Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County
The Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Ithaca, New York. Founded in 1945, the organization provides funding to voluntary community service agencies throughout Tompkins County. The foundation operates with a mission to support local organizations working to make Tompkins County an inclusive, welcoming, and affirming place to live and work.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.3M
+3.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$213K
-0.6% YoY
Grant Count
56
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-14.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County reported a distributable amount of $162K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Legacy Foundation is dedicated to investing in community by supporting local organizations through two grant cycles each year. The foundation focuses on six primary program areas:
- Health — Supporting initiatives that promote physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing
- Education — Helping to provide educational opportunities to all age groups
- Recreation — Funding organizations that provide access to physical activities, indoor/outdoor learning, relaxation, and enjoyment
- Human and Social Services — Providing support to organizations that focus on learning, development, and rehabilitation
- Aging — Supporting organizations that serve senior community members and the aging journey
- Arts and Culture — Supporting organizations that provide cultural experiences for the community
Grantmaking
The foundation made 38 grants in 2023, with typical award amounts ranging from $450 to $14,950. Recent grantees have included:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Legacy Foundation primarily funds organizations located in Tompkins County, New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $3,186,013
- Total Revenues: $303,559
- Total Expenses: $337,384
- Total Giving: $209,662
The foundation maintains an endowment and actively seeks donations to grow its capacity to support community organizations.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,305,436 | $3,186,013 | $2,986,093 |
| Revenue | $270,484 | $303,559 | $216,225 |
| Expenses | $334,308 | $337,384 | $336,677 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $209,662 | $209,573 | $226,825 |
| Net Investment Income | $43,859 | $41,362 | $27,376 |
| Distributable Amount | $161,708 | $149,567 | $156,636 |
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
227 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Finger Lakes Reuse Inc ($10,000), Beverly J Martin School Pta ($7,500), Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services Inc ($7,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 4-H PRIMITIVE PERSUITS OF CORNELL COOPERATIVE ITHACA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $3,000 |
| AMPLIFY EQUITY INC ELMIRA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $2,000 |
| BEVERLY J MARTIN SCHOOL PTA ITHACA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $7,500 |
| BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF ITHACA AND TOMPKINS COUNTY ITHACA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $1,310 |
| BOYCE THOMPSON INSTITUTE ITHACA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $4,800 |
| BROOKTONDALE COMMUNITY CENTER BROOKTONDALE, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $4,455 |
| CHILD DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ITHACA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| CIVIC ENSEMBLE INC ITHACA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| COMMUNITY NURSING SCHOOL OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS ITHACA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $3,500 |
| COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND ARTS ITHACA, NY | AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Peter Grossman, President of the Board — A partner in the law firm Hancock Estabrook LLP, Grossman is a 1973 graduate of Northwestern University and 1976 graduate of the Washington College of Law of American University. With over forty years of legal experience, he specializes in commercial and residential transactions, small business formation and management, trusts and estate planning, probate and estate administration, and municipal law. He serves as a member of the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates and is a Fellow of the New York Bar Foundation.
Jean McPheeters, Vice President of the Board — McPheeters previously served as president of the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce for almost 15 years before starting her consulting business, where she worked with small and large businesses, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and government agencies.
Ms. Shelly Caveney — Administrative Assistant
Perri LoPinto — Staff member
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEAN MCPHEETERS | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| GREGORY GALVIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PETER GROSSMAN | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| DANA CHRISTOFFERSON | SECRETARY/ TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DAVID ILES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| THOMAS LIVIGNE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR DAVID EVELYN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| STEPHEN ROMAINE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PETER SALMON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RYAN LOMBARDI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PERRI LOPINTO | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $64,896 |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 97 Ithaca, NY 14851
Phone: (607) 273-0063 or (607) 319-0164
Website: tclegacy.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County fund?
The Legacy Foundation is dedicated to investing in community by supporting local organizations through two grant cycles each year. The foundation focuses on six primary program areas: • **Health** — Supporting initiatives that promote physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing • **Education** — Helping to provide educational opportunities to all age groups • **Recreation** — Funding organizations that provide access to physical activities, indoor/outdoor learning, relaxation, and enjoyment • **H…
How do I apply for a grant from Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County?
The foundation made 38 grants in 2023, with typical award amounts ranging from $450 to $14,950. Recent grantees have included: • Cayuga Medical Center Foundation ($10,000) • Southside Community Center ($10,000) • The Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern Tier ($8,000) • Foodnet Meals on Wheels (multiple grants) • Child Development Council The foundation accepts grant applications and maintains an online grant login portal for applicants and current grantees.
Where does Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County make grants?
The Legacy Foundation primarily funds organizations located in Tompkins County, New York.
What size grants does Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County award?
In 2024, Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County awarded 56 grants totaling $213K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County reported a distributable amount of $162K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County's EIN?
Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 15-6018481. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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