Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation Announces Spring 2025 "What If" Grant Recipients

The Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the Spring 2025 “What If” grants.  Grant proposals were evaluated by the Neighborhood Investment Committee, a group of volunteers composed of residents of Rensselaer County. The Committee has selected 7 projects to fund, totaling $25,000.

The “What If” grant program was created in 2023 to support projects and programs that make Rensselaer County communities and neighborhoods a better place to live and work.  Applicants must be small nonprofit organizations that serve the residents of Rensselaer County, or individuals who obtain the fiscal sponsorship of a qualified charitable entity. 

Since inception, the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation’s “What If” grant program has awarded 43 grants totaling more than $84,000.

Grant awards were made to the following projects/programs:

Community Kitchen – Fifth Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church received a grant to support bi-monthly free nutritious meals for local residents. The meals will be offered at 189 5th Avenue in Troy beginning in July 2025.

Ready Set Learn! Backpack Giveaway – The Joy of Community Seventh-Day Adventist Church received grant support for a backpack giveaway to include games, snacks, free back-to-school haircuts and school supplies.  The event will take place on August 31, 2025 at the 112th Street Park in Troy.

Hillside North Weekend Brown Bags Lunch – Beverly Hickman (under the fiscal sponsorship of the Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, Inc.) received a grant to create a program to respond to food insecurity in Troy, specifically during the weekends, by offering brown bag lunches on Saturdays during the month of July.

Camp Trailblazers – Teneeshia Roberts (under the fiscal sponsorship of the Boys and Girls Club of the Capital Area) received funding to support a summer day camp for school-age children residing in Rensselaer County. The day camp will offer educational activities for the campers such as age-appropriate financial literacy, first aid, cooking and more. 

Community Compass RC – Grant Recipient Agnes Zink (under the fiscal sponsorship of Troy Area United Ministries) has been awarded funding to expand the Community Compass RC program, a service coordination program that serves Rensselaer County residents.  The program seeks to create a more connected community, ensuring Rensselaer County residents can access the information and resources they need to improve their quality of life.

Unity in the Community – Grant Recipient Rodney Dukes (under the fiscal sponsorship of the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall) received a grant to support an arts festival that will highlight musicians of color, providing a platform for these entertainers to showcase their talents. The event will take place at the Troy Riverfront Park on Saturday, July 26, 2025.

Discover U Performing Arts Program – Acting Intensive – Justin Relf (under the fiscal sponsorship of Oakwood Community Center) has been awarded a grant to offer additional sessions of his performing arts program, hosted at Oakwood Community Center. The Discover U Performing Arts Program – Acting Intensive will be a two-hour weekly session over the course of 10 weeks with a goal of engaging low income and Black and Brown students in the performing arts.

About the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, Inc. 

The Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation is the community legacy of the former Troy Savings Bank. Although The Troy Savings Bank was acquired by another financial institution in 2004, the Foundation continues the Bank's proud charitable giving tradition. 

Today, the Foundation invests in community solutions in Albany and Rensselaer Counties of upstate New York. The Foundation works in partnership with nonprofit organizations, other private funders, and government entities. Together with these partners, the Foundation works to find solutions for challenging problems within its funding priority areas. To date, the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation has distributed more than $18M in grants to support our region’s nonprofits.