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Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Inc

EIN 22-2743917 · Buffalo, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER BUFFALO, INC. (THE FOUNDATION) IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE, IDEAS AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE LIVES IN WESTERN NEW YORK. SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1919, THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO HELPING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS MAKE THEIR CHARITABLE GOALS A REALITY AND TO PROVIDING LEADERSHIP TO HELP ADDRESS CRITICAL COMMUNITY ISSUES AND NEEDS. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES SOUND MANAGEMENT OF CHARITABLE ASSETS AND A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE WESTERN NEW YORK COMMUNITY TO ENSURE OUR GRANT-MAKING PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES ARE USED STRATEGICALLY AND MOST EFFECTIVELY TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY.

Income
$48.7 million
Spending
$46.6 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
47.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 72%
Employees
52
Volunteers
106
Highest pay
$466,397, president/ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 47.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    21 of 21 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $23.1 million spent. DONOR/CLIENT DIRECTED FUNDS: THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ADMINISTERS FUNDS IN WHICH DONORS MAKE GRANT RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE BOARD REVIEWS AND APPROVES THESE GRANTS, WHICH SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY. IN 2024, PROGRAM EXPENSES TOTALED $23,128,000, INCLUDING $21,207,000 IN GRANTS. THE RECIPIENTS OF THESE GRANTS VARY FROM YEAR TO YEAR, REFLECTING THE DIVERSE PHILANTHROPIC INTERESTS OF DONORS.
  2. $7.0 million spent. BOARD DIRECTED GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS: THE BOARD OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION DIRECTS THE USE OF CERTAIN FUNDS (AS REQUESTED BY THE CLIENT/DONOR) AS FOLLOWS:(1) CHANGING NEEDS: CLIENTS/DONORS REQUEST THAT THEIR FUNDS BE DIRECTED BY THE BOARD TO ADDRESS THE CHANGING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY OVER TIME. IN 2024 THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANTED $820,000 TO ADVANCE THE PRIORITIES SET BY THE FOUNDATION. (2) FIELD OF INTEREST : CLIENTS/DONORS REQUEST THAT THEIR FUNDS BE DIRECTED TO A SPECIFIC AREA OF INTEREST. THE GRANTEES RECEIVING THESE FUNDS ARE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. IN 2024 THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AWARDED $3,016,000 FROM FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS.(3) SCHOLARSHIPS CLIENTS/DONORS HAVE ESTABLISHED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS WHICH THE FOUNDATION AWARDS TO RESIDENTS OF WESTERN NEW YORK. THESE AWARDS ARE BASED PRIMARILY ON FINANCIAL NEED, ALTHOUGH THE CLIENT/DONOR MAY HAVE MADE ADDITIONAL STIPULATIONS SUCH AS FIELD OF STUDY OR GRADUATES OF A PARTICULAR HIGH SCHOOL. IN 2024 $2,576,000 WAS AWARDED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, EXCLUDING THOSE AWARDED BY SAY YES BUFFALO (LISTED BELOW).
  3. $4.4 million spent. SAY YES BUFFALO (SYB): THE SAY YES BUFFALO INITIATIVE IS AN EDUCATION BASED, ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION EFFORT DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THE REGIONAL WORKFORCE AND OFFER UNPRECEDENTED EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO URBAN YOUTH. THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SUPPORTS AND ADMINISTERS THE SAY YES BUFFALO SCHOLARSHIP FUND WHICH SEEKS TO REMOVE ALL BARRIERS TO EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS THROUGH A COORDINATED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT AND BY PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ALL GRADUATES OF BUFFALO PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS TO PURSUE A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION. IN ADDITION TO ADMINISTERING THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HAS ALSO MADE GRANTS TO SUPPORT VARIOUS INITIATIVES SPEARHEADED BY SAY YES BUFFALO IN ITS MISSION TO ADDRESS THE FINANCIAL, ACADEMIC, HEALTH AND SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL BARRIERS TO EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT.
  4. $7.6 million spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ADMINISTERS DESIGNATED FUNDS, WHICH DONORS CREATE TO PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT TO SPECIFIC CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS. THESE GRANTS ARE GENERALLY AWARDED TO THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS EACH YEAR, CONSISTENT WITH THE FUND AGREEMENTS. IN 2024, OTHER PROGRAM EXPENSES TOTALED $7,624,000, INCLUDING $6,219,000 IN GRANTS AFTER NETTING INTERFUND ACTIVITY. GRANTS AWARDED FROM DESIGNATED FUNDS TOTALED $6,880,000.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 1987.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.