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.

Students – click here to access the online scholarship application 

(then scroll down to LOGIN BUTTON to create an account and begin applying)

 

News & Information

ACAF Grants Have Supported

Highlighted Funds

Roberts Wesleyan University to Match ACAF Scholarships

(March 2023) For years, several New York colleges have assisted students financially through Dollars for scholars Collegiate Partners...

New Scholarship Supports Foreign Language Study

(Dec. 2022) The family of Celeste Wuersig has established a scholarship in her honor and memory with the Allegany County Area...

Amanda Nicole Curcio Scholarship

(Oct. 2022) The Family of Amanda Curcio has established a scholarship with the Allegany County Area Foundation in her memory. The...

Larry Dye Remembered with Scholarship Fund

(Oct. 2022) Friends and former colleagues of Larry Dye, who passed away in June at age 86, have established a scholarship in his...

ACAF Grants Made to Leadership Allegany, Cuba community, Salvation Army

  (May 2022) The Allegany County Area Foundation (ACAF) recently made grants in support three local organizations. ACAF awarded...

The Arts

Shake on the Lake

After School Programing

 

Youth Mentoring in Schools

Preserving Local History

College Scholarships

Library Programs

Barbie Ludden Scholarship

(March 2021) The Cuba Central School Class of 1981 has created a scholarship with the Allegany County Area Foundation to honor friend...

Hillside and Valley Brook Cemeteries

(October 2021) An anonymous donor has established a fund with the Allegany County Area Foundation (ACAF) for the benefit of Andover’s...

Rose Fleming Scholarship

(January 2022) The family of retired teacher Rose Fleming has established a scholarship in her honor through the Allegany County Area...

Tim Rohe Scholarship

(January 2022) The family of Fillmore Central School alumnus Tim Rohe has established a scholarship in his honor through the Allegany...

Allegany County Historical Society Fund

(July 2022) The Allegany County Historical Society (ACHS) has established an endowed fund with the Allegany County Area Foundation...

Roberts Wesleyan University to Match ACAF Scholarships

(March 2023) For years, several New York colleges have assisted students financially through Dollars for scholars Collegiate Partners...

News & Information

Roberts Wesleyan University to Match ACAF Scholarships

(March 2023) For years, several New York colleges have assisted students financially through Dollars for scholars Collegiate Partners...

New Scholarship Supports Foreign Language Study

(Dec. 2022) The family of Celeste Wuersig has established a scholarship in her honor and memory with the Allegany County Area...

Amanda Nicole Curcio Scholarship

(Oct. 2022) The Family of Amanda Curcio has established a scholarship with the Allegany County Area Foundation in her memory. The...

Larry Dye Remembered with Scholarship Fund

(Oct. 2022) Friends and former colleagues of Larry Dye, who passed away in June at age 86, have established a scholarship in his...

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

Roberts Wesleyan University to Match ACAF Scholarships

(March 2023) For years, several New York colleges have assisted students financially through Dollars for scholars Collegiate Partners...

Allegany County Historical Society Fund

(July 2022) The Allegany County Historical Society (ACHS) has established an endowed fund with the Allegany County Area Foundation...

Tim Rohe Scholarship

(January 2022) The family of Fillmore Central School alumnus Tim Rohe has established a scholarship in his honor through the Allegany...

Rose Fleming Scholarship

(January 2022) The family of retired teacher Rose Fleming has established a scholarship in her honor through the Allegany County Area...

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 2022

Allegany County produces many outstanding students and ACAF is pleased that we are able provide them with $310,000 in scholarships for this upcoming 2022-2023 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

March Grants Support RAM Clinic, Oil Museum, libraries.

March Grants Support RAM Clinic, Oil Museum, libraries.

(April 2022) At its March meeting, the Allegany County Area Foundation reviewed several grant applications and was pleased to make grants to these local organizations. ACAF awarded $2500 to Genesee Valley Central School in support of this fall’s Remote Area Medical...

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 January 2023 Board Meeting
When:January 11, 2023 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Where:ACAF Office, Belmont  
Read more.
ACAF November Board Meeting
When:November 9, 2022 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Where:ACAF Office, Belmont  
Read more.
ACAF December Grant Committee & Board Meeting
When:December 14, 2022 @ 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm Where:ACAF Office, Belmont  
Read more.