The Rosamond Gifford Charitable
The Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation, commonly known as The Gifford Foundation, is a private foundation based in Syracuse, New York. Founded in 1954 through the estate of Rosamond Gifford, the organization is dedicated to the stewardship of philanthropic funds and building the capacity of individuals and organizations to enhance quality of life in Central New York.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.5M
+4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$456K
+8.3% YoY
Grant Count
65
-9.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
+19.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Rosamond Gifford Charitable reported a distributable amount of $925K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation is committed to using its financial and human resources to build the capacity of individuals and organizations to enhance the quality of life for the people of Central New York.
Primary funding interests include:
- Educational needs in the region
- Scientific initiatives
- Social services and community development
- Religious organizations and causes
- Youth violence prevention
- Youth employment
- Neighborhood revitalization
Grantmaking
The Foundation operates several grantmaking programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation provides support for educational, scientific, social, and religious needs in:
- Onondaga County, NY
- Oswego County, NY
- Madison County, NY
The Foundation has particular emphasis on the Syracuse community for its neighborhood-focused initiatives.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $19,478,240
- Total Revenue: $1,743,117
- Total Expenses: $1,782,201
- Total Liabilities: $556,000
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $18,707,341
- Total Revenue: $1,469,283
- Total Expenses: $2,020,503
Historical Context: The original $5 million bequest from Rosamond Gifford's estate has grown to over $20 million. Since its inception in 1954, the Foundation has awarded over $44 million in grants to nonprofits in its service region.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,478,240 | $18,707,341 | $17,610,763 |
| Revenue | $1,743,117 | $1,469,283 | $1,331,654 |
| Expenses | $1,782,201 | $2,020,503 | $1,696,220 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,533,911 | $864,021 | $1,431,791 |
| Net Investment Income | $838,501 | $277,520 | $661,834 |
| Distributable Amount | $924,909 | $864,954 | $908,694 |
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
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Rosamond Gifford Charitable
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Embracing Disruption ($213,500), Other ($13,931), Other ($11,442).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| EMBRACING DISRUPTION SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $213,500 |
| INTERFAITH WORKS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $4,000 |
| PARK CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| SYRACUSE GROWS SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $7,960 |
| NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND ROCHESTER, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $1,800 |
| CNY PRIDE SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $4,000 |
| BELLEGROVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $4,200 |
| THE GREATER SYRACUSE SOUTHSIDE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $4,000 |
| DUNBAR ASSOCIATION INC SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS SYRACUSE, NY | PUBLIC SUPPORT | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sheena Solomon - Executive Director
- Lindsay Mcclung - Associate Director
- Suntrana Allen - Board Member
- Jay Denson - Board Member
The organization employs 9 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARMENA RACHETTA | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| CJALA SURATT | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| GREG AYERS | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| IRIS ST MERAN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| LATOYA ALLEN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| MAITHREYEE DUBE | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| MEGHAN TIDD SN | PRESIDENT | 4 | — |
| MICHAEL FENG | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| PASTOR PHIL TURNER | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| RONALD TASCARELLA | TREASURER | 4 | — |
| SUSAN KATZOFF | VICE PRESIDENT | 4 | — |
| MICHAEL LISSON | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| JA'QUAN DENSON | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| JESSICA HESS | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| SHEENA SOLOMON | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $112,306 |
Contact Information
- Address: 100 Clinton Square, 126 North Salina Street, 3rd Floor, Syracuse, NY 13202
- Phone: (315) 474-2489
- Fax: (315) 475-4983
- Email: contact@giffordfoundation.org
- Website: giffordfoundation.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Rosamond Gifford Charitable fund?
The Foundation is committed to using its financial and human resources to build the capacity of individuals and organizations to enhance the quality of life for the people of Central New York. Primary funding interests include: • **Educational needs** in the region • **Scientific initiatives** • **Social services and community development** • **Religious organizations and causes** • **Youth violence prevention** • **Youth employment** • **Neighborhood revitalization**
How do I apply for a grant from The Rosamond Gifford Charitable?
The Foundation operates several grantmaking programs: **"What If..." Mini Grants Program** A program designed to foster growth in neighborhoods and strengthen the capacity of community residents in Syracuse who are focused on making positive changes in their neighborhoods. Projects should be initiated or implemented by residents, grassroots organizations, or neighborhood stakeholders. The Foundation seeks to fund neighborhood associations made up of concerned citizens as they work to develop th…
Where does The Rosamond Gifford Charitable make grants?
The Foundation provides support for educational, scientific, social, and religious needs in: • Onondaga County, NY • Oswego County, NY • Madison County, NY The Foundation has particular emphasis on the Syracuse community for its neighborhood-focused initiatives.
What size grants does The Rosamond Gifford Charitable award?
In 2024, The Rosamond Gifford Charitable awarded 65 grants totaling $456K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Rosamond Gifford Charitable required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Rosamond Gifford Charitable reported a distributable amount of $925K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Rosamond Gifford Charitable's EIN?
The Rosamond Gifford Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 15-0572881. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Rosamond Gifford Charitable's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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