The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation
The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation is a private foundation based in Rochester, New York. Established in 1998 to honor Guido and Ellen Palma, it supports youth programming in the arts and/or nature in the Greater Rochester region.
Key facts about The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation
In short: The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation gave $256K across 39 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 16-1559984
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $256,193
- Grants made (2025)
- 39
- Average grant
- $6,569
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $1,023,970
- Primary geography
- New York (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation solicits proposals and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- November 15 each year.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.0M
-15.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$256K
+19.6% YoY
Grant Count
39
+14.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
+4.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation reported a distributable amount of $98K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation gives
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 36% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 266% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support arts and nature programming for youth in Monroe County and surrounding regions. Its grants support organizations providing services or activities for youth, particularly in the arts and nature.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. Rochester City Ballet describes its mission as creating inspiring, entertaining, and educational experiences through dance; Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra says it seeks to inspire, engage, and enrich the community through music. Flower City Arts Center describes its work as educating and inspiring people to create and enjoy visual arts, design, and media. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 39 grants totaling $256,193. Grants ranged from $1,800 to $10,000, with a median award of $7,500. Examples include $10,000 each to Deep Arts for youth programming support, Rochester City Ballet for youth programming support, and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for youth programming support; $9,000 to Push Physical Theatre for its Push Yourself Project; and $7,500 each to Flower City Arts Center for program support and Cayuga Museum of History & Art for capital project support.
The foundation offers three application categories: one-time capital grants of up to $15,000 for building or grounds projects directly related to youth arts and/or nature programming; potential three-year start-up grants of up to $10,000 per year for new and innovative programs; and traditional yearly grants of up to $7,500 for other eligible programs. It does not provide deficit funding, though it may consider requests where an organization has recently lost core funding for reasons other than performance, with documentation.
Review Cycle
November 15 each year. The foundation solicits proposals beginning in August and makes funding decisions in December.
How to Apply
The foundation solicits proposals and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants must apply online in one session; the foundation also allows applications by email or mail if online submission is not possible. The application requires a description of the proposal and requested amount, proposed expenditures, and supporting cost estimates where applicable. The filing’s application instructions also require the most recent audited financial statements, an annual budget, and proof of 501(c)(3) status; the website says to submit an annual report and proof of 501(c)(3) status. Organizations must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), and requested funds must serve youth residing in the Greater Rochester region. One-year grant activities and use of funds are expected to be completed within 18 months of disbursement; capital grant timelines are project-specific.
Ready to take the next step with The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Applicants must use requested funds for youth residing in Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Yates, Cayuga, or Wayne County, New York. The foundation’s website also describes a ten-county region that includes Wyoming and Seneca counties, while its grant-process eligibility list specifies the eight counties above.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $17K (2020) to $256K (2025). In 2025 it made 39 grants totaling $256K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Deep Arts Inc ($10K). Together the top 10 received $89K.
Grant Size Distribution
161 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 161 grants of 161 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Arts Inc Rochester, NY | Youth Programming Support | $10,000 |
| Discovery Academy of Science and Art (Dasa) Preschool Rochester, NY | Program Support | $10,000 |
| Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council Batavia, NY | Capital Project | $10,000 |
| Rochester City Ballet Rochester, NY | Youth Programming Support | $10,000 |
| Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Rochester, NY | Youth Programming Support | $10,000 |
| Push Physical Theatre Rochester, NY | Push Yourself Project | $9,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Rochester Rochester, NY | Youth Programming Support | $7,500 |
| Cayuga Museum of History & Art Auburn, NY | Capital Project Support | $7,500 |
| Corn Hill Waterfront & Navigation Foundation Rochester, NY | Youth Programming Support | $7,500 |
| Cornell University Cooperative Extension Yates County Penn Yan, NY | Youth Programming Support | $7,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,023,970 | $90,220 | $272,999 | $256,193 | 39 |
| 2024 | $1,206,749 | $106,779 | $227,681 | $214,170 | 34 |
| 2023 | $1,327,650 | $105,568 | $234,925 | $215,412 | 33 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,023,970 | $1,206,749 | $1,327,650 |
| Revenue | $90,220 | $106,779 | $105,568 |
| Expenses | $272,999 | $227,681 | $234,925 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $260,243 | $218,571 | $219,612 |
| Net Investment Income | $25,069 | $41,713 | $28,130 |
| Distributable Amount | $97,723 | $90,756 | $87,560 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Roger P. Palma as president, treasurer, and director; Kimberly L. Palma as vice president, secretary, and director; Richard Magere as director; and Delaney Palma as director. The foundation’s website identifies Roger Palma as president, Kimberly Palma as vice president/secretary, and Rick Magere and Delaney Palma as board members.
The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation is led by Roger P. Palma, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Roger P. Palma
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly L. Palma
Vice President, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Magere
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Delaney Palma
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Palma Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 31862, Rochester, NY 14603
Phone: (585) 314-3262
Email: info@palmafoundation.org
Website: https://palmafoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation
How much does The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation give each year?
The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation gave $256K across 39 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $214K across 34 grants.
What is The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation's typical grant size?
The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $6,569, across 39 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation give grants?
The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Rochester, NY (25 grants) and Penn Yan, NY (2 grants).
Does The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 39) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Youth Programming Support" (17 grants), "Program Support" (8 grants) and "Capital Project" (3 grants).
Who are The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation's largest grantees?
The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Deep Arts Inc ($10,000), Discovery Academy of Science and Art (Dasa) Preschool ($10,000) and Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation?
The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $260K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $98K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support arts and nature programming for youth in Monroe County and surrounding regions. Its grants support organizations providing services or activities for youth, particularly in the arts and nature. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation?
The foundation solicits proposals and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation's EIN?
The Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1559984. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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