The Perna Family Charitable Foundation
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Buffalo, New York. In 2025, it gave $6,350 through 10 grants to charitable organizations, including organizations in Western New York and elsewhere.
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Perna Family Charitable Foundation gave $6K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $635), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,350
- +22.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $635
- -2.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $86,964
- +264.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Perna Family Charitable 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: 460 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14201
Phone: (716) 529-0936
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Perna Family Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Bisons Children Scholarship ($2K). Together the top 10 received $6K.
Grant Size Distribution
18 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 18 grants of 18 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 6% to Tennessee, and 1% to Massachusetts. The listed recipients included several organizations in Buffalo and the surrounding area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Perna Family Charitable Foundation gives
- 30% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2024) to $6K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $6K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bisons Children Scholarship Buffalo, NY | Unrestricted | $1,750 |
| Crisis Services Buffalo, NY | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Danceability Inc Depew, NY | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Roswell Park Cancer Institute Buffalo, NY | Unrestricted | $850 |
| Erie County Bar Foundation Buffalo, NY | Unrestricted | $500 |
| Peace Prints of WNY Buffalo, NY | Unrestricted | $500 |
| St Jude's Children's Research Memphis, TN | Unrestricted | $350 |
| Hospice Buffalo Inc Buffalo, NY | Unrestricted | $200 |
| Federation of Italian-American Societies of Western New York Buffalo, NY | Unrestricted | $125 |
| The Association of Marian Helpers Stockbridge, MA | Unrestricted | $75 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $86,964 | $140,008 | $10,800 | $6,350 | 10 | $10,800 | $66,072 | $12,079 |
| 2024 | $23,840 | $201,072 | $6,700 | $5,200 | 8 | $6,700 | $2 | $1,459 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Perna Family Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including Danceability Inc, which describes its mission as offering individualized dance, fitness, and movement programs for the special needs community, and Erie County Bar Foundation Inc, which says it provides grants, well-being programs, and counseling to members of the bar association. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $6,350. Grants ranged from $75 to $1,750, with a median grant of $500. All listed grant purposes were unrestricted.
Notable 2025 grants included $1,750 to Bisons Children Scholarship; $1,000 each to Crisis Services and Danceability Inc; $850 to Roswell Park Cancer Institute; and $500 each to Erie County Bar Foundation and Peace Prints of WNY.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Philip Perna, Linda Ball, Stephanie Celani, Elizabeth Perna, and Paul Perna as directors.
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Perna
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Linda Ball
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Perna
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philip Perna
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Celani
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2025. "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 Perna Family Charitable Foundation
How much does The Perna Family Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation gave $6K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $5K across 8 grants.
What is The Perna Family Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $635, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Perna Family Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation gives mostly in New York: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Tennessee (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (7 grants).
Does The Perna Family Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Perna Family Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Perna Family Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Bisons Children Scholarship ($1,750), Crisis Services ($1,000) and Danceability Inc ($1,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Perna Family Charitable Foundation?
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation reported $87K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $11K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Perna Family Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Perna Family Charitable 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 Perna Family Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Perna Family Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-3392617. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2025.
Does The Perna Family Charitable 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
Live grants for the work The Perna Family Charitable Foundation funds
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