The Children's Guild Foundation Inc
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc is a Buffalo, New York public charity that supports children and young adults with special needs in Western New York through grants and advocacy. Its work centers on health care, research, education, and therapeutic recreation.
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Children's Guild Foundation Inc gave $1.3M across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $69K), mostly in New York. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,316,890
- +34.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +46.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $69,310
- -8.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $19,377,286
- +4.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (8 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Children's Guild Foundation Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 726 Exchange Street 1016, Buffalo, NY 14210
Phone: (716) 362-9650
Website: https://cg.foundation
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Children's Guild Foundation Inc
Who The Children's Guild Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Roswell Park Alliance Foundation ($375K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 78 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation considers programs and projects only in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties in New York. The Foundation’s 2025 filing reports that all grant dollars went to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Children's Guild Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 19 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $32K; repeat grants $96K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $31K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $433K (2020) to $1.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Roswell Park Alliance Foundation Buffalo, NY | patient care programs | $375,000 |
| Rural Outreach Center East Aurora, NY | Mental Health Clinical Support | $255,000 |
| Sasi Elma, NY | Abbott Road Respite project | $125,000 |
| Chautauqua Institution Chautauqua, NY | Chautauqua Institution Arts Education program | $100,000 |
| Child and Family Services of Erie County Buffalo, NY | Falk-Mullen Elementary School Capacity Building Project | $100,000 |
| Sabah Buffalo, NY | Summer Athletes Bold at Heart skating program | $95,210 |
| Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship Inc Buffalo, NY | Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship endowment fund | $50,000 |
| Cradle Beach Angola, NY | GAP Camp program | $31,000 |
| The Summit Center Getzville, NY | The Summit Center toward the Countyard at Creekside | $25,000 |
| Via Buffalo, NY | O&M Training for School Aged blind or visually impaired children | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Children's Guild Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,377,286 | $910,142 | $1,425,774 | $1,316,890 | 19 | $826,738 |
| 2024 | $18,472,357 | $1,093,487 | $984,624 | $979,895 | 13 | $1,035,648 |
| 2023 | $16,689,572 | $652,534 | $910,182 | $708,950 | 14 | $602,252 |
| 2022 | $16,304,095 | $1,008,959 | $1,363,636 | $816,487 | 11 | $949,410 |
| 2021 | $20,072,644 | $1,365,285 | $692,689 | $515,994 | 21 | $1,283,619 |
| 2020 | $17,163,938 | $358,520 | $1,017,117 | $433,174 | 13 | $289,916 |
| 2019 | $16,382,487 | $470,948 | $961,196 | $501,565 | 21 | $415,886 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to support and advocate for health care, research, education, and therapeutic recreation for children with special needs. Its focus includes developmental, medical, behavioral, intellectual, and learning disabilities, as well as mental health issues.
The Foundation funds existing programs and services, new approaches, research, capital improvements tied to an organization’s mission and programs, and capacity building. Its grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of work supported: Roswell Park Alliance Foundation says it supports cancer research, treatment, prevention, and the psychosocial needs of patients and families; Cradle Beach says it creates inclusive experiences with a focus on children with special needs and underserved children; and The Summit Center describes providing educational, therapeutic, and support services to children and young adults with autism, speech delays, and other conditions affecting development and learning.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 19 grants totaling $1,316,890. Individual grants ranged from $8,500 to $375,000, with a median of $25,000. Notable awards included $375,000 to Roswell Park Alliance Foundation for patient care programs; $255,000 to Rural Outreach Center for mental health clinical support; $125,000 to SASI for the Abbott Road Respite project; and $100,000 each to Chautauqua Institution for its arts education program and Child and Family Services of Erie County for the Falk-Mullen Elementary School Capacity Building Project.
The Foundation reviews grants on a rolling basis, with no grant-cycle deadlines. Applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent through the Foundation’s web-based application system; full applications are completed upon invitation. The Foundation recommends that prospective applicants discuss their ideas with its office before submitting an LOI. Grants may be for one year or multiple years, usually no more than three years, and interim reports are required. The Foundation does not fund indirect costs or general overhead, deficit funding, or individual scholarships or fellowships, except within specific programs it funds. Its 2023 filing says grant applications are reviewed by a grant committee, which recommends awards to the board for approval. The filing also describes monitoring through site visits, grantee evaluation forms, and review of grantees’ financial statements.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Catherine A. Gura as president; Daniel K. Comerford as chair; Darci B. Cramer, PhD, as vice chair; and John H. Edholm Sr. as treasurer, with the filing noting “through 123124.” It also lists Margaret M. Zak, Susan G. Koessler, Renee A. Filip, Wendy T. Stahlka, Colleen P. Fahey, Esq., and Michael L. Gross as board members.
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc is led by Catherine A Gura, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 12 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine A Gura
President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$153K (2019) → $165K (2025)
Daniel K Comerford
Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Colleen P Fahey Esq.
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Darci B Cramer PhD
Vice Chair
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret M Zak
Board Member
Chair → Director, 2024
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Renee A Filip
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan G Koessler
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wendy T Stahlka
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren E Voigt
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael L Gross
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Batt
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark D Tompkins eff
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: John H Edholm Sr. (2019–2025) — Treasurer · Filing note: Through 123124
- Former: Mark D Tompkins (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Sarah L Tasker (2019–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: William J Loecher (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Geoffrey R Fenn (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: James A Bourne (2019–2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $165K, to Catherine A Gura (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Children's Guild Foundation Inc
How much does The Children's Guild Foundation Inc give each year?
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc gave $1.3M across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $980K across 13 grants.
What is The Children's Guild Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $69,310, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Children's Guild Foundation Inc that year got $32K on average.
Where does The Children's Guild Foundation Inc give grants?
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (7 grants).
Does The Children's Guild Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on The Children's Guild Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Children's Guild Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Roswell Park Alliance Foundation ($375,000), Rural Outreach Center ($255,000) and Sasi ($125,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Children's Guild Foundation Inc?
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc reported $19.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $910K.
What does The Children's Guild Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to support and advocate for health care, research, education, and therapeutic recreation for children with special needs. Its focus includes developmental, medical, behavioral, intellectual, and learning disabilities, as well as mental health issues. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Children's Guild Foundation Inc?
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check cg.foundation for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Children's Guild Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-0756286. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 28, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Children's Guild Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Children's Guild Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-children-s-guild-foundation-inc-morg_d534792ca45146cf8ead06077a7a16e9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_160756286_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Children's Guild Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-children-s-guild-foundation-inc-morg_d534792ca45146cf8ead06077a7a16e9},
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 Children's Guild Foundation Inc'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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