Cullen Foundation

BUFFALO, NY EIN: 73-1691396 Website

The Cullen Foundation of Western New York, Inc. is an independent, private foundation based in Buffalo, New York, dedicated to enhancing education and advancing theatre and performing arts in Erie County. The foundation was created by the late John S. "Jack" Cullen II, whose estate provided the initial funding. The foundation was established in 2004.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Revenue

—

Net Investment Income

—

Expenses

—

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Vision: The Cullen Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life for residents of Erie County.

Mission: The Cullen Foundation serves the residents of Erie County by providing funding and support that significantly enhances the education of students in grades pre-K through 12 and advances theatre and the performing arts.

Education Focus

The foundation prioritizes funding programs with direct, measurable academic outcomes. Support is available for academic enrichment, tutoring, and specialized learning initiatives for pre-K through 12 students.

Performing Arts Focus

The foundation supports organizations where the primary focus is community performances, specifically in the disciplines of music, dance, singing, and theatre.

Grantmaking

The Cullen Foundation offers multiple grant programs:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation serves Erie County, New York, with a primary focus on residents of Western New York.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $4.8M (80%)

Massachusetts $525K (9%)

Illinois $326K (5%)

Wisconsin $210K (4%)

California $122K (2%)

District of Columbia $4K (0%)

+1 more states

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Illinois Massachusetts New York Pennsylvania Virginia Wisconsin

Cities

AlbanyAlexandriaAlfred StationAmherstAngelicaAngolaBelmontBostonBuffaloBuffaoCattaraugusCheektowagaChicagoEast AuroraElmaGetzvilleGowandaJamestownKenmoreLackawanna

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Based on available financial data, the Cullen Foundation has assets of approximately $112.3 million. The foundation reported expenses of approximately $12.5 million and revenue of $977,820 in its most recent fiscal period.

Contact Information:

Address: 250 Delaware Avenue, Suite 820, Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: 716-800-4280
Website: www.thecullenfoundation.org
EIN: 73-1691396

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	—	—	$112,298,735
Revenue	—	—	$977,820
Expenses	—	—	$12,523,131
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	$7,432,706
Net Investment Income	—	—	$3,827,398
Distributable Amount	—	—	$6,377,957

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 0 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

150 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

3 open opportunities from Cullen Foundation

Foundation

Individual Charter School Grants

CULLEN FOUNDATION

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

Responsive Grant- Performing Arts

CULLEN FOUNDATION

Amount

US $5,000 - US $125,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

Supplemental Academic Program - Education Grant

CULLEN FOUNDATION

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for 2024.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Board of Directors:

Michael R. McGee, Chair
Ramone Alexander, Director
Charles W. Chiampou, Director
Warren B. Gelman, Director
Caitlin Corr Reilly, Director
Roger B. Simon, Director

Staff:

Florine Luhr, President (716-800-4265)
Nick Schifano, Program Officer (716-800-4278)
Mary Lou Rubé, Program Officer (716-800-4266)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MICHAEL R MCGEE	TRUSTEE	4	—
CHARLES W CHIAMPOU	TRUSTEE	4	—
ROGER B SIMON	TRUSTEE	4	—
WARREN B GELMAN	TRUSTEE	4	—
FLORINE LUHR	PRESIDENT	50	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The Cullen Foundation awarded a three-year grant to Read to Succeed, demonstrating ongoing commitment to education initiatives in the region. The foundation maintains an active grant portal and publishes regular newsletters to communicate with stakeholders and potential applicants.

Glaucoma Research Foundation Announces Record $3.06 million in Annual Research

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Cullen Foundation fund?

**Vision:** The Cullen Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life for residents of Erie County. **Mission:** The Cullen Foundation serves the residents of Erie County by providing funding and support that significantly enhances the education of students in grades pre-K through 12 and advances theatre and the performing arts. The foundation prioritizes funding programs with direct, measurable academic outcomes. Support is available for academic enrichment, tutoring, and specialized learning…

How do I apply for a grant from Cullen Foundation?

The Cullen Foundation offers multiple grant programs: **Responsive Grant - Performing Arts:** An open, rigorous, and user-friendly process that evaluates organizations aligned with the foundation's performing arts focus areas. Two open cycles are offered annually: winter cycle beginning January 1 and summer cycle beginning July 1. **Action Grants:** A streamlined and expedited application option available to past Cullen performing arts grantees seeking less than $10,000 per year. All other Cull…