Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY

Private foundation · Grantmaker Buffalo, NY EIN: 16-1494420

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY is a private foundation focused on Crime & Legal Related, based in Buffalo, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $147K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $19K. Net investment income was $1K.

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY at a glance

In short: Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY gave $19K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$19,400
+454.3% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
3
+200.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$6,467
+84.8% vs 2024
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$147,112
-12.0% vs 2024
Primary geography
New York (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 3 recipients in 2025

Town of Tonawanda NY Police Department: $10KTown of Tonawanda NY PoliceDepartment$10KNew York State Association of Chiefs of Police: $5KNew York State Association ofChiefs of Police$5KLeadership Niagara: $4KLeadership Niagara$4K

The largest 2025 recipient was Town of Tonawanda NY Police Department ($10K). Together the top 3 received $19K.

Grant Size Distribution

9 grants across all recorded years

9<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 9 grants of 9 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.

States

Cities

BuffaloNiagara FallsLancasterRochesterSanbornTonawandaWest SenecaWilliamsville

How Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY gives

  • Giving fell 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 261% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K3 grants2020 1 grant2021 2 grants2022 2 grants2023 1 grant2024 3 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4K (2024) to $24K (2022). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $19K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Town of Tonawanda NY Police Department Tonawanda, NYTo provide for the purchase of 4 bikes to patrol bike trails$10,400
New York State Association of Chiefs of Police Rochester, NYCharitable Support of Law Enforcement$5,000
Leadership Niagara Sanborn, NYEducational$4,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$147,112$34,128$54,238$19,4003$19,400$1,228$7,429
2024$167,222$43,837$35,592$3,5001$3,500$1,337$7,950
2023$158,977$42,126$40,015$10,4252$10,425$801$7,838
2022$156,866$49,343$41,103$24,4782$24,478$18$7,621
2021$148,626$27,862$21,401$15,3311—$12$7,479
2020$142,165$38,918$36,586$14,6503—$318$6,785

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY reported a distributable amount of $7K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY is led by Rocco Diina, Chairman on every filing since 2020; none of the 14 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Rocco Diina

    Chairman

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Amy Habib-Rittling

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chris Koch

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christopher Glynn

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Crystalea Pelletier

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Duane Paddock

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eugene Vukelic

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Herbert Bellamy Jr.

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeff Mucciarelli

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kent Frey

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • William Huntress

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Laura Zaeppel

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • James Sciarrino

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Scott Friedman

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (3)
  • Former: Bruce Popko (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Tod Martin (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Mark Hamister (2020–2022) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY

How much does Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY give each year?

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY gave $19K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4K across 1 grant.

What is Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY's typical grant size?

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,467, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY give grants?

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.

Does Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

How large is Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY?

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY reported $147K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $19K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY?

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY is a private foundation focused on Crime & Legal Related, based in Buffalo, NY. It holds $147K in total assets as of 2025.

What is Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY's EIN?

Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1494420. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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More Funders in New York

The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Law Enforcement Foundation of WNY'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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