The Upstate Foundation Inc
The Upstate Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Syracuse, New York. Founded in 1976, it receives and administers charitable gifts and bequests, primarily to support Upstate Medical University and charitable purposes in the Central New York region.
The Upstate Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Upstate Foundation Inc gave $6.7M across 155 grants in 2025 (avg $43K). 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,730,769
- -37.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 155
- -5.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $43,424
- -34.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,866
- Total assets
- $324,860,370
- +8.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (37 of 155, 2025)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Upstate Foundation Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210
Phone: (315) 464-4416
Website: https://upstatefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Upstate Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was HSC Foundation Special Gifts Fund ($672K). Together the top 10 received $3.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
673 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 567 grants of 673 (84%).
Is The Upstate Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 37 of 155 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $14K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.4M (2020) to $10.8M (2024). In 2025 it made 155 grants totaling $6.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HSC Foundation Special Gifts Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $671,534 |
| Golisano Center for Special Needs Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $626,914 |
| Department of Surgery Comprehensive Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $480,440 |
| Property Development Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $423,691 |
| Catholic Charities of Onon Cty Orrsasic Grant Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $336,703 |
| Upstate Psychiatric Nurse Practioner Fellowship Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $264,681 |
| University Hospital Medical Staff Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $172,382 |
| Nappi Wellness Institute Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $163,597 |
| Elizabeth Blackwell MD Legacy Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $150,300 |
| Place at Upstate Medical Fund | To support the purpose and mission of upstate medical university | $150,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $324,860,370 | $31,915,644 | $16,085,661 | $6,730,769 | 155 | $18,156,689 |
| 2024 | $299,812,098 | $35,375,330 | $18,934,760 | $10,812,366 | 164 | $12,369,350 |
| 2023 | $261,658,864 | $27,314,642 | $11,757,582 | $4,433,779 | 152 | $13,068,695 |
| 2022 | $222,964,780 | $16,462,782 | $10,739,138 | $4,523,523 | 113 | $2,615,753 |
| 2021 | $259,773,973 | $33,065,894 | $11,555,130 | $4,783,163 | 89 | $17,280,227 |
| 2020 | $230,479,501 | $30,116,422 | $9,349,863 | $3,384,720 | 100 | $19,517,240 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to receive and administer gifts and bequests for charitable purposes in education, research, patient care, and community health and well-being for SUNY Upstate Medical University and the Central New York region. Its website describes its broader aim as improving community health through patient care, education, and research.
Examples of its funds include support for student food security, medical and mental health services for people experiencing homelessness in Central New York, pediatric mental health, and unmet patient needs. These are described as purposes of specific funds, rather than as a complete list of the Foundation’s activities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 155 grants totaling $6,730,769. Grant amounts ranged from $5,233 to $671,534, with a median of $12,866. The largest reported grants included $671,534 to HSC Foundation Special Gifts Fund, $626,914 to Golisano Center for Special Needs Fund, and $480,440 to Department of Surgery Comprehensive Fund. Each was reported as supporting the purpose and mission of Upstate Medical University.
Other large grants included $423,691 to Property Development Fund, $336,703 to Catholic Charities of Onon Cty Orrsasic Grant Fund, and $264,681 to Upstate Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Fund. These grants were also described as supporting Upstate Medical University’s purpose and mission.
The Foundation’s website highlights funds donors can contribute to, including Health Care Heroes Fund, Paley’s Pantry – Upstate Fights Student Hunger Fund, and Housecalls for the Homeless Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Rita L. Reicher, PhD (chair); Paul P. Mello (vice chair); Dodie Vlassis (secretary); Gail M. McIntyre, CPA (treasurer); J. Daniel Pluff (assistant treasurer); and directors Juli G. Boeheim, John F. Brogan, CPA, Karen K. Bullivant, Stephen YL Chow, and Chung-Taik Chung, MD.
The Upstate Foundation Inc is led by Rita L. Reicher PhD, Chair on every filing since 2020; none of the 28 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rita L. Reicher PhD
Chair
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew K. Palmer MD
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chung-Taik Chung MD
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David K. Schneckenburger
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Grossman CPA
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory L. Eastwood MD
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John F. Brogan CPA
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John L. Murad Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph L. Lalonde
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joshua P. Solomon
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Juli G. Boeheim
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen K. Bullivant
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Dunn McGlynn
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael H. Ratner MD
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott M. Matukas
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen P. McCoy CPA
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Yl Chow
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
April Stone
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nathan Andrews
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phillip Capozzi MD
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy A. Damron MD
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William J. Killory CPA
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kollin Black
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dodie Vlassis
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gail M. McIntyre CPA
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
J. Daniel Pluff
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul P. Mello
Vice Chair
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mantosh Dewan MD
Ex-Officio
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Chris Spera (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: John M. Bernardo (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: William J. Killroy CPA (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Donald B. Barter Cima (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Upstate Foundation Inc
How much does The Upstate Foundation Inc give each year?
The Upstate Foundation Inc gave $6.7M across 155 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $10.8M across 164 grants.
What is The Upstate Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Upstate Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $12,866, and its average grant was $43,424, across 155 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Upstate Foundation Inc that year got $19K on average.
Does The Upstate Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 155 grants with a stated purpose on The Upstate Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Upstate Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Upstate Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include HSC Foundation Special Gifts Fund ($671,534), Golisano Center for Special Needs Fund ($626,914) and Department of Surgery Comprehensive Fund ($480,440), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Upstate Foundation Inc?
The Upstate Foundation Inc reported $324.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $31.9M.
What does The Upstate Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to receive and administer gifts and bequests for charitable purposes in education, research, patient care, and community health and well-being for SUNY Upstate Medical University and the Central New York region. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Upstate Foundation Inc?
The Upstate Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check upstatefoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Upstate Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Upstate Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1068101. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
Live grants for the work The Upstate Foundation Inc funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Upstate Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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