Rochester Spinal Association Celebrates 35 Years of Community Impact! | |
September is National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month, highlighting the experiences and needs of people living with spinal cord injuries and our partners at Rochester Spinal Association (RSA) are celebrating 35 years of helping people with spinal cord injuries and related disabilities build connection, independence and quality of life in the Greater Rochester region.
To mark the occasion, RSA will host a Community Update and Anniversary Celebration at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Pieters Family Life Center, 1025 Commons Way.
The event is open to the public and will highlight community stories and updates on RSA’s work, along with an announcement of new funding.
The gathering offers an opportunity to celebrate RSA’s 35 years of community partnership and its ongoing work to help people living with spinal cord injuries thrive. An ASL interpreter will be present, and the venue is wheelchair accessible with ample parking.
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Rochester Youth at the Center of Community Investment
Mentors Inspiring Boys & Girls (M.I.B&G) continues to show up for Rochester youth and young adults, even when resources are uncertain. The organization recently welcomed Gov. Kathy Hochul, Assemblyman Demond Meeks and Sen. Jeremy Cooney, who spent time with young people and heard directly from them about their experiences and the impact of M.I.B&G’s work.
MIB is "a creative arts program that delves into theatre, creative writing, poetry, and dance -- providing positive reinforcements, encouraging youth to use their voices, learn how to express themselves, and break out of their shells, while having FUN."
Following the visit, the elected officials announced $190,000 in funding to support M.I.B&G’s youth and young-adult programs -- an investment in the young people who are leading, learning and building their futures in the community. The visit offered a powerful example of what can happen when leaders listen to young people and invest in community-based solutions.
We're proud to call Mentors Inspiring Boys & Girls a Greater Rochester Health Foundation grantee partner! Learn more about their work and programs here.
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Dr. Linda Clark Addresses New York’s Physician Shortage | |
Greater Rochester Health Foundation Board Vice Chair Dr. Linda L. Clark recently shared her perspective on New York’s growing physician shortage in a guest essay for the Rochester Beacon. Drawing on more than 30 years in medicine and community health, Clark examines how declining Medicare reimbursement, challenges facing community health centers and limited access to primary care are contributing to health inequities across New York.
In the essay, Dr. Clark calls for greater investment in community-based care and policies that expand access to physicians, particularly in rural and underserved communities. She also emphasizes the importance of trusted health information and community leadership in addressing disparities. Read her full essay in the Rochester Beacon here.
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Coming During Hispanic Heritage Month:
A Reflection on Latina Power
During Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15, through October 15), we’ll share a Reflecting & Reimagining Blog from Health Foundation Program Officer Rachel Betts on lessons from the Hispanics in Philanthropy annual conference and what Latina Power means in a moment of heightened fear and uncertainty for Latino communities.
Rachel connects immigration, health, belonging and community power, offering a call for philanthropy to listen, trust community expertise and provide the flexible resources communities need to navigate change. Stay tuned for her blog!
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From Conversation to Co-Investment:
Sharing What We’ve Learned About Collaboration
Greater Rochester Health Foundation is proud to participate in the 2026 New York Funder's Alliance conference, taking place at the end of the month in downtown Rochester.
The conference is open to all staff and trustees from grantmaking organizations who work and fund in New York State as well as other organizations that serve philanthropy.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to share what we’ve learned through our collaboration with the Rochester Area Community Foundation at “From Conversation to Co-Investment: A Think Tank on Cross-Foundation Collaboration.” Together, we’ll reflect on what has helped our partnership work, the challenges we’ve encountered, and practical ways funders can move from shared conversations to coordinated investment.
| A Year of Partnership, Resilience, and Action | |
In case you missed it!: Corresponding with our Annual Meeting this summer, we've released our 2025 Annual Highlights report, A Year of Partnership, Resilience, and Action, celebrating the strength, creativity and commitment of the organizations and communities we are fortunate to partner with across the region.
As our nonprofit partners navigated significant challenges, we worked to stand alongside them by increasing our giving, launching the Rapid Response Fund, expanding co-funding partnerships and sharing resources.
The report highlights community-driven work advancing access to food, housing, health care and maternal health, supporting frontline workers, advancing racial health equity and strengthening rural communities.
Access the PDF here, or the magazine-style highlights with extra video content here.
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Investing in the Well-Being of Nonprofit Leaders
Strong community organizations depend on strong leaders; and nonprofit leadership often comes with sustained pressure, uncertainty and competing demands. We’re proud to support this opportunity for nonprofit executives to pause, reflect and build practical skills for navigating that pressure.
Hosted by Coordinated Care Services, Inc., the Somatic Leadership Experience is a nine-session program focused on helping leaders better understand how stress affects their bodies and decision-making, and develop tools to respond with greater clarity and steadiness. The fall 2026 program includes an in-person retreat on Oct. 2 in Rochester, followed by eight virtual sessions through Dec. 1.
We’re grateful to partner with the Wilson Foundation in underwriting this opportunity and investing in the well-being and capacity of the nonprofit leaders who help make our communities healthier and stronger! Learn more and register here.
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Monroe County Family Coalition Conference Focuses on Family Wellness
The Monroe County Family Coalition will host its third annual Youth & Family Wellness Conference from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Monroe Community Hospital.
This year’s theme, “Power to Rise: Preparing Youth and Families for the Changing World,” will focus on helping youth and families build resilience, connection and wellness.
The free event will feature workshops and activities for youth and adults, community resources, and a moderated virtual Q&A with Ibram X. Kendi, a nationally recognized scholar and author focused on equity and community transformation. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, along with wellness resources and family supports while supplies last.
The conference reflects the Coalition’s commitment to bringing community members together to share knowledge, strengthen connections and help families thrive. Register here.
| | Amplifying Voices in the Autism & IDD Community | | |
The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities will host its annual Skirboll Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Conference virtually from 2 to 4:30 p.m. October 21–23, bringing Rochester-area families, advocates and professionals together around this year’s theme, “Saying It Out Loud: What’s on Your Mind Matters!” The conference highlights the importance of ensuring people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have opportunities to share their perspectives and shape the decisions that affect their lives.
Sessions will explore issues across the lifespan, including school advocacy and transitions, trauma and recreation. The free conference is open to community members, families, educators, health professionals and advocates.
The virtual event will offer Spanish, ASL and captioning. Continuing education credits are also available for eligible participants. The conference reflects a broader commitment to building a more inclusive Rochester community -- one where every person’s voice is heard and valued. Learn more and register here.
| | GRANT OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES | | |
Causewave Community Partners is available to help small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations secure the funding to increase community impact. Learn more about the Grants Capacity Building Initiative offering free grant-writing support here.
Free consultations with Causewave's Senior Manager of Grant Capacity are now available for nonprofits in the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region with annual operating budgets under $5 million. Take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen your grant efforts and schedule your free consultation here.
The Health Foundation is proud to support this important initiative along with Rochester Area Community Foundation and ESL Charitable Foundation.
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Did you know? Greater Rochester Health Foundation curates a database of local, statewide, and national health/health equity-related grant opportunities that we share on our website. This searchable, curated list of grants is accessible here.
In addition, our Rapid Response Fund provides short-term relief grants -- up to $75,000 -- to help nonprofits continue their work in the face of immediate state or federal funding disruptions and is designed to swiftly address the critical needs of our community by supporting the organizations that serve our most vulnerable neighbors. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
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