Buffalo Sabres Foundation
The Buffalo Sabres Foundation is a public charity based in Buffalo, New York, formed in 1995. Its stated mission is to support organizations serving Western New York that focus on youth hockey initiatives; the health, wellness, and education of underprivileged or disadvantaged youth and military personnel; and athletes with physical or mental challenges.
Buffalo Sabres Foundation at a glance
In short: Buffalo Sabres Foundation gave $1.0M across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $31K), mostly in New York. 47% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,042,099
- -13.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- -30.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $30,650
- +25.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,250
- Total assets
- $536,919
- -17.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (16 of 34, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Buffalo Sabres Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The grant-program information encourages interested nonprofit organizations to complete the application. It states that the foundation can fund only registered 501(c)(3) organizations in good standing with the IRS, and that applications must be for programs serving Western New York.
- Contact
Mailing address: One Seymour H Knox Plaza, Buffalo, NY 14203
Phone: (716) 855-4544
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Buffalo Sabres Foundation
Who Buffalo Sabres Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Buffalo Junior Sabres ($333K). Together the top 10 received $783K.
Grant Size Distribution
152 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 124 grants of 152 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated mission focuses on organizations serving Western New York. In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 6% to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Buffalo Sabres Foundation open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 34 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $18K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $387K (2021) to $1.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Junior Sabres Grand Island, NY | General Assistance | $333,333 |
| Resource Council of WNY Inc Buffalo, NY | Grant Passthrough | $129,500 |
| Roswell Park Alliance Foundation Buffalo, NY | General Assistance | $101,751 |
| Fanthem Foundation Inc Boston, MA | General Assistance | $60,035 |
| Mental Health Advocates of WNY Buffalo, NY | General Assistance | $50,000 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Cheektowaga, NY | General Assistance | $28,729 |
| Buffalo City Mission Buffalo, NY | General Assistance | $20,000 |
| Buffalo Warriors Hockey Orchard Park, NY | General Assistance | $20,000 |
| Hasek's Heroes Buffalo, NY | General Assistance | $20,000 |
| Sabah Buffalo, NY | General Assistance | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Buffalo Sabres Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
In 2024, the foundation reported 34 grants. In 2023 it reported 49 grants, and in 2022 it reported 28.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $536,919 | $1,334,420 | $1,487,271 | $1,042,099 | 34 |
| 2023 | $654,126 | $1,860,203 | $1,702,888 | $1,199,146 | 49 |
| 2022 | $571,788 | $1,237,532 | $1,349,686 | $754,843 | 28 |
| 2021 | $633,341 | $899,798 | $707,030 | $387,275 | 12 |
| 2020 | $375,600 | $1,885,885 | $2,051,170 | $1,488,853 | 29 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it aims to stimulate, support, and encourage organizations serving Western New York that are committed to youth hockey, the health, wellness, and education of underprivileged or disadvantaged youth and military personnel, and athletes with physical or mental challenges.
Its 2024 grants included organizations working in these areas. For example, Resource Council of WNY describes its work as providing community-based health and wellness, education, and social programs for people and families in the Buffalo area. Roswell Park Alliance Foundation says it supports cancer research, treatment, prevention, and the psychosocial needs of patients and families. SABAH says it provides education and therapeutic recreation for people with physical, cognitive, or emotional disabilities. The Niagara Frontier Junior Hockey Club describes its mission as providing young players the opportunity to continue playing hockey and developing their skills.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $1,042,099. Grant amounts ranged from $7,500 to $333,333, with a median of $10,250. Among the largest awards were $333,333 to Buffalo Junior Sabres, $129,500 to Resource Council of WNY Inc, $101,751 to Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, $60,035 to Fanthem Foundation Inc, and $50,000 to Mental Health Advocates of WNY.
The foundation’s filing says proposed grant applications are discussed at semi-annual board meetings, where the board determines grant recipients. The grant-program information encourages nonprofit organizations to complete an application so the foundation can learn about area charities’ needs. It also says the annual grant program cannot continue at this time because of the impact of COVID-19 on annual fundraising, and that organizations may be contacted if assistance becomes possible.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Rich Jureller as board member and president, David Zygaj as board member and secretary, and Kyle Allen as board member and treasurer. It also lists Alphonso O’Neil-White, Laurel A. DiBrog, Kevin Reilly, Matthew Collard, David Anderson, Elizabeth Gurney, and Chad Buchta as board members.
Buffalo Sabres Foundation is led by Rich Jureller, Board Member & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 13 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Rich Jureller
Board Member & President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alphonso O'Neil-White
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chad Buchta
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Anderson
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Zygaj
Board Member & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donna Decarolis
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Gurney
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Reilly
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Playfair
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laurel A. Dibrog
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Collard
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kyle Allen
Board Member & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Ball
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Kevyn Adams (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Kim Pegula (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Chuck Lamattina (2020) — Board Member & Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Sabres Foundation
How much does Buffalo Sabres Foundation give each year?
Buffalo Sabres Foundation gave $1.0M across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 49 grants.
What is Buffalo Sabres Foundation's typical grant size?
Buffalo Sabres Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,250, and its average grant was $30,650, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Buffalo Sabres Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Buffalo Sabres Foundation give grants?
Buffalo Sabres Foundation gives mostly in New York: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (17 grants), Grand Island, NY (2 grants), Cheektowaga, NY (2 grants) and Lockport, NY (2 grants).
Does Buffalo Sabres Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of Buffalo Sabres Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (32 of 34) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Buffalo Sabres Foundation's largest grantees?
Buffalo Sabres Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Buffalo Junior Sabres ($333,333), Resource Council of WNY Inc ($129,500) and Roswell Park Alliance Foundation ($101,751), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Buffalo Sabres Foundation?
Buffalo Sabres Foundation reported $537K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.3M.
What does Buffalo Sabres Foundation fund?
The foundation says it aims to stimulate, support, and encourage organizations serving Western New York that are committed to youth hockey, the health, wellness, and education of underprivileged or disadvantaged youth and military personnel, and athletes with physical or mental challenges. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Buffalo Sabres Foundation?
The grant-program information encourages interested nonprofit organizations to complete the application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Buffalo Sabres Foundation's EIN?
Buffalo Sabres Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1478403. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Buffalo Sabres Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Buffalo Sabres Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/buffalo-sabres-foundation-morg_a6aeabd708eb4e718167c27c1346ecb3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_161478403_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Buffalo Sabres Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/buffalo-sabres-foundation-morg_a6aeabd708eb4e718167c27c1346ecb3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Buffalo Sabres Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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