The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc
The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Lancaster, New York. Its 2021 filing is marked as its final return: the foundation stated that it had adopted a plan of dissolution and transferred its assets to an organization defined under section 509(a)(1). It therefore appears to have wound down and should not be treated as an active grantmaker.
The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc gave $19.7M across 15 grants in 2021 (avg $1.3M), mostly in New York. Source: 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2021)
- $19,658,400
- +3404.2% vs 2020
- Grants made (2021)
- 15
- +87.5% vs 2020
- Average grant
- $1,310,560
- +1768.9% vs 2020
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Primary geography
- New York (100% of itemized 2021 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2021 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2021; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing names the foundation as the contact, lists no application form or materials, and provides no deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc
Mailing address: 41 Briarwood Drive, Lancaster, NY 14086
Phone: (716) 866-9867
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2021
The largest 2021 recipient was Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Inc ($19.6M). Together the top 10 received $19.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
23 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 17 grants of 23 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing reports that 100% of 2021 grant dollars went to New York recipients. The listed grants also include awards to organizations in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Illinois; each of those listed awards was $1,000.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2021 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc gives
- 0% of 2021 grantees were also funded in 2020. Method
- In 2021 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021). 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 2020 to 2021, annual grant giving ranged from $561K (2020) to $19.7M (2021). In 2021 it made 15 grants totaling $19.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Inc Buffalo, NY | Donor Advised Funds | $19,644,400 |
| Buffalo Shamrocks Hockey Club Inc Buffalo, NY | General Operations | $2,000 |
| 716 Squash Inc Buffalo, NY | General Operations | $1,500 |
| Artpark & Company Inc Lewiston, NY | General Operations | $1,000 |
| Brooks School North Andover, MA | General Operations | $1,000 |
| Buffalo Arts Studio Buffalo, NY | General Operations | $1,000 |
| Cazenovia Community Resource Center Inc Buffalo, NY | General Operations | $1,000 |
| Cleveland Clinic Foundation Cleveland, OH | General Operations | $1,000 |
| George Eastman Museum Rochester, NY | General Operations | $1,000 |
| Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL | General Operations | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2021 filing is marked as the foundation’s final return.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | — | $521,344 | $20,488,287 | $19,658,400 | 15 | $20,016,136 | $49,193 | $614,557 |
| 2020 | $18,074,114 | $552,840 | $1,266,350 | $561,000 | 8 | — | $158,515 | $833,538 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $615K for 2021 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The filing says the foundation is devoted to furthering charitable, religious, scientific, literary, cultural, and educational needs. It describes arts and culture, medicine, and education as areas suggested for board consideration, alongside potential contributions to Western New York.
The organizations receiving grants in 2021 included groups with varied missions. The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo describes its work as improving lives in Western New York through community goals that include education, racial equity, the environment, and arts and culture. Artpark & Company says it fosters artistic engagement, creativity, and curiosity. The Museum of Science & Technology Foundation says it exists to support the discovery center of science and technology. Other recipients described work in youth hockey, youth education and mentoring through squash, and undergraduate education.
Grantmaking
In 2021, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $19,658,400. The median grant was $1,000; grants ranged from $500 to $19,644,400. The largest grant was $19,644,400 to the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, designated for donor-advised funds. Other listed awards included $2,000 to Buffalo Shamrocks Hockey Club Inc. and $1,500 to 716 Squash Inc.; several recipients received $1,000 for general operations.
The filing states that the foundation did not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists the application form and materials as N/A and gives no deadline. Its stated award guidance describes the charitable areas and potential Western New York benefits noted above. Because the filing is final, these filing instructions should not be taken as current application guidance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2021 filing lists Northrup R Knox Jr as president, Seymour H Knox IV as vice president, Benjamin K Campbell as treasurer, James F Wendel as assistant treasurer, and Charles Banta as a board director.
The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc is led by Northrup R. Knox Jr., President on every filing since 2020; all 5 officers listed in 2021 are compensated.
Officers on the 2021 filing
Northrup R. Knox Jr.
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2021)
Charles Banta
Board Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2021)
Benjamin K. Campbell
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2021)
James F. Wendel
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$136K (2020) → $108K (2021)
Seymour H. Knox IV
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2021)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2021. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2021 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2021 filing was $108K, to James F Wendel (Assistant Treasurer). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc
How much does The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc give each year?
The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc gave $19.7M across 15 grants in 2021, according to its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2020 it gave $561K across 8 grants.
What is The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc's median grant in 2021 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,310,560, across 15 grants on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc give grants?
The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (9 grants).
Does The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 93% of The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc's 2021 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc's largest 2021 grantees include Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Inc ($19,644,400), Buffalo Shamrocks Hockey Club Inc ($2,000) and 716 Squash Inc ($1,500), according to its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
What does The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc fund?
The filing says the foundation is devoted to furthering charitable, religious, scientific, literary, cultural, and educational needs. It describes arts and culture, medicine, and education as areas suggested for board consideration, alongside potential contributions to Western New York. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc?
The filing names the foundation as the contact, lists no application form or materials, and provides no deadline. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2021, The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $615K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Seymour H Knox Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-0839066. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2021.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2021
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