Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Grant

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
Last Updated: September 23, 2025

Summary

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, established in 2015, focuses on community transformation in Southeast Michigan and Western New York. With a spend-down structure by 2035, the foundation prioritizes collaborative investments in key areas like active lifestyles, success preparation, caregiver support, and economic development. Emphasizing urgency and innovation, it seeks to create lasting impacts by fostering partnerships and supporting visionary projects that address significant community needs.

Overview

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. believed effective change should make an impact from the start, yet carry long into the future. To do both, he earmarked a portion of his estate and the eventual sale of his beloved Buffalo Bills to fund his namesake foundation. The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation began operations in 2015 to continue his legacy—one of generosity and innovation, healthy risk taking and collaboration, and an unshakeable community focus. And today, his hand-picked Life Trustees have determined to focus the efforts of the foundation on Mr. Wilson’s home and adopted home regions of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. With a structure that dictates spend-down of our funds by 2035, we match the urgency that people in need feel every day and focus on collaborative investments that consider both immediate impact and long-term benefit. Our time is short. But with collaboration, vision and a healthy dash of courage, transformation that shifts the very foundations of our communities is possible. Grantmaking Focus Areas Active Lifestyles By supporting access to safe spaces and programs that get kids physically active and moving, the Foundation aims to introduce lifelong healthy habits through its Youth Sports & Recreation grantmaking. Spanning all generations, the Foundation’s investments in Parks, Trails & Green Design looks to connect people and communities to each other, nature and recreation. Preparing for Success Strong work ethic, confidence and a desire to learn are attributes that can be instilled at a young age and carried through adulthood. Our Preparing for Success focus area is centered on providing the communication, teamwork and critical-thinking skills people need to grow and adapt throughout their life and career. Caregivers There are more than 40 million family members - spouses, daughters, sons, grandchildren - and friends in the United States caring for older adults, a number that will grow dramatically in the coming years. The Foundation aims to elevate caregivers’ critical roles by highlighting the often-hidden value and contributions they make to families and communities every day. Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Several years into recovery after a decades-long economic slide in both Southeast Michigan and Western New York, the Foundation’s investments in Entrepreneurship and Economic Development look to leverage this momentum by spurring small business growth, place-based community and economic development, and talent attraction and retention. Foundation Initiative: Nonprofit Support & Innovation Without strong, healthy nonprofits that have the resources and support to meet their mission, none of the work the Foundation invests in across its focus areas can happen. While the Foundation works with individual grantees to help them build their own capacity through project-specific grants, it also is taking a sector view of nonprofit support as a special initiative of the Foundation in order to help strengthen communities.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The Foundation concentrates its giving within Southeast Michigan and Western New York. Southeast Michigan is defined as Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair and Livingston counties. Western New York is defined as Allegany, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties.The Foundation desires to identify and encourage projects that have significant potential for resolving important problems and needs in the Southeast Michigan and Western New York regions.The Foundation may make grants to tax exempt intermediary organizations for programs that do not have tax exempt, non-private foundation status and/or in cases where program and fiscal oversight services are desired. In such cases, the tax-exempt intermediary organizations will have discretion to disburse the funds granted to accomplish the program purposes, including selection of third–party donors.

Ineligibility

No grant is made which can be construed to be a taxable expenditure as defined in Section 4945 of the Internal Revenue Code, or in other current rules or regulations.The Foundation does not make grants to individuals, fundraising social events, conferences or exhibits. In order to maintain flexibility to continuously permit positive response to emerging programs of importance, the Foundation does not typically make grant commitments extending more than five years from any point in time.