The Gifford Foundation

What The Gifford Foundation does

The Gifford Foundation, legally The Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation, is a private philanthropic foundation incorporated in New York in July 1954 from an approximately $5 million bequest by Rosamond Gifford (1873-1953); the endowment has since grown to over $20 million in current assets, and the foundation has awarded more than $45 million in grants since inception. It is headquartered in downtown Syracuse and serves nonprofits and community groups across Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison Counties in Central New York. Its core offering is capacity-building for nonprofit organizations rather than transactional grantmaking, delivered through a portfolio of programs: Talk to Gifford: Micro Capacity grants (averaging $7,000-$15,000), What If Mini Grants (under $5,000 for City of Syracuse residents and grassroots groups), ADVANS and Embracing Disruption (cohort-based intensive programs using the Nonprofit Lifecycles methodology), POWER (12-month support for grassroots organizations), and Nourishing Tomorrow's Leaders (a nine-week board leadership course). Operations are supported by Foundant grant management software, Google Analytics, and digital communications channels including a website, newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The foundation operates a community-led go-to-market model centered on personal intake meetings, ongoing grantee relationships, and partnerships with CNY Community Foundation, Leadership Greater Syracuse, Human Services Leadership Council, Focus Greater Syracuse, and four U.S. Attorney's Offices (Project Safe Neighborhoods). Revenue is endowment-based rather than commercial; the foundation distributes investment returns and corpus as grants and capacity-building services, with most programs offered free to participants. The organization is led by Executive Director Sheena Solomon (since January 2019) and Associate Director Lindsay McClung, supported by a small team of approximately 6-8 staff and contractors. The foundation has no subsidiaries, no parent entity, and no commercial product lines.

Name

The Gifford Foundation

Legal name

The Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation

Website

https://giffordfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Gifford Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation endowed since 1954 that provides grants, cohort-based capacity-building programs, and board leadership training to nonprofits and grassroots groups across Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison Counties in Central New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Community foundation grants
• Board leadership training
• Community development funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Endowment-based Philanthropy: The Gifford Foundation operates as a private foundation endowed by Rosamond Gifford's estate. The foundation uses returns on its investment portfolio and accumulated endowment to fund grants and capacity building programs. The original $5 million bequest has grown to over $20 million in current assets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Gifford Foundation is a private foundation that awards grants and delivers capacity-building programs to strengthen nonprofit organizations and grassroots community groups in Central New York. Its offerings range from micro capacity grants ($7,000–$15,000) and mini grants (under $5,000) to intensive 12-month cohort programs (ADVANS, POWER, Embracing Disruption), board leadership training (NTL), and federal grant administration for violence prevention. Core activities center on relationship-driven grantmaking combined with consulting, workshops, and the Nonprofit Lifecycles framework.

Product overview

The Gifford Foundation offers a portfolio of interconnected grant programs and capacity building services for nonprofits in Central New York. Core programs include Talk to Gifford (micro capacity grants averaging $7,000-$15,000), "What If..." Mini Grants (up to $5,000 for Syracuse residents), ADVANS (intensive cohort program), POWER (12-month support for grassroots organizations), and Nourishing Tomorrow's Leaders (NTL) board training. The Foundation also offers workshops on board development and grant writing, and administers federal grants through Project Safe Neighborhoods. Operations are managed through the Foundant online grants management system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Talk to Gifford: Micro Capacity A relationship-driven grantmaking program that helps nonprofit organizations assess capacity needs and connect with resources, contacts, and partnerships to maximize organizational impact. Average grant size falls between $7,000 and $15,000.
• "What If..." Mini Grants A community grant program awarding grants under $5,000 to help City of Syracuse residents ages 12 and older, neighborhood associations, and grassroots groups foster neighborhood growth, strengthen capacity, and improve community safety and wellbeing.
• Nourishing Tomorrow's Leaders (NTL) A nine-week leadership development course teaching participants how to become effective nonprofit board members, with the goal of increasing diversity and inclusiveness across nonprofit boards. Includes a $75 program fee with scholarships available.
• POWER Program A 12-month capacity-building initiative that strengthens grassroots and developing nonprofits through personalized consultant support and grants, with each participating organization receiving a $7,500 grant plus $7,500 in consultant time ($15,000 total investment).
• ADVANS Advancing the Value and Assets of Nonprofits in Syracuse is a cohort-based capacity-building initiative that helps nonprofit organizations self-assess and plan as they grow, using the Nonprofit Lifecycles methodology.
• Embracing Disruption A capacity-building initiative designed to help nonprofits adapt to rapid change and disruption, supporting organizations in developing resilience and new operational approaches.
• Board Development Workshop A free workshop series providing knowledge and tools to build and maintain effective, engaged, and inclusive boards of directors, covering board duties, best practices, and strategies.
• Grantwriting Workshop Series - Getting Grant Ready A free six-hour workshop preparing organizations to become grant ready by equipping participants with essential skills and tools for proposal writing.
• Federal Grants (Project Safe Neighborhoods) A Department of Justice grant program administered in partnership with multiple US Attorney's Offices for community-wide violence intervention and prevention across New York and New Jersey districts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 individuals have graduated from the Nourishing Tomorrow's Leaders program since 2014
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Central New York Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2026Co-partnership for Board Development Workshop with Maria Fibiger of Three Dog Consulting, covering board committees, compliance, self-evaluations, and board engagement. Also partners on Designing Highly Competitive Proposals workshop and other capacity building initiatives.
• The CNY Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2026Partnership on Board Development Workshop and Designing Highly Competitive Proposals workshop; provides venue at 431 E Fayette St #100, Syracuse, NY 13202
• The CNY Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partners on Board Development Workshop covering board committees, compliance, and self-evaluations
• Focus Greater SyracuseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partners on Meet Your Match Board Recruitment Nights connecting nonprofit boards with community members
• Maria Fibiger (Three Dog Consulting)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Lead consultant for POWER Program 2025-2026 cohort; also leads Board Development Workshop; certified Nonprofit Lifecycles Consultant with 15+ years consulting experience
• Kristin Sheehan (Sheehan Communications)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Marketing and Communications Consultant providing communications guide and newsletter content for the foundation
• US Attorney's Office (Eastern New York)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership expanded in 2022 for Project Safe Neighborhoods program administration
• US Attorney's Office (New Jersey District)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership expanded in 2020 for Project Safe Neighborhoods program administration
• US Attorney's Office (Southern District of New York)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership expanded in 2018 for Project Safe Neighborhoods program administration
• Leadership Greater SyracusecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Original partner in developing Nourishing Tomorrow's Leaders (NTL) program focused on leadership development through board service; also partners on Meet Your Match Board Recruitment Nights
• Central New York Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner in developing NTL program; co-hosts board recruitment events; collaborated on Empowering Teams, Fostering Wellness Workshop Series
• Human Services Leadership CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner in developing Nourishing Tomorrow's Leaders (NTL) program in 2014
• City of SyracuseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner in developing NTL program with city residents in 2014
• US Attorney's Office (Northern District of New York)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Administers Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods grant - a violence intervention and prevention program. Partnership began in 2004 and has expanded to include Southern District (2018), New Jersey District (2020), and Eastern New York (2022)

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Central New York Community Foundation: A community foundation serving the same Central New York region with overlapping grantmaking and capacity-building work. Frequently co-hosts workshops and programs with Gifford, making it the closest functional peer.
• The Allyn Foundation: A Syracuse-area family foundation with a similar endowment-driven grantmaking model focused on Central New York nonprofits. Comparable in scale, mission, and regional footprint to Gifford.
• United Way of Central New York: A regional nonprofit that funds and supports Central New York human services organizations, overlapping with Gifford's capacity-building and grantmaking work for the same nonprofit ecosystem.

Regional players

• The Shineman Foundation: A family foundation serving Central New York with comparable community-focused grantmaking and capacity-building initiatives for regional nonprofits.
• Health Foundation for Western and Central New York: A regional health-focused foundation that also invests in capacity building for nonprofits, with overlapping operational approach though a narrower health-mission focus.
• Rochester Area Community Foundation: A larger community foundation serving a neighboring New York region with similar grantmaking, scholarship administration, and nonprofit capacity-building programs.
• Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo: Another New York State community foundation with comparable structure, regional grantmaking, and donor-advised fund offerings.

Broad incumbents

• M&T Bank Charitable Foundation: A larger corporate-affiliated foundation serving the same Central and Western New York region with broader grantmaking and corporate philanthropy programs.

Others

• Council on Foundations: The national membership association for U.S. foundations, providing Gifford with peer benchmarking, governance support, and field-level best practices relevant to its operations.
• Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies: A regional pooled-giving organization with a comparable structure for administering charitable funds for a defined community — useful structural analog though narrower in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/giffordfdn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/giffordfdn
• Instagraminstagram.com/giffordfdn
• Xx.com/giffordfdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Gifford Foundation