Josephine Goodyear Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Josephine Goodyear Foundation supports women and children, human services, health, community and poverty relief efforts in New York.

FUNDING AREAS: Women and children, human services, health, community, poverty

IP TAKE: This is a well-established local funder that is over a century old and is an accessible one to known in Buffalo for human service efforts that benefit women and children.

PROFILE: Established in 1912, the Josephine Goodyear Foundation (JGF) is a family foundation based in Buffalo, New York. This is an affiliate fund of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, one of New York’s largest grantmakers. Josephine Frank initially donated money to build a convalescent home in Williamsville, New York to serve disadvantaged women and children. This foundation formed from that commitment after World War II when the needs for surgery recovery care were less due to the development of antibiotics. JGF funds local efforts for women and children, human services, health, community and poverty relief efforts.

The Josephine Goodyear Foundation awards approximately 50 grants per year totaling around $300,000. JGF has meetings in May and September to review requests. This funder has fairly broad grantmaking interests but aims to support disadvantaged populations in each grant cycle. Grantseekers should describe long-term strategies for their projects when applying for grants. Although JGF does not reject subsequent year requests, it gives these requests lower priority than brand-new ones.

Grants range between about $1,000 and $10,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on the Buffalo area of New York. Past local grantees include Kathleen Mary House, Locust Street Neighborhood and Excalibur Leisure Skills.

This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. Grantseekers should submit applications to the foundation directly by mail and not through the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo’s online system. The application deadlines are April 15 and August 15, and the foundation makes decisions in the months following these deadlines. Direct general questions to Ted Walsh on the staff by phone at 716-853-3820.

PEOPLE:

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