Adirondack Community Foundation awarded "Innovation Engine" grant to strengthen regional safety net

January 14, 2026

LAKE PLACID — Adirondack Community Foundation (ACF) today announces it is one of three recipients selected for The F. M. Kirby Foundation’s inaugural Innovation Engine Grant Program. ACF will receive an award of $300,000, distributed over three years, to advance its Safety Net initiative.

The Safety Net initiative is a strategic effort designed to create vital links among fragmented social services across the Adirondack region. Four collaborative projects are underway, demonstrating creative ways to overcome the unique challenges of our rural landscape, including transportation barriers, social isolation, stable employment and housing.

“This generous support from the F.M. Kirby Foundation validates the hard work of our community partners who are striving to close the gaps in our rural social safety net,” said Cali Brooks, President & CEO of Adirondack Community Foundation. “This funding allows us to empower our partners to take bold steps forward and implement sustainable, collaborative solutions that will improve lives across the region.”

The F. M. Kirby Foundation is a family foundation established in 1931. While based in New Jersey, the family has a long history in the Adirondacks and supports a wide array of organizations in both regions and beyond. The Innovation Engine Grant Program represents the foundation’s commitment to supporting strategic growth among its nonprofit partners. Inspired by the “Twin Engines” model developed by researchers Ann Mei Chang and Laura Lanzerotti, the initiative encourages organizations to balance proven solutions with bold innovation to maximize their social impact.

ACF is joined by national cross-partisan organization Braver Angels and New Jersey based social services organization Prevention is Key as inaugural Innovation Engine grantees

“What excites us most about these projects is how each organization identified unmet needs and developed creative solutions that extend their impact,” said F. M. Kirby Foundation President Justin Kiczek. “Adirondack Community Foundation is tackling service delivery across a challenging geography.”

“Each recipient has developed a thoughtful approach to expanding their reach while staying true to their core mission,” Kiczek added. “They’re not just scaling what works—they’re reimagining how to address persistent challenges in their communities.”

To learn more about Adirondack Community Foundation’s Social Safety Net initiative, visit adkcommunityfoundation.org/safetynet or contact Kim Trombly, Director of Community Impact, at [email protected].