Who We Are

About Us

The Foundation awards scholarships to individuals and grants to community organizations. ACAF works with individuals (and their advisors) wishing to establish funds to support education, communities or specific organizations.

Why a community foundation?

ACAF is part of the community foundation movement that began with the creation of the Cleveland (OH) Foundation in 1914. Community foundations provide a means of leveraging the pooled resources of many individuals in a way that allows for coordinated, efficient investment and grant making activities that are focused on the betterment of a specific community or region. There are now over 700 community foundations in the US, and 1700 worldwide.

Vision and Persistence

Allegany County Area Foundation History

The Allegany County Area Foundation was an early effort to adapt the community foundation model, which had been established primarily in urban areas, to a rural setting combining the talents and resources of our various towns and villages, while relying heavily on volunteers for administrative support.


The preliminary planning, including the design of the organizational structure and selection of directors, was a collaborative effort between Cuba attorney, and later county judge, Peter R. Sprague and Wellsville trust officer, and later investment manager, John M. (“Jack”) Carter, with the valuable guidance and encouragement of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and its Executive Director Francis Grow.


An exploratory meeting of community and business leaders was convened at the Wellsville Country Club on April 12, 1983 to present and discuss the plan, which received a generally favorable response.

The organizational meeting was held on September 20, 1983, when the Articles of Incorporation and By-laws were approved by the original directors Kenneth Nielsen, Patricia Regan, James Searle, Allen Schintzius, Harry Graves, Jr., Claudia Kauffman, and Leslie Haggstrom. The officers elected by unanimous vote were: Allen Schintzius, President; Kenneth Nielsen, Vice-President; and Jack Carter, Secretary/Treasurer.


A timely start-up grant from the Carnahan-Jackson Foundation covered organizational and early operation expenses. In 1989, the Mary Bishop Scholarship Fund was transferred from a local bank to form the cornerstone of our growing scholarship program. Our first decade was a period of slow progress, as members sought to explain to residents how a type of institution that was unfamiliar to most might enhance the quality of life in our area. In the ensuing years, we have been able to steadily expand our community service grants and scholarship awards as more and more current and former residents have come to embrace the foundation

Who can be part of the foundation?

Anyone and everyone. Dozens of people make gifts to the various funds of the Allegany County Area Foundation each year, while several create entirely new endowed funds. Many local organizations, including food pantries, libraries, agencies, and historical societies, have benefitted from ACAF grants. Over 200 young people receive Foundation college scholarships each year.


The Allegany County Area Foundation was established in 1983, and is governed by a 12-member volunteer board, representing various occupations and Allegany County communities. ACAF also benefits from the service of non-board volunteers, especially with our scholarship process.


If you are interested in being involved with the Foundation, please get in touch. We’d like to talk with you! You can contact our executive director, Bruce Campbell, at 585-296-5616 or director@acafny.org

What fund options does the Foundation have?

  • Unrestricted Funds

    Sometimes called unrestricted funds, the earnings from these provide grants to a number of area organizations each year, supporting many programs and projects that serve Allegany County residents. See the grants and news pages for information about recent recipients. Grant decisions are made by the Foundation’s Grant Committee, which meets quarterly, and as needed for urgent matters. ACAF’s unrestricted funds include the Allegany Fund, Moogan Fund, Shear Fund, Joseph Bucher Fund, Peter Sprague Founder’s Fund, and the Carter-Windus Family Fund.

  • Designated Funds

    The donor may name a specific organization (e.g., local agency, cemetery, library, etc.) when establishing a designated fund ($5,000 minimum). Each year the named recipient receives a grant based on the fund’s earnings. Click here to see the designated funds the Foundation currently administers.

  • Field-of-Interest Funds

    Donors can specify an area of interest for the Foundation to consider in making grants from a field-of-interest fund, such as youth work, local history, the environment, literacy, performing arts, etc. ($5,000 minimum) Check out the Foundation’s field-of-interest funds by clicking here. The Foundation Grant Committee selects the recipient(s) that will benefit from these funds.

  • Scholarship Funds

    Anyone can establish a scholarship fund and specify the criteria for its awards (such as high school attended, college attending, field of study) to deserving county students. ($5,000 minimum; $10,000 preferred). ACAF is an affiliate of Dollars for Scholars. Click here to see see a list of scholarships the Foundation administers.

Board Meetings

Meeting Dates

March 19, April 19

Committee Meetings, when scheduled, start at 3:45pm. Board meetings begin at 4:30.

ACAF Board Meetings are Held at the Crossroads Center 6087 State Rt 19N in Belmont, NY

News and Events

Fillmore Central School Alumni Scholarship

March 18, 2025
Graduating classes pool leftover class gift funds to create an endowed scholarship.

Leadership and Innovation Fund

March 18, 2025
New Fund Will Boost ACAF Grantmaking

ACAF Grants Boost Libraries, Arts, and Wellness Programs

By ACAF • January 8, 2024
(Dec 2023) Alfred and Whitesville libraries, Fountain Arts Center, Allegany County Blind Association, Andover Central School, and Pioneer Oil Museum were awarded grants at the Allegany County Area Foundation’s (ACAF) December meeting. All grants were made through ACAF’s Allegany Fund unless otherwise noted. The Allegany County Blind Association received $500 to provide pre-school amblyopia screenings […] The post ACAF Grants Boost Libraries, Arts, and Wellness Programs appeared first on Allegany County Area Foundation.

Allegany County Area Foundation June Grants Support Archery Program, Scouting, Libraries

By ACAF • November 20, 2023
(June 2023) Scout Troop 733, Genesee and Belfast libraries, and Canaseraga Central School were approved for grants during the Allegany County Area Foundation’s (ACAF) September meeting. Wellsville’s Boy Scout Troop 733 will receive $725 for the purchase of new tents and related items needed for its growing program. Genesee Library was awarded $750 for landscaping […] The post Allegany County Area Foundation June Grants Support Archery Program, Scouting, Libraries appeared first on Allegany County Area Foundation.