Saunders Foundation
Saunders Foundation is a private foundation based in Rochester, New York. In its 2024 filing, it reported grants to charitable organizations, including educational, community, and health-related organizations.
Saunders Foundation at a glance
In short: Saunders Foundation gave $6.8M across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $218K), mostly in New York. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,751,068
- +387.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $217,776
- +387.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $5,874,037
- -5.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (9 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Saunders Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 762 Brooks Ave, Rochester, NY 14619
Phone: (585) 235-4790
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Saunders Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Rochester ($5.4M). Together the top 10 received $6.6M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($50,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 134 grants of 160 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Saunders Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 29 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $717K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 59% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 878% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $245K (2022) to $6.8M (2024). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $6.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Rochester Rochester, NY | value of donated stocks to UofR | $5,356,057 |
| Saunders Museum Branchport, NY | value of donated stocks to Saunders Museum | $997,611 |
| Hope Hall School Rochester, NY | program funding-Dolce Method | $55,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $50,000 |
| Education Success Foundation Rochester, NY | annual program funding | $50,000 |
| Saranac Lake Civic Center Saranac Lake, NY | roof recondition | $50,000 |
| The Healing Connection Residential Trtmt Rochester, NY | startup cash flow and building costs | $50,000 |
| Bivona Child Advocacy Center Rochester, NY | program funding | $10,000 |
| United Way of Greater Rochester Rochester, NY | annual giving-direct to Livingston County | $10,000 |
| Nativity Preparatory Academy of Rochester Rochester, NY | fund continuation of academic programs | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,874,037 | $5,433,536 | $6,821,166 | $6,751,068 | 31 | $6,767,354 | $249,445 | $391,571 |
| 2023 | $6,223,804 | $3,120,604 | $1,420,667 | $1,383,750 | 31 | $1,399,260 | $2,093,741 | $341,234 |
| 2022 | $5,279,615 | $3,007,062 | $288,674 | $245,450 | 31 | $259,835 | $167,685 | $276,033 |
| 2021 | $4,188,450 | $430,373 | $707,488 | $690,279 | 33 | $690,279 | $423,653 | $226,684 |
| 2020 | $4,251,062 | $478,501 | $759,719 | $730,379 | 34 | — | $477,995 | $181,140 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Saunders Foundation reported a distributable amount of $392K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, the University of Rochester describes its mission as providing higher education, research, and charitable patient care services. The Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester says it works to support people affected by breast or gynecologic cancer, promote informed decision-making, and advance regional research. United Way of Greater Rochester describes its mission as uniting community resources so everyone can thrive.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $6,751,068. The median grant was $10,000; individual grants ranged from $200 to $5,356,057. The largest reported grants were $5,356,057 to the University of Rochester, described as the value of donated stocks, and $997,611 to Saunders Museum, also described as the value of donated stocks.
Other grants included $55,000 to Hope Hall School for program funding for the Dolce Method; $50,000 each to an individual recipient Fisher College for a White Coat Scholarship in its School of Pharmacy, Education Success Foundation for annual program funding, Saranac Lake Civic Center for roof reconditioning, and The Healing Connection Residential Treatment for startup cash flow and building costs. The foundation also reported $10,000 grants to organizations including Bivona Child Advocacy Center, United Way of Greater Rochester, and Monroe Community College Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists E. Philip Saunders as Chairman Emeritus, Patricia Redding as President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Jr Sant as Secretary and General Counsel, and Sheri LeFrois as Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer.
Saunders Foundation is led by Patricia Redding, President & Chief Executive Officer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patricia Redding
President & Chief Executive Officer
Vice President → President & Chief Executive Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Jr Sant
Secretary & General Counsel
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary & General Counsel, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
E Philip Saunders
Chairman Emeritus
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sheri LeFrois
Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Carole Saunders (2020–2021) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Saunders Foundation
How much does Saunders Foundation give each year?
Saunders Foundation gave $6.8M across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 31 grants.
What is Saunders Foundation's typical grant size?
Saunders Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $217,776, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Saunders Foundation that year got $717K on average.
Where does Saunders Foundation give grants?
Saunders Foundation gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Rochester, NY (15 grants), Dansville, NY (3 grants), Saranac Lake, NY (2 grants) and Avon, NY (2 grants).
Does Saunders Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Saunders Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Funding" (8 grants).
Who are Saunders Foundation's largest grantees?
Saunders Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Rochester ($5,356,057), Saunders Museum ($997,611) and Hope Hall School ($55,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($50,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 95% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Saunders Foundation?
Saunders Foundation reported $5.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $392K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Saunders Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, the University of Rochester describes its mission as providing higher education, research, and charitable patient care services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Saunders Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Saunders Foundation's EIN?
Saunders Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1289330. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Saunders Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Saunders Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/saunders-foundation-morg_73c8ff6cc6954da1a6a3bde4f4cc9930
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_161289330_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Saunders Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/saunders-foundation-morg_73c8ff6cc6954da1a6a3bde4f4cc9930},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Saunders Foundation'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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