William F. Thiel Grants

The William F. Thiel Grants, established by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, honor the legacy of philanthropist William F. Thiel, focusing on healthcare needs in Wyoming County. Grants prioritize access to health services, chronic disease management, emergency aid for low-income residents, food security, mental health support, and transportation. Eligible organizations must have 501(c)(3) status and operate in Wyoming County, ensuring a singular competitive grant at any time.

Background
William F. Thiel was a long-time philanthropist in Wyoming County. He was well known for his generous monetary gifts to the hospital, fire departments and other Wyoming County nonprofit organizations. He left a significant legacy to the County through the creation of the William F. Thiel Trust at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo which continues his legacy of giving.
When he created his fund, Mr. Thiel specified that distributions “from this gift shall be used and applied by the Governing Committee of The Buffalo Foundation (now the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo) for the use and benefit of the health requirements of the residents of Wyoming County, New York.”
In 2017, the Community Foundation worked with independent consultants and Wyoming County healthcare providers and experts to develop the 2018-2023 Thiel Trust Grant Funding Priorities.
Grant Priorities
Requests to the Foundation must align with one of the six key categories which include:
Access and NavigationChronic Disease and Related Health BehaviorsEmergency Assistance for Low-Income ResidentsFood SecurityMental Health/Behavioral HealthTransportation

Eligibility

Grants are awarded only to organizations that have current Section 501(c)(3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service
Applicants must be located or delivering services in Wyoming County
At any given time, organizations can only have one open competitive grant with the Thiel Trust.