The Prentice Foundation Inc
The Prentice Foundation Inc is a private not-for-profit foundation incorporated in the State of Illinois on March 22, 2005, and granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service on September 23, 2007. The foundation was created by Bryant H. Prentice, III and his wife Joan P. Prentice to support economic development initiatives in Western New York.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$25.7M
+2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
+8.7% YoY
Grant Count
219
-3.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+12.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Prentice Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's goal is to promote the economic development of the Western New York area by combining support for college and graduate students who demonstrate entrepreneurial drive with investments in businesses located in Western New York.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates the Western New York Prosperity Fellowship Program, which provides financial assistance to students. The program was originally established as the Western New York Prosperity Scholarship Program in 2009 at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and expanded to Canisius College in 2010. In 2015, the scholarship program was enhanced and converted into the Western New York Prosperity Fellowship Program, which maintains financial assistance features while adding extracurricular and post-graduate activities for participants.
Ready to take the next step with The Prentice Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's primary geographic focus is Western New York, with scholarship and fellowship programs established at institutions in the region, including SUNY at Buffalo and Canisius College.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $25,652,368 | $25,007,203 | $26,579,736 |
| Revenue | $3,852,614 | $1,395,648 | $1,362,112 |
| Expenses | $3,207,449 | $2,980,681 | $3,644,495 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,889,810 | $2,666,811 | $3,253,844 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,562,095 | $1,102,587 | $1,044,014 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,808,572 | $1,579,223 | $1,678,949 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Aspen Community Foundation ($150,000), As You Sow ($54,245), Climate Democracy Initiative ($45,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABORTION COALITION FOR TELEMEDICINE INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| ACTION FOR THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY INC CHARLESTOWN, MA | North Carolina Program | $20,000 |
| ACTION FOR THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY INC CHARLESTOWN, MA | College Campus 2024 fund | $20,000 |
| ACTION FOR THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY INC CHARLESTOWN, MA | for civic engagement field work in Montana | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION OF FLORI CORAL GABLES, FL | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION OF FLORI CORAL GABLES, FL | democracy program | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION OF FLORI CORAL GABLES, FL | To protect reproductive freedom in Florida | $17,500 |
| AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, DC | General & Unrestricted | $5,620 |
| AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $2,327 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation was created by Bryant H. Prentice, III and Joan P. Prentice.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerry Babicka | Dir, Treas | 1 | — |
| Lynn P Babicka | Dir, VP | 1 | — |
| James Bohart Jr | Dir | 1 | — |
| Barbara Hapgood | Dir, Sec | 1 | — |
| John Powers | Dir, Pres | 3 | — |
| Lauren Zuskin | Dir | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Prentice Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's goal is to promote the economic development of the Western New York area by combining support for college and graduate students who demonstrate entrepreneurial drive with investments in businesses located in Western New York.
How do I apply for a grant from The Prentice Foundation Inc?
The foundation operates the Western New York Prosperity Fellowship Program, which provides financial assistance to students. The program was originally established as the Western New York Prosperity Scholarship Program in 2009 at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and expanded to Canisius College in 2010. In 2015, the scholarship program was enhanced and converted into the Western New York Prosperity Fellowship Program, which maintains financial assistance features while adding extrac…
Where does The Prentice Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's primary geographic focus is Western New York, with scholarship and fellowship programs established at institutions in the region, including SUNY at Buffalo and Canisius College.
What size grants does The Prentice Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Prentice Foundation Inc awarded 219 grants totaling $2.7M — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Prentice Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Prentice Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Prentice Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Prentice Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1386173. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Prentice Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Prentice Foundation Inc on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching The Prentice Foundation Inc to a real strategy.