The Margaret L Wendt Foundation
The Margaret L Wendt Foundation is a private, grant-making foundation established in 1956 and based in Buffalo, New York. The foundation is dedicated to charitable and public-service purposes in the Western New York area and operates as a trust structure with unconditional tax-exempt status since August 1958.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$75.5M
+16.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.9M
+7.6% YoY
Grant Count
44
+18.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$66K
-9.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation emphasizes support for education, the arts, and social services. Additional funding areas include churches and religious organizations, public interest organizations, youth agencies, health services, services for veterans, and community development. The foundation also supports children and youth initiatives and arts and culture programming.
Types of support provided include general support, project support, building funds, and equipment.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation made 29 grants totaling approximately $1.9 million. Notable recent grants include:
Average Grant
amount varies by year
Review Cycle
January 1, June 15, and October 1 (subject to change)
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses exclusively on the Western New York area, with particular emphasis on the Buffalo region.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving:
- Total assets: $75,450,359 (as of 2024)
- Total assets: $64,615,125 (as of 2023)
- Total giving: $2,882,759 (2024)
- Total revenues: $4,674,231 (2023)
- Total expenses: $4,628,315 (2023)
Income Sources: The foundation reported royalty income from investment in the Roycroft Inn, a historic landmark in the Western New York area that the foundation owns. This income is utilized to fund grants.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $75,450,359 | $64,615,125 | $65,834,544 |
| Revenue | $4,171,027 | $4,674,231 | $3,159,416 |
| Expenses | $5,722,084 | $4,628,315 | $6,526,861 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,121,413 | $2,973,563 | $4,040,578 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,900,049 | $2,664,577 | $1,673,021 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,741,096 | $3,107,313 | $3,508,658 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
192 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Margaret L Wendt Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation maintains a small staff of four employees. Key leadership includes:
- Thomas Lunt, Trustee
- Jennifer Day Domanski, Trustee
- Claire Kresse White, Trustee
- Jennifer Hardy, Accountant
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS LUNT | TRUSTEE | 20 | $89,256 |
| CLAIRE KRESSE WHITE | TRUSTEE | 20 | $89,256 |
| JENNIFER DAY DOMANSKI | TRUSTEE | 20 | $89,256 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant grants to support community initiatives in Buffalo, including contributions to the Buffalo Life Sciences Complex and ongoing support for organizations serving vulnerable populations in the region.
Margaret L. Wendt Foundation Awards Grants Totaling $4.5 Million to FundData last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Margaret L Wendt Foundation on Grantable?
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