Our
CommunityWith a population of approximately 220,000 in a region covering nearly a fifth of New York State, our mountainous topography shapes every aspect of life here. The constitutionally protected landscape of the Adirondack Park is both one of our greatest assets and a complicating factor to growth.
where we work
The Adirondack Region
Adirondack Community Foundation’s region includes everything within the Blue Line of the six-million-acre Adirondack Park, north to the Canadian border, including all of Clinton and Franklin Counties and parts of the Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation.
Scenic beauty and outdoor recreation are our region’s calling cards, attracting millions of visitors annually and shaping a way of life for residents seeking simplicity. At the same time, like other rural areas, isolation, insufficient public transportation, and long distances to healthcare and other services pose challenges to year-round residents.
In comparison to the rest of New York State, our region trends toward a higher median age, lower median household income, fewer college graduates, and higher rates of poverty. Compounding socioeconomic factors like these are not always visible, but they are ever present, making it challenging to close achievement gaps, break cycles of generational poverty, and elevate living standards.
our vision
A Stronger Adirondack Region
We envision our region as a model for rural America, where communities are strong and inclusive; our well-being is supported through quality care, education, and economic opportunity; nature is valued and protected; and arts and culture thrive.
At Adirondack Community Foundation, we take a “whole community” approach to amplify all that is good about the Adirondacks. We do this in partnership with generous donors and capable nonprofits — by developing long-term assets, making grants and devoting social, political, and reputational capital to make our region stronger.
Our Strong Community Framework, grounded in research, long-term relationships with the community and informed by decades of grantmaking, is a blueprint to benefit the Adirondack region as a whole. While most of our funds and their grantmaking is at the direction of our fund advisors, we regularly communicate with them about promising opportunities and critical challenges facing our communities. Learn more about what we fund and how we work with our donors and fund advisors to create positive change across the Adirondacks.
Our Strong Community Framework
