Golisano Foundation
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersPittsford, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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.
Golisano Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Golisano Foundation industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Golisano Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Golisano Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 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
Golisano Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore 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.
Companies that use Golisano Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Golisano Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Golisano Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Chapters Health SystemcoreChapters 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 HospitalcoreAkron 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 HospitalcoreDayton 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 HealthcoreAvera 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 GeorgiacoreWellstar 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 AllianceflagshipThe 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'scoreArkansas 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 HealthCarecoreReceived 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 NursingcoreAn 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 InstitutecoreA Foundation initiative focused on comprehensive services and research for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Move to IncludecoreA 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 InitiativecoreFoundation initiative focused on improving healthcare access and quality for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Golisano Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Golisano Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceGolisano Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Golisano Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Golisano Foundation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Golisano Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Golisano Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments11 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Golisano Foundation
What does Golisano Foundation do?
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.
Is Golisano Foundation a public or private company?
Golisano Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Golisano Foundation founded?
Golisano Foundation was founded in 1985.
Where is Golisano Foundation based?
Golisano Foundation is headquartered in Pittsford, United States, in the North America region.
How does Golisano Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Grantmaking.
Who are Golisano Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Autism Speaks, Best Buddies International, Easterseals, Special Olympics and The Arc of the United States. Broad incumbents are Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Emerging players are National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and Marcus Autism Center / Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation. Cincinnati Children's / Shriners Children's Hospital networks is listed as an others.
Does Golisano Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Golisano Foundation.
What industry is Golisano Foundation in?
Golisano Foundation's product category is Philanthropic Foundation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.