Sustainable Finger Lakes has awarded five Neighborhood Mini-Grants to support citizen-led projects focused on resource sharing, community building, environmental stewardship, and waste reduction throughout the Finger Lakes region.
The grants are part of the organization’s longstanding Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program, which since 2008 has distributed more than $100,000 through over 250 grants supporting sustainability-related projects in local communities.
According to Sustainable Finger Lakes, the program is designed to encourage grassroots initiatives that improve quality of life, promote environmentally friendly practices, foster collaboration among community groups, and create opportunities for civic engagement and local leadership.
The Spring 2026 grant recipients include:
- Dundee Central School received $500 to provide socks, underwear, and hygiene supplies through a new school-based pantry serving students in need.
- Finger Lakes Justice Partnership, which was awarded $750 to support monthly People’s Parliament and Community Potluck gatherings in Penn Yan. The funding will help cover food, supplies, and community garden bed rental costs.
- Interlaken Grange #160 received $750 for postage and packaging associated with its Pill Bottle Collection Program. The initiative collects donated plastic pill bottles and ships them to an organization that distributes them for reuse internationally.
- Lodi Whittier Library, which was awarded $473.04 to help fund a rain barrel system and a community workshop teaching residents how to use rain barrels at home.
- The Living Well Mission, which received $348 to launch a pilot program distributing durable, environmentally friendly hygiene and cleaning products through the Needs N’ Things pantry in Penn Yan.
Sustainable Finger Lakes officials said the grants reflect the organization’s commitment to supporting practical, community-driven solutions that strengthen neighborhoods while advancing sustainability goals throughout the region.
