Tower Family Fund Inc
Tower Family Fund Inc is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2006 and designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. Based in Buffalo, New York, the organization operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking activities.
Key facts about Tower Family Fund Inc
- EIN
- 20-5848514
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,016,036
- Grants made (2024)
- 108
- Average grant
- $74,223
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (10 of 102, 2024)
- Total assets
- $40,666,134
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (79% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Tower Family Fund Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Tower Family Fund Inc's 108 itemized 2024 grants were Massachusetts (79%) and New York (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (26 grants), Gloucester, MA (11 grants), Niagara Falls, NY (7 grants) and Vineyard Haven, MA (6 grants). 83% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Tower Family Fund Inc open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 102 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $245K; repeat grants $61K. How we count
Medians: $28K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 78% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 86% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 304% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Tower Family Fund Inc
- How to evaluate Tower Family Fund Inc as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Tower Family Fund Inc with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$40.7M
-8.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.0M
+25.8% YoY
Grant Count
108
-21.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$74K
+60.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tower Family Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
Tower Family Fund Inc is an active grantmaker. In 2024, the foundation made 146 grants totaling approximately $6.1 million in grant distributions.
Ready to take the next step with Tower Family Fund Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 108 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $40,666,134 | $44.2M |
| Total Revenues | $5,394,655 | $2.66M |
| Total Expenses | $8,929,484 | $6.86M |
| Total Liabilities | — | $0 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $40,666,134 | $44,200,963 | $48,395,587 |
| Revenue | $5,394,655 | $2,661,222 | $4,706,166 |
| Expenses | $8,929,484 | $6,855,846 | $7,632,431 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,546,220 | $6,500,745 | $7,214,566 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,011,141 | $2,408,331 | $4,362,594 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,809,020 | $2,720,714 | $2,950,842 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
672 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Tower Family Fund Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Martha's Vineyard Hospital ($1,000,000), Harborlight Homes ($1,000,000), Navigator Homes ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MARTHA'S VINEYARD HOSPITAL Oak Bluffs, MA | WORKFORCE HOUSING GRANT | $1,000,000 |
| HARBORLIGHT HOMES Beverly, MA | HOUSING GRANT | $1,000,000 |
| NAVIGATOR HOMES Vineyard Haven, MA | SENIOR HOUSING | $1,000,000 |
| POWER OF PLACE LEARNING COMMUNITIES INC Burlington, MA | LEARNING COMMUNITY PROJECT GRANT | $811,036 |
| SAWYER LIBRARY FOUNDATION Gloucester, MA | NEW BUILDING FUND | $300,000 |
| CHILMARK PRESCHOOL Chilmark, MA | CONSTRUCTION FUNDING | $250,000 |
| BURCHFIELD-PENNEY ART CENTER Buffalo, NY | GRANT AGREEMENT | $125,000 |
| YMCA OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD Vineyard Haven, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $105,000 |
| ARTPARK & COMPANY Lewiston, NY | ARTPARK BRIDGES PROGRAM & GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| BUFFALO PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Buffalo, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Randolph F Treece - Attorney Director ($77,218 compensation, 2024)
Trustees: Mollie T Byrnes, Cynthia T Doyle, John N Blair
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mollie T Byrnes | Secretary, Director | 1 | — |
| Cynthia T Doyle | Treasurer, Director | 1 | — |
| Randolph F Treece | Atty Director | 15 | $77,218 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Tower Family Fund Inc?
Tower Family Fund Inc is an active grantmaker. In 2024, the foundation made 146 grants totaling approximately $6.1 million in grant distributions. • Harborlight Homes (HCP): $1,000,000 (Housing Grant) • Navigator Homes of Martha's Vineyard: $1,000,000 (Senior Housing) • Power of Place Learning Communities: $811,036 (Learning Community Project Grant) • Burchfield Penney Art Center: $125,000 (Grant Agreement)
What size grants does Tower Family Fund Inc award?
In 2024, Tower Family Fund Inc awarded 108 grants totaling $8.0M — an average of about $74K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Tower Family Fund Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Tower Family Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Tower Family Fund Inc's EIN?
Tower Family Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5848514. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tower Family Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Peter and Elizabeth C Tower
Getzville, NY
Assets
$121.1M
Grants
218
Total Given
$9.3M
Boston Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
2,046
Total Given
$169.9M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
Assets
$944.0M
Grants
562
Total Given
$33.4M
Eastern Bank Foundation
Lynn, MA
Assets
$249.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$14.7M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
The John R Oishei Foundation
Buffalo, NY
Assets
$330.0M
Grants
168
Total Given
$9.5M
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
The Ojc Fund
Brooklyn, NY
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
3,410
Total Given
$386.1M
The New York Community Trust
New York, NY
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
2,748
Total Given
$193.8M
The Simons Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,727
Total Given
$272.0M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
More Funders in New York
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.