County/City Community Agencies Funding Review

Applications are now being accepted for the 2027 County/City community agencies funding review process, which the Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County (HSC) facilitates in support of Tompkins County. The deadline for applications is Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 12:00 p.m.

HSC supports the Tompkins County Legislature by reviewing applications and recommending funding for Community Agencies as part of the County’s annual budget process.

The sources of this funding for community agencies are Tompkins County property and City of Ithaca sales taxes. The total amount of available funding is determined during the development of the County budget. For 2026, community agencies received a total of $1,587,699 in funding.

While HSC makes recommendations to Tompkins County, final approval of all funding is made by the Tompkins County Legislature.

Application Deadline

Thursday, May 21, 2026 by 12:00 p.m.

For an early review for completeness, readability, and clarity, you may optionally submit a draft by Thursday, May 14. More information is below and in the application materials.

Application Form

The application form and full instructions are available by clicking here.

For your convenience, the application is provided as a Word document. There are no additional application forms, but there are required attachments to include when you apply. These documents are listed in a checklist on the last page of the application form.

Introductory Meetings

The Human Services Coalition strives to ensure that all applicants understand the funding review process, application, and timeline. We also want to make sure to answer any questions you might have before you begin the application.

Therefore, all new applicants must contact HSC prior to applying for a brief introductory conversation. To schedule this conversation, you may:

Conversations will be brief and confidential. No information provided by potential applicants during these discussions will be shared with HSC’s application review committee as part of the evaluation of applications.

Funding Review Process Timeline and Overview

  • Apr.-May 2026: Applications for 2027 funding are open
  • May-Jun. 2026: HSC Review Committee reviews applications and follows up with applicants
  • Jun.-Jul. 2026: HSC Board of Directors makes funding recommendations to Tompkins County
  • Aug.-Sept. 2026: County Administrator issues budget recommendations to the Legislature
  • Sept.-Nov. 2026: Tompkins County Legislature holds budget process and approves 2026 budget
  • Dec. 2026-Jan. 2027: Tompkins County contracts directly with funded agencies

Information for Applicants

Eligibility

Not-for-profit agencies serving the health and human services needs of the community are eligible to apply.

Not-for-profit agencies serving the health and human services needs of the community are eligible to apply. Funding made available through this process supports not-for-profit agencies that provide services and/or programming in alignment with Tompkins County’s interests in addressing community needs. Agencies may apply for general operating support and/or program-specific funding.

Community Agencies funding is limited and at the final determination of the Tompkins County Legislature. Previous funding levels are not a guarantee of recommended or approved 2027 funding.

For 2027, Tompkins County is prioritizing applications that demonstrate an alignment with priorities of the Community Health Improvement Plan, along with applications that address workforce and access to employment needs. Specific priority needs include:

Highest Priority:

  • Nutrition & Food Security
  • Housing Stability

Priority:

  • Access to & Use of Prenatal Care
  • Workforce & Access to Employment

Lower Priority:

  • Substance Misuse and Overdose
  • Chronic Disease Prevention

Applicants must demonstrate an alignment with one or more of these County priorities in their application.

In addition, applicants may also identify other relevant County plans, stated interests, or focus areas as part of their application. These include, but are not limited to, the strategic priorities and/or accompanying objectives in the Tompkins County Strategic Operations Plan, the Community Health Assessment, the Local Services Plan, and other County plans. Applicants are encouraged to review resolutions and meeting highlights of the Tompkins County Legislature, department pages on the Tompkins County website, and the HSC website for other plans and initiatives.

For your reference, here are some examples of Tompkins County-wide plans. This is not a complete list, but provided to represent some of the available documents:

Evaluation

Your application will be reviewed and evaluated by HSC’s Review Committee, including by the following:

  • Need – Addresses a well-documented need in the county; proposes to serve an appropriate number of people.
  • Alignment with County Needs and Goals – Program aligns with stated Tompkins County priority areas and potentially other goals or focus areas; the impact of the program is significant; program can reasonably be expected to result in cost savings for the County.
  • Agency Capacity – The capacity and expertise to carry out the program; works collaboratively with other agencies serving similar populations.
  • Strength of Application – Timely, succinct, and complete responses; all questions answered; all requested financials included and accurate.
  • Fiscal Health – Sufficient revenue to carry out the proposed program(s); reasonable expenses; any major changes in revenue/expenses included and explained; diversified funding.
  • Oversight – Board size is adequate for the organization; there is evidence of sufficient board oversight.
  • Staffing – Adequate staffing and compensation levels; all staff are paid a living wage or evidence of working to get all staff to a living wage.
  • Access – Effort to assure equitable access is clear; the program shows that it serves residents throughout Tompkins County, as appropriate.
  • Strength of Program – Services provided are in line with the program costs; program impact is demonstrated; programs are evaluated regularly and information gained is used to strengthen the program.

Review Committee members for 2026 process:

  • Christine Barksdale
  • Katie Compton
  • Emma Recckio
  • Mark Spadolini
  • Kate Supron
  • Jennie Sutcliffe
  •  Whitney Tassie

Deadlines and How to Submit

We have a two-tiered submission deadline. All completed applications are due no later than Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. If you would like your application reviewed early for completeness and readability, please submit it by Thursday, May 14, 2026.

To submit, upload your application materials using the form below (preferred):

Click Here to Submit Your Application

 If you cannot upload your materials using the link, you may email your application materials to applications@hsctc.org.

You must send us the application form as a Word document. Please do not convert it to a PDF. The required attachments can be provided as separate files, including as a PDF.