The ESL Charitable Foundation Inc is a private, corporate foundation established in 2004 as the philanthropic arm of ESL Federal Credit Union. Based in Rochester, New York, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to creating shared value by investing in nonprofit organizations across New York State.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$106.8M
+40.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$21.7M
-17.6% YoY
Grant Count
197
-24.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$110K
+9.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on creating shared value by investing in organizations that:
- Expand individual opportunity through quality education and employment
- Build strong and affordable neighborhoods
- Strengthen organizational capacity
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Human services and poverty alleviation
- Arts and culture
- Health
- Community improvement
- Nonprofit capacity building
- Housing and housing stability
- Reproductive health
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$2,000 to $1,700,000
Average Grant
amount: $600–$2,264,007
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports:
- Greater Rochester, NY and surrounding counties (Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne)
- Albany, Buffalo, and Syracuse
- New York State broadly
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filing (2024):
- Total assets: $106,768,666
- Total revenues: $45,087,385
- Total expenses: $22,486,192
- Total giving: $21,653,512
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $76,265,678
- Revenue: $28,600,563
- Expenses: $21,164,345
- Annual giving: $26.3 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $106,768,666 | $76,265,678 | $67,656,615 |
| Revenue | $45,087,385 | $28,600,563 | $26,562,687 |
| Expenses | $22,486,192 | $21,164,345 | $25,396,544 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $21,696,553 | $26,333,594 | $17,314,003 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,859,838 | $1,455,219 | $1,448,190 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,855,428 | $3,280,946 | $3,152,940 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members:
- Maureen Wolfe (Chair)
- Faheem Masood (First Vice Chair, ESL Federal Credit Union President and CEO)
- Tom Rogers (Vice Chair & Treasurer)
- Arline Santiago (Vice Chair & Secretary)
- Ajamu Kitwana (Director, VP/Director of Community Impact)
All board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOM ROGERS | VICE CHAIR & TREASURER | 1 | — |
| FAHEEM MASOOD | FIRST VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| ARLINE SANTIAGO | VICE CHAIR & SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| MAUREEN WOLFE | CHAIR | 8 | — |
| AJAMU KITWANA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated significant grant activity in recent years:
ESL Charitable Foundation Grants $4 Million for Basic Needs Programs andIn the first quarter of 2025, ESL provided $8.3 million in grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the Greater Rochester region
ESL Provides 150 Grants in Second Quarter to Nonprofit Organizations in theIn the second quarter of 2024, the foundation provided 150 grants to nonprofit organizations in the Greater Rochester region
ESL Provides 150 Grants in Second Quarter to Nonprofit Organizations in theThe foundation supports projects including the YWCA's acquisition of the Salvation Army Genesis House, YouthBuild expansion, the Youth Workforce Consortium (The Hive), the Youth Tech Academy, and youth drama programming
The foundation emphasizes collaboration, equity, and direct consumer-driven initiatives, with a commitment to sharing data and learning across the nonprofit sector to strengthen community outcomes.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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