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
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
No grants recorded for .
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
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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