The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation is a private foundation based in Buffalo, New York. Its stated grantmaking focuses on education, philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking, and human services, primarily in New York, California, and Massachusetts.
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation gave $2.8M across 131 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,770,500
- -11.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 131
- +7.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,149
- -17.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $36,662,749
- -1.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (56% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 726 Exchange Street 800, Buffalo, NY 14210
Phone: (716) 845-6000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society Inc ($585K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($12,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
507 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 455 grants of 507 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated geographic emphasis is primarily New York, California, and Massachusetts. In 2024, recipients in New York received 56% of grant dollars, followed by Massachusetts at 13%, California at 10%, Washington at 7%, and New Jersey at 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 131 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation gives
- 81% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 120% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $2.7M (2022) to $3.1M (2023). In 2024 it made 131 grants totaling $2.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society Inc Buffalo, NY | Operating Support of Symphony Orchestra | $585,000 |
| Vipassana Community Foundation Onalaska, WA | Programs Supporting Vipassana Meditation | $170,000 |
| Oxfam America Boston, MA | Disaster Relief and Poverty Relief | $150,000 |
| Buffalo AKG Art Museum Buffalo, NY | General Operating Support and Education Programs | $140,000 |
| Let There Be Light International Buffalo, NY | Solar Light for Families in Africa | $102,500 |
| Partners in Health Boston, MA | Health Care for the Poor | $100,000 |
| Multiple Sclerosis Association of America Cherry Hill, NJ | Services for People with Multiple Sclerosis | $85,000 |
| Feedmore Western New York Buffalo, NY | Food Assistance for Families | $70,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc New York, NY | National Support for Family Planning | $68,000 |
| Fidelity Charitable Fund Cincinnati, OH | Fund for Charitable Giving | $65,000 |
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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 | $36,662,749 | $2,548,713 | $3,018,931 | $2,770,500 | 131 | $2,794,886 | $2,346,464 | $2,327,557 |
| 2023 | $37,132,967 | $362,463 | $3,342,845 | $3,140,500 | 122 | $3,168,136 | $892,557 | $2,163,929 |
| 2022 | $40,109,756 | $1,277,351 | $2,971,638 | $2,742,000 | 124 | $2,765,702 | $1,088,400 | $2,226,344 |
| 2021 | $41,850,887 | $4,467,856 | $3,129,703 | $2,839,500 | 129 | $2,865,193 | $4,262,686 | $2,472,213 |
| 2020 | $40,465,890 | $2,946,064 | $3,180,728 | $2,927,500 | 1 | — | $2,716,987 | $2,198,477 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M 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
The foundation’s filing identifies education, philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking, and human services as its grantmaking focus areas.
Its grantees describe a range of work. For example, the Vipassana Community Foundation says it works to make Vipassana meditation courses more widely available worldwide. Let There Be Light International says it provides solar lights to vulnerable off-grid communities, while FeedMore Western New York says it provides food, friendship, and skills training to neighbors in need. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society received support for orchestra operations, and the Buffalo AKG Art Museum received general operating and education-program support.
Other 2024 recipients included organizations whose stated missions address reproductive health care, health care for people in poverty, food assistance, and environmental protection.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 131 grants totaling $2,770,500. Awards ranged from $2,000 to $585,000, with a median grant of $7,500.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $585,000 to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society for operating support; $170,000 to the Vipassana Community Foundation for programs supporting Vipassana meditation; $150,000 to Oxfam America for disaster and poverty relief; and $140,000 to the Buffalo AKG Art Museum for general operating support and education programs. Other large awards included $102,500 to Let There Be Light International, $100,000 to Partners in Health, and $70,000 to FeedMore Western New York.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists these trustees: Brian D. Baird, Sarah M. Baird, Bruce C. Baird, Bridget B. Baird, Martha B. Senturia, and Peter C. Clauson.
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brian D. Baird
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Bridget B. Baird
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Bruce C. Baird
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Martha B. Senturia
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Peter C. Clauson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Sarah M. Baird
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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 The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation
How much does The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation give each year?
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation gave $2.8M across 131 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.1M across 122 grants.
What is The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $7,500, and its average grant was $21,149, across 131 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation give grants?
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation gives mostly in New York: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (13%) and California (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (42 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Boston, MA (4 grants) and Concord, CA (4 grants).
Does The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 8% of The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 131) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Support for Education Programs" (3 grants).
Who are The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society Inc ($585,000), Vipassana Community Foundation ($170,000) and Oxfam America ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($12,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation?
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation reported $36.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing identifies education, philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking, and human services as its grantmaking focus areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation's EIN?
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-6029481. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Cameron and Jane Baird 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). The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cameron-and-jane-baird-foundation-morg_31d75cdf8df94df8b0e0ae63e772efa5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_166029481_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cameron-and-jane-baird-foundation-morg_31d75cdf8df94df8b0e0ae63e772efa5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 The Cameron and Jane Baird 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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