Advancing the sustainable well-being of the people of Schenectady County. The Schenectady Foundation was created by community leaders as a charitable trust to benefit the health and well-being of people who live and work in Schenectady County, NY. William H. Milton, 3rd, a leader at Schenectady Trust Company, developed the idea for the Foundation. In 1962, with the bank’s support, he engaged the community’s leaders to establish The Schenectady Foundation. In 1963, The Foundation made its first grant: $250 to the YMCA. While a modest gift at that time (about $1,900 in today’s dollars), it was the first of many to come. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed $21 million in grants and scholarships for charitable programs in Schenectady County. The mission of The Schenectady Foundation is to advance the sustainable well-being of the people of Schenectady County. The Schenectady Foundation is the only community foundation exclusively serving Schenectady County. By developing a major endowment for our community, the Foundation is able to make significant grants that truly have an impact on our health and well-being.
 Over time the Foundation has supported more than 180 community organizations, and has provided a strong base of support for charitable projects both large and small. The Foundation is managed to maximize funds that go to the community, and to minimize internal expenses. This means more of the income from contributed assets goes to support the community. Most assets are unrestricted by the donors, enabling the Foundation to make significant grants that address current community needs and issues.

 The Foundation identifies key issues on which to focus its grants, and has provided substantial support to programs in the fields of Health Care, Education, Maternal & Child Health, Child Care, Child Mental Health, Youth Achievement, and Arts, Civic and Cultural projects.