Golisano Foundation

What Golisano Foundation does

The B. Thomas Golisano Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation founded in 1985 by Tom Golisano, entrepreneur and founder of Paychex, Inc. It is one of the largest U.S. private foundations dedicated exclusively to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The foundation holds more than $120 million in gross assets and awards approximately $3-5 million annually in grants to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations within two designated geographic target regions: the Western New York / Finger Lakes region and Southwest Florida. Grants are reviewed quarterly and support lifespan services including education, employment, health, residential, recreation, and caregiver respite.

The foundation operates multiple programmatic initiatives that extend its grantmaking footprint, including Inclusive Health, Move to Include (a multimedia partnership with WXXI Public Broadcasting), Spread the Word: Inclusion, the Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing at St. John Fisher College's Wegmans School of Nursing, the Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Institute, and the Bailey and Friends program. Its go-to-market is a structured, sales-style grantmaking motion: 501(c)(3) applicants in the target regions submit Letters of Intent through an online portal, with full applications reviewed at quarterly board meetings in January, April, July, and October.

The foundation has no commercial revenue, no proprietary technology product, and no AI/ML capabilities. In October 2025, founder Tom Golisano launched the Golisano Children's Alliance, a separate but foundation-aligned nationwide pediatric hospital network. Through staged commitments in October 2025 ($253M to six hospitals), December 2025 ($100M to two hospitals), and April 2026 ($125M to three hospitals), the Alliance grew to 15 member hospitals with $578 million in cumulative giving and a stated goal of reaching 40 hospitals. This Alliance represents a material scaling of philanthropic footprint beyond the foundation's traditional Western New York and Southwest Florida grantmaking base.

Name

Golisano Foundation

Legal name

B. Thomas Golisano Foundation

Website

https://golisanofoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The B. Thomas Golisano Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation founded in 1985 by Paychex founder Tom Golisano, dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It awards $3-5 million annually in grants in Western New York and Southwest Florida, and backs the Golisano Children's Alliance network of 15 pediatric hospitals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Disability advocacy
• Nonprofit funding
• Inclusive healthcare
• Community inclusion

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grantmaking: The Golisano Foundation generates no revenue from products or services. It operates as a private foundation with an endowment of more than $120 million in gross assets. The foundation awards approximately $3 to $5 million annually in grants to non-profit organizations supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Western New York and Southwest Florida.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The B. Thomas Golisano Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation that awards grants to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in Western New York/Finger Lakes and Southwest Florida. With more than $120 million in gross assets, it distributes approximately $3 to $5 million annually through structured grant programs and operates multiple programmatic initiatives focused on inclusive health, community inclusion, developmental disability nursing, and pediatric healthcare.

Product overview

The Golisano Foundation is a philanthropic organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of grant programs and initiatives supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The foundation does not offer a unified software product or platform. Instead, it operates as a grantmaking organization with multiple programmatic initiatives including Inclusive Health, Move to Include, Spread the Word: Inclusion, the Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing, the Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Institute, Bailey and Friends, and the Golisano Children's Alliance. These are programmatic initiatives and funding mechanisms, not technology products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IDD Grantmaking Program Core grantmaking program providing $3 to $5 million annually to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations in Western New York/Finger Lakes and Southwest Florida whose programs serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan, including educational support, employment services, health services, residential options, and caregiver respite.
• Inclusive Health Initiative Initiative focused on improving health services and access for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, supporting healthcare providers in delivering inclusive care.
• Move to Include Initiative Multimedia initiative promoting inclusion of people with disabilities through media programming and community engagement, in partnership with WXXI Public Broadcasting and expanding to stations nationwide.
• Spread the Word: Inclusion Awareness campaign encouraging inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in communities through advocacy and outreach.
• Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing Institute located at St. John Fisher College's Wegmans School of Nursing focused on training nurses in developmental disability care, developing specialized nursing expertise for the IDD population.
• Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Institute Comprehensive initiative supporting research, training, and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Bailey and Friends Foundation initiative supporting programs for individuals with developmental disabilities, including grants, special events, and community programs under the Bailey and Friends brand.
• Golisano Children's Alliance Nationwide network of children's hospitals receiving philanthropic support from Tom Golisano, expanding pediatric healthcare access, collaboration, and services across connected hospitals, with plans to grow to 40 hospitals.
• Online Grant Portal Online grant application and management system used by the foundation for receiving and processing Letters of Intent and full grant applications from eligible 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Golisano Children's Alliance network has grown to 15 children's hospitals nationwide with $578 million in total giving since October 2025.

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Chapters Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Chapters Health System received a $150,000 grant from the Golisano Foundation through the Chapters Health Foundation to launch the "Advancing Inclusive Pediatric Hospice Care" initiative in Southwest Florida. The program integrates a Certified Child Life Specialist and Hospital-Hospice Liaison at Hope Healthcare in Fort Myers.
• Akron Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Akron Children's Hospital received $50 million as part of Tom Golisano's $125 million investment in three children's hospitals. The hospital joins the Golisano Children's Alliance network and will rename its campus to recognize the Golisano name.
• Dayton Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Dayton Children's Hospital received $40 million as part of Tom Golisano's $125 million investment in three children's hospitals. The hospital joins the Golisano Children's Alliance network and will rename its campus.
• Avera HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Avera Health received $35 million as part of Tom Golisano's $125 million investment in three children's hospitals. The hospital joins the Golisano Children's Alliance network and will rename its campus.
• Wellstar Children's Hospital of GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 December 2025Wellstar Children's Hospital of Georgia received $50 million as part of a $100 million investment in two children's hospitals. The hospital joins the Golisano Children's Alliance to expand access, clinical programs, and innovation.
• Golisano Children's AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2025The Golisano Children's Alliance is a nationwide network of children's hospitals supported by Tom Golisano's philanthropy. Created in October 2025 with a $253 million commitment to six new children's hospitals. As of April 2026, the Alliance has grown to 15 member hospitals with $578 million in total giving since October 2025. The initiative aims to expand pediatric healthcare access, collaboration, and services across connected hospitals, with plans to grow to 40 hospitals over the next several years.
• Arkansas Children'scoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2025Arkansas Children's received a $50 million donation, the largest in its history, as part of the Golisano Children's Alliance. The funding supports a $371 million expansion focusing on program development, infrastructure, and research including the establishment of the National Center for Opioid Research & Clinical Effectiveness. The hospital will rename its campus to recognize the Golisano name.
• University of Kentucky / UK HealthCarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2025Received a $50 million gift, the largest in UK HealthCare history, to support renaming Kentucky Children's Hospital to Golisano Children's at UK and expand its programs and affiliate network across Kentucky.
• Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability NursingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn initiative of the Foundation focused on developing nursing expertise specific to developmental disabilities. Located at St. John Fisher College's Wegmans School of Nursing with $200,000 in initial funding.
• Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Foundation initiative focused on comprehensive services and research for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Move to IncludecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA multimedia initiative in partnership with WXXI Public Broadcasting to promote and encourage inclusion of people with disabilities. Supported with $1,650,000 in funding over five years and expansion to other stations nationwide.
• Inclusive Health InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation initiative focused on improving healthcare access and quality for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Autism Speaks: Autism Speaks is a large private advocacy and grantmaking organization focused on a subset of the IDD population—comparable in scale of grantmaking and inclusive health advocacy mission.
• Best Buddies International: Best Buddies is a private nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through integrated employment, education, and leadership programs—overlapping with Golisano's life-span, employment, and inclusion initiatives.
• Easterseals: Easterseals is a large private nonprofit network providing direct services to people with disabilities including IDD, complementing Golisano's grantee base and community inclusion focus across similar geographic regions.
• Special Olympics: Special Olympics is one of the largest private, US-based nonprofits dedicated exclusively to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, focused on athletic and inclusion programming—directly comparable to Golisano Foundation's IDD-only philanthropic mission.
• The Arc of the United States: The Arc is a national community-based nonprofit advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities—the most direct comparator to Golisano's IDD advocacy, services, and inclusion mission.

Broad incumbents

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The Gates Foundation is the largest US private foundation making transformational, high-engagement grants to address systemic issues—broadly comparable model to the Golisano Foundation's 'proactive, high engagement philanthropy' approach and billion-dollar-plus deployable capital.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: RWJF is a large US private health-focused foundation awarding transformational grants to improve health systems and outcomes—comparable to Golisano in operating as a private foundation funding health systems change, though at much greater scale ($13B+ endowment).

Emerging players

• National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS): NDSS is a national private nonprofit advocating for and funding programs serving people with Down syndrome—a specific IDD subset directly aligned with Golisano's disability-focused grantmaking and Move to Include media programming.
• Marcus Autism Center / Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation: Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is a major pediatric hospital system with dedicated developmental disability programs—including Marcus Autism Center—comparable to Golisano's pediatric IDD partner hospitals in the Children's Alliance network.

Others

• Cincinnati Children's / Shriners Children's Hospital networks: Cincinnati Children's and Shriners Children's are major pediatric specialty hospital networks with developmental disability programs and large donor-funded endowments—comparable as potential Children's Alliance members or peer grant recipients with overlapping IDD pediatric missions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GolisanoFdn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GolisanoFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/GolisanoFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/GolisanoFdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments11 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Golisano Foundation