“This grant process allows the voices of those living in the community to share their reality and vision for a safer, equitable, and prosperous community.”
Expanding the footprint of change across the Capital Region, the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation is bringing its “What If…” Mini Grant Program to Albany County. By creating new opportunities for grassroots organizations and individuals to secure project funding, the Foundation is now offering the opportunity to Albany County residents. The Foundation will distribute $25,000 in mini grants, with awards of up to $5,000 per project.
To transition the grant program’s initiatives outside of Rensselaer County, the Foundation has formed a dynamic new partnership with Albany Community Action Partnership (ACAP). ACAP is a natural fit as a partner, as their vision for community advocacy aligns with the Foundation’s. ACAP provides hundreds of Albany residents with short-term training in healthcare, all of whom were under 200% of the poverty guideline, and over 60% were TANF recipients.
“The collaboration has been seamless and has allowed Albany County residents an opportunity to share their ideas and passion for community service with others who share the same passion but may have never crossed paths had it not been for this opportunity,” says Jessica DeJesus, Director of Community and Career Services at ACAP.
Meanwhile, DeJesus created Valued in Your Profession, which supports healthcare workers with enrollment in fast-tracked certifications, which immediately increased their income and decreased the amount of hours they were forced to stay away from their families. Another new initiative was combining workforce with emergency housing assistance for unhoused individuals/families.
After three successful years in Rensselaer County, the expansion of ‘What If…” represents both ACAP and the Foundation’s commitment to creating a more inclusive approach to the grant process, modeled after the Gifford Foundation’s community-led grantmaking approach in Syracuse, New York. The program asks local residents to identify and select projects that they believe will have an impact in their own neighborhoods.
“Participatory grantmaking empowers communities directly impacted by philanthropy to make decisions about how those resources are best utilized,” says Jenna Cuilla, Executive Director of the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation. “It centers community voice in grantmaking and serves as a valuable leadership development tool for those who participate — both as the applicant and as part of the review committee.”
No one associated with the Foundation participates in the selection process. “We have found that by stepping back from the decision-making process, others have stepped forward to lead, driving important conversations, collaboration, and action to address our local communities' most pressing needs,” continues Cuilla.
DeJesus calls the grantmaking method ‘for the people, by the people.’ “The community is who should be leading the vision behind all service delivery programs,” she says. “The voice of the people should create the blueprint for what is truly needed in the community. Too often programs are created without truly understanding what the core issue is. This grant process allows the voices of those living in the community to share their reality and vision for a safer, equitable, and prosperous community.”
Previous grantees who have benefited in 2025 included the Refuge Place Pantry, Trailblazers After School Tutoring, Discover U Performing Arts Program, and Unity in the Community. The program has awarded 38 grants totaling more than $135,000 to projects in Rensselaer County. Both ACAP and the Foundation are anticipating equal success for Albany.
While they do not select the grantees, the Foundation’s staff will ensure that applicants feel supported through the process, providing assistance in reviewing applications before submission, offering recommendations, or even assisting with the technical aspects of the online application.
If an application is not selected, the ‘What If…’ program provides applicants with the unique opportunity to receive constructive feedback from the Resident Review Committee so they can improve their application for a future round.
“This opportunity is a stepping stool to not only enhance areas of the community but to also educate community members on basic business principles and how to tell their story in a manner that could eventually open doors for additional grants and funding,” says DeJesus.
The program also offers increased visibility for networking, as Cuilla shares how a Foundation staff member connected a previous applicant whose project was not selected with a fellow community member doing similar work. They began working together, and both programs have become even more successful.
Cuilla calls it a ‘win-win’ for everyone who applies. As applicants gain valuable experience in grant writing, they are able to network and build relationships that can help expand their essential work for the community. Meanwhile, entire communities benefit from the projects chosen for funding.
The ‘What If…’ grant program is intended to be bigger than just the financial support provided. As the program expands into Albany, even more grassroots organizations and individuals will have their role in the community enhanced, and new services will emerge. DeJesus describes the benefits as a ‘bridge’ designed to change lives and the community.
“There is so much talent and passion in Albany County, stories that go untold of day-to-day heroes and programs that operate with little to no resources,” says DeJesus. “This is an opportunity for us to create the platform to lift the voices of visionaries that simply need a space to be heard.”