The WM M & A Cafaro Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Niles, Ohio. Formed by William M. Cafaro in 1996 after the death of his wife, Alyce, it continues the charitable legacy of the Cafaros, who supported churches, schools, hospitals, and other charitable causes.
Key facts about The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation
In short: The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation gave $1.7M across 377 grants in 2026 (avg $5K), mostly in Ohio. 32% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 31-1550874
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026
- Annual giving (2026)
- $1,739,831
- Grants made (2026)
- 377
- Average grant
- $4,615
- Median grant
- $500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (99 of 310, 2026)
- Total assets
- $23,263,994
- Primary geography
- Ohio (86% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation’s 2025 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None stated.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2026 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$23.3M
-7.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
+22.3% YoY
Grant Count
377
-12.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+40.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 99 of 310 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 40% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−6%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 93% 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 (2021–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website describes its origins in the generosity of William M. and Alyce Cafaro and their support for churches, schools, hospitals, and other charitable causes. It does not identify a narrower set of funding priorities.
Recipients listed in the 2026 filing illustrate the range of organizations it supports. Lake to River Foundation describes its work as helping eastern Ohio’s Lake to River region meet economic development goals. United Way of Trumbull County says its mission is to help children and families thrive. Valley Economic Development Partners says it supports small-business creation and expansion and local jobs through education and lending solutions. Coleman Professional Services describes its work as providing behavioral health, crisis management, adult care, and employment services.
The foundation’s website reported that in 2024 it awarded $149,000 in scholarships to 56 students from eastern Ohio. It said recipients were selected primarily for academic merit, with financial need and recommendations from teachers and guidance counselors also considered.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 377 grants totaling $1,739,831. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $300,000, with a median of $500.
The largest reported grant was $300,000 to Youngstown State University for general purposes. Other large grants included two separate $100,000 grants to JFK Catholic High School, $100,000 to Vienna Township, and $50,000 each to Lake to River Foundation and United Way of Trumbull County. The filing also listed grants of $25,000 to Kennedy Catholic Family of Schools and NEOMED Foundation.
Review Cycle
None stated.
How to Apply
The foundation’s 2025 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications should include the organization’s name, address, and brief history; a copy of its tax-exemption letter; its tax ID number; and the reason for the grant and amount requested. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Niles, Ohio. In filing year 2026, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 6% to Pennsylvania, and 5% to West Virginia. The filing also reports 0% for Virginia and Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 377 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2025) to $1.8M (2023). In 2026 it made 377 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Youngstown State University ($337K across 7 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,905 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,866 grants of 1,905 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH | General Purpose | $300,000 |
| JFK Catholic High School Warren, OH | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| JFK Catholic High School Warren, OH | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Vienna Township Vienna, OH | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Lake to River Foundation Youngstown, OH | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| United Way of Trumbull County Warren, OH | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Vienna Township Vienna, OH | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH | General Purpose | $31,000 |
| Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation Youngstown, OH | General Purpose | $30,000 |
| Youngstownwarren Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation Youngstown, OH | General Purpose | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $23,263,994 | Not reported | $1,739,831 | $1,739,831 | 377 |
| 2025 | $25,003,825 | $2,035,401 | $1,560,549 | $1,422,621 | 432 |
| 2024 | $24,528,456 | $872,691 | $1,803,466 | $1,675,948 | 362 |
| Metric | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $23,263,994 | $25,003,825 | $24,528,456 |
| Revenue | — | $2,035,401 | $872,691 |
| Expenses | $1,739,831 | $1,560,549 | $1,803,466 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,739,831 | $1,447,337 | $1,701,660 |
| Net Investment Income | — | $1,919,399 | $769,652 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,865,332 | $1,734,213 | $1,613,115 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 6, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Anthony M. Cafaro, Capri S. Cafaro, and William A. Cafaro as trustees.
The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation's 2026 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Anthony M. Cafaro
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Capri S. Cafaro
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William A. Cafaro
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Am Fm Cafaro Cs Cafaro
Mailing address: 5577 Youngstown Warren Rd, Niles, OH 44446
Phone: (330) 747-2661
Website: https://cafarocompany.com
Frequently asked questions about The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation
How much does The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation give each year?
The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation gave $1.7M across 377 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $1.4M across 432 grants.
What is The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $500, and its average grant was $4,615, across 377 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation give grants?
The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (6%) and West Virginia (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Youngstown, OH (49 grants), Warren, OH (44 grants), Niles, OH (19 grants) and Wheeling, WV (16 grants).
Does The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (377 of 377) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Youngstown State University ($337,150 across 7 grants), JFK Catholic High School ($212,500 across 4 grants) and Vienna Township ($150,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation?
The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation reported $23.3M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (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 Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its origins in the generosity of William M. and Alyce Cafaro and their support for churches, schools, hospitals, and other charitable causes. It does not identify a narrower set of funding priorities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation?
The foundation’s 2025 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation's EIN?
The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1550874. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation by hand.
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