supporting the following organizations and...

The Arts

Shake on the Lake

After School Programing

 

Youth Mentoring in Schools

Preserving Local History

College Scholarships

Library Programs

Scholarship Application is Open

Nov 2024 ACAF's online scholarship application is open. Please read more and then click here for to go to the create account/log in...

News & Information

Haggstrom Family Scholarship will Help GVCS Grads

(Sept 2024) The Allegany County Area Foundation (ACAF) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Haggstrom Family Scholarship....

Creative New Fund Supports Fillmore Graduates

(Sept. 2024) The Allegany County Area Foundation’s (ACAF) newest scholarship, the Fillmore Central School (FCS) Alumni Scholarship,...

ACAF and United Way Establish Emergency Fund for Crisis Response

(August 2024) In response to the recent flooding in Allegany County, United Way of Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties (UWCAC) and...

Kendall Fund Supports Environmental Study and Projects

(Feb. 2024) An anonymous donor has established an innovative, environmentally focused fund with the Allegany County Area Foundation....

ACAF Grants Have Supported

The Arts

Shake on the Lake

After School Programing

 

Youth Mentoring in Schools

Preserving Local History

College Scholarships

School Security Enhancement

Library Programs

Highlighted Funds

Scholarship Application is Open

Nov 2024 ACAF's online scholarship application is open. Please read more and then click here for to go to the create account/log in...

What is the Allegany County Area Foundation?

Founded in 1983, the Foundation is a non-profit organization that manages donations and endowments (now $12M) and devotes the earnings from those funds to efforts that serve the educational, social, cultural and wellness needs of Allegany County residents. The Foundation awards scholarships to individuals and grants to community non-profits. It helps organizations secure their futures by managing endowment funds and works with individuals (and their advisors) – helping them to establish endowments that create a lasting benefit to their causes and interests.

Why a community foundation?

The community foundation movement started with the founding of the Cleveland (OH) Foundation in 1914. There are now 700 such organizations in the US, and 1700 worldwide. ACAF is in this tradition. Community foundations provide for the pooling of donations and efficient investing of funds and coordinated grantmaking for the benefit of a specific community or region.

What We do

The Allegany County Area Foundation was established in 1983, with scholarships our primary focus. That continues to be our main activity, though our grantmaking has increased significantly in recent years. We currently manage 70 scholarship and grant programs that have been created through gifts and endowments from individuals, business and organizations. These funds and the students and programs they support are described on the pages of this web site.

Our annual support for Allegany County approximates $300,000 for scholarships, and $60,000 in grants. ACAF’s assets of $12,000,000 are invested with Vanguard’s Institutional Division and overseen by the Foundation’s Investment Committee.

What fund options does the Foundation have?

ACAF offers donors the opportunity to establish (or support existing) Field of Interest funds, Donor-Advised funds, general unrestricted funds, and scholarships. 

ACAF Founder Peter Sprague: A man with a vision and on a mission

Judge Peter Sprague, founding member of the Board of Directors of the Allegany County Area Foundation had a vision and a belief…

Scholarships 2024

Allegany County produces many outstanding students and ACAF is pleased that we are able provide them with $330,000 in scholarships for this upcoming 2024-2025 school year. We encouraged recipients to send a photo. Shown below are several local graduates that are benefitting from the generosity of donors like you.

More News

ACAF Grants Support Four Organizations

ACAF Grants Support Four Organizations

(April 2023) The Grant Committee of the Allegany County Area Foundation awarded four grants at its December meeting. The recipients include the Fountain Arts Center, Wellspring Ministries, Fillmore Central School PTO, and the Cuba Chamber of Commerce. Wellspring...

read more

Your Community, Your Foundation, Your Legacy

Thank you for your consideration. If you wish to support the Foundation but prefer to do so by check, you can send that to: 

Allegany County Area Foundation
6087 State Rte. 19N
Belmont, NY 14813

Our phone number: 585-296-5616

Get In Touch

Our Events

ACAF September 2024 Board Meeting
When:September 11, 2024 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Where:ACAF Office, Belmont  
Read more.
ACAF October 2024 Grant Committee Meeting
When:October 16, 2024 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Where:ACAF Office, Belmont  
Read more.