United Way of Central New York cuts over $1M from grantmaking as donations continue slide

United Way of Central New York has announced it will reduce grants to local nonprofit partners by at least $1 million after charitable donations fell by an average of 11% annually, dropping from nearly $5 million in 2021 to about $3 million in 2025. The cuts include Catholic Charities of Onondaga County, whose funding fell from $498,500 in 2025 to $15,000, and The Salvation Army, whose grant dropped from $374,550 to $15,000. Other organizations, including Elmcrest Child Center and the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, also lost significant funding. United Way said it can no longer rely on reserve funds to sustain previous grant levels.