Seneca Foods Foundation
The Seneca Foods Foundation is a corporate foundation established in 1988 and based in Fairport, New York. It operates as a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Seneca Foods Corporation, a vertically-integrated food company specializing in packaged fruits and vegetables.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.9M
+46.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$461K
-67.4% YoY
Grant Count
224
+29.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
-74.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Seneca Foods Foundation reported a distributable amount of $522K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is committed to philanthropic initiatives throughout communities where Seneca Foods employees work and live. The foundation reviews requests for monetary funding in the following areas:
- Agriculture
- Academics
- Community
- Health & Wellness
- Memorial & Bereavement
- Youth Sports
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on helping to prepare and empower young people by providing them with the tools needed to become independent and contributing members of the community. It also supports programs designed to promote education and employment, and youth development.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 186 grants in the most recent fiscal year. Notable recent grants include:
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations located in communities where Seneca has a business presence, including:
- Nampa and Payette, Idaho
- Princeville, Illinois
- Hart and Traverse City, Michigan
- Blue Earth, Glencoe, Lake Elmo, Le Sueur, and Montgomery, Minnesota
- Additional communities in New York and other states
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2024 (ending March 31, 2024)
- Total Revenue: $1,001,705
- Total Expenses: $1,435,811
- Total Assets: $9,512,719
- Total Liabilities: $22,500
- Net Income: -$434,106
The foundation maintains substantial assets to support its ongoing grantmaking activities.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,914,853 | $9,512,719 | $9,462,632 |
| Revenue | $17,579 | $1,001,705 | $502,539 |
| Expenses | $1,240,987 | $1,435,811 | $337,644 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $471,270 | $1,424,331 | $326,247 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $522,450 | $412,140 | $461,707 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Seneca Foods Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia ($6,000), 2b Continued ($5,000), Blue Earth Giant Museum Inc ($5,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2B CONTINUED GLENCOE, MN | SAFE TALK PROGRAM | $5,000 |
| ACHIEVING A BETTER COMMUNITY INC BERLIN, WI | LIGHT THE PARK EVENT | $1,000 |
| ADDING CANDLES FOR A CURE ROCHESTER, NY | BRAIN CANCER RESEARCH FUNDRAISER EVENT | $1,500 |
| AG BUSINESS COUNCIL OF ROCK CO JANESVILLE, WI | ROCK COUNTY AGRICULTURE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM | $2,500 |
| AJ'S BRAVEHEARTS INC PENSACOLA, FL | ASSIST PEOPLE/ANIMALS IN CRISIS | $1,000 |
| ALLIANCE OF CHICANO HISPANIC ROCHESTER, MN | ROCHESTER COMMUNITY BIKE CLUB | $500 |
| ALS ASSOCIATION ST PAUL, MN | SUPERSONIC STUDIERS | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ROCHESTER, NY | SUPPORT CANCER RESEARCH & RELAY FOR LIFE PROGRAM | $2,100 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION ROCHESTER, NY | THE HEART WALK & RUN | $250 |
| AMERICAN HEARTSTROKE ASSOCIATION SYRACUSE, NY | LOCAL HEART ASSOCIATION | $300 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Paul L. Palmby — President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL WOLCOTT | SVP, CFO, TREASURER | 1 | — |
| KRAIG KAYSER | CHAIRMAN, DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUSAN W STUART | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN EXNER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| PAUL L PALMBY | PRESIDENT, CEO, DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GREGORY R IDE | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, the Seneca Foods Foundation made a significant $1,000,000 commitment to Cornell University's Food Venture Center Endowment Fund, demonstrating the foundation's investment in agricultural innovation and education. This grant represents one of the foundation's largest recent commitments and reflects its focus on supporting academic and agricultural initiatives.
$10M gift from Seneca Foods will support the Cornell Food Venture CenterFrequently Asked Questions
What does Seneca Foods Foundation fund?
The foundation is committed to philanthropic initiatives throughout communities where Seneca Foods employees work and live. The foundation reviews requests for monetary funding in the following areas: • Agriculture • Academics • Community • Health & Wellness • Memorial & Bereavement • Youth Sports The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on helping to prepare and empower young people by providing them with the tools needed to become independent and contributing members of the community. I…
How do I apply for a grant from Seneca Foods Foundation?
**Recent Grant Activity (Fiscal Year 2024)** The foundation made 186 grants in the most recent fiscal year. Notable recent grants include: • Cornell University: $1,000,000 for the Cornell Food Venture Center Endowment Fund • Farming for the Future Foundation: $200,000 for the Food & Farm Exploration Center • The Harley School: $35,000 for Private School Programs, Development and Facilities Improvement Total grants distributed in 2024 exceeded $1.3 million. **Application Process** Organizations …
Where does Seneca Foods Foundation make grants?
The foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations located in communities where Seneca has a business presence, including: • Nampa and Payette, Idaho • Princeville, Illinois • Hart and Traverse City, Michigan • Blue Earth, Glencoe, Lake Elmo, Le Sueur, and Montgomery, Minnesota • Additional communities in New York and other states
What size grants does Seneca Foods Foundation award?
In 2025, Seneca Foods Foundation awarded 224 grants totaling $461K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Seneca Foods Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Seneca Foods Foundation reported a distributable amount of $522K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Seneca Foods Foundation's EIN?
Seneca Foods Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2996324. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Seneca Foods Foundation'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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