The Children's Guild Foundation's mission is to make financial grants and to serve as advocates to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations serving children with special needs throughout the eight counties of Western New York.
The Children's Guild Foundation Inc concentrates its grantmaking on children and young adults with special needs in Western New York, with repeated support for applied behavior analysis, autism and Down syndrome services, and school-based accessibility work. Its recent grants show a mix of large program awards and targeted project support, including $214,908 to Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation for ABA Support and $210,000 to Buff State College Foundation for the Applied Behavioral Analyst Program. The foundation also backs direct service settings and specialized providers serving children with developmental disabilities, blind or visually impaired students, and families seeking respite or therapeutic recreation. A clear pattern in the grant record is the emphasis on services that connect clinical, educational, and recreational supports. The foundation funded Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity for its Evaluation and Treatment Center, Via for O&M Training for school-aged blind or visually impaired children, and Cradle Beach for inclusive summer camp programming. Other grants support research, adaptive recreation, scholarships, and facility upgrades, all within a local Western New York frame. The result is a portfolio built around ongoing services for children with special needs rather than one-time philanthropic events.
Within behavioral health and developmental services, the foundation funded Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation with $214,908 for ABA Support and Buff State College Foundation with $210,000 for the Applied Behavioral Analyst Program. It also gave $60,000 to the Institute for Autism Research at Canisius College for Autism Research, showing support for both service delivery and study. Accessibility appears in several grants. The foundation awarded $75,000 to Via for O&M Training for School Aged blind or visually impaired children and $50,000 to NYSARC Inc dba The Arc Erie County for a Preschool Bathroom Accessibility Renovation Project. Therapeutic recreation is another visible area. It gave $145,000 to Sabah for the Summer Athletes Bold at Heart skating program and $93,000 to Cradle Beach for the GAP Camp program, both tied to inclusive activities for children and young adults with special needs. The record also includes community respite and enrichment, such as $52,413 to People Inc for community respite services.
$1.3M
$19.4M
$910K
$1.4M
Most grants fall between $21K and $74K, with a median of $45K.
25th Percentile
$21K
Median
$45K
75th Percentile
$74K
Catherine A Gura
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Typical awards cluster in the middle five figures: the p25 grant size is $20,790, the median is $45,000, and the p75 is $73,782. The grant list also shows larger project and program awards above that range, including six-figure support for clinical and educational initiatives. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and it does not fund individuals. Recent grants appear across multiple years, with several recipients receiving support in more than one year, pointing to recurring relationships rather than isolated gifts. Unsolicited applications are accepted through its ongoing grant programs.
Grantmaking is local and fully concentrated in New York, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the state. Buffalo appears frequently, including awards to Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation, Buff State College Foundation, Via, and Gateway-Longview. Other Western New York recipients include Lackawanna, Angola, Williamsville, Mount Morris, and Gowanada. The pattern matches a Western New York focus, with grants landing in the counties served by the foundation’s stated mission.
It funds 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving children and young adults with special needs in Western New York. The grant record includes hospitals, colleges, service agencies, camps, and organizations working in autism services, accessibility, therapeutic recreation, research, and respite.
The typical grant size centers in the middle five figures. The p25 grant size is $20,790, the median is $45,000, and the p75 is $73,782. The recent record also includes larger awards above $200,000 for ongoing service programs.
Yes. Its active grant programs note that unsolicited applications are accepted, including the general grantmaking and therapeutic recreation programs.
The foundation supports health care, education, therapeutic recreation, research, developmental disabilities, medical issues, behavioral issues, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and mental illnesses. Recent grants also show emphasis on applied behavior analysis, autism and Down syndrome services, and accessibility projects.
Its giving is local and concentrated in New York, with 100% of grants to recipients in the state. The recent grant list is heavily centered in Buffalo and nearby Western New York communities such as Lackawanna, Angola, Williamsville, and Mount Morris.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Children's Guild Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicants should review the Foundation's grantmaking focus areas and demonstrate familiarity with its mission and goals. The available content does not provide complete eligibility criteria.
Deadline: Grants are reviewed on a rolling basis; there are no grant cycle deadlines.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roswell Park Alliance Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $375,000 | 2026 | patient care programs |
| Rural Outreach Center | East Aurora, NY | $255,000 | 2026 | Mental Health Clinical Support |
| SASI | Elma, NY | $125,000 | 2026 | Abbott Road Respite project |
| Child and Family Services of Erie County | Buffalo, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | Falk-Mullen Elementary School Capacity Building Project |
| Chautauqua Institution | Chautauqua, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | Chautauqua Institution Arts Education program |
| SABAH | Buffalo, NY | $95,210 | 2026 | Summer Athletes Bold at Heart skating program |
| Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship Inc | Buffalo, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship endowment fund |
| Cradle Beach | Angola, NY | $31,000 | 2026 | GAP Camp program |
| The Summit Center | Getzville, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | The Summit Center toward the Countyard at Creekside |
| VIA | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | O&M Training for School Aged blind or visually impaired children |
| Southern Tier Health | Olean, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | Opening dors for all renovation project |
| Rock Autism Inc | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | Multimedia Vocational Programs |
| Heritage Christian Service | Rochester, NY | $18,735 | 2026 | Club Adventure project |
| Ellicottville Playground | Ellicottville, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | The Quiet Grove section project and the organization's discretion |
| Insightful Strides Inc | Attica, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | Mental Health enrichment |
| Camp Get-A-Way of Western Region NYS Inc | Wyoming, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | Western New York Camper Scholarship fund |
| Burchfield Penney Art Center | Buffalo, NY | $11,800 | 2026 | Museum Educators, Docent Training, Artist Fees, Program Supplies |
| Centaur Stride Inc | Westfield, NY | $11,645 | 2026 | Sure-Hands life system at Centaur Stride |
| The Champion Project Inc | West Seneca, NY | $8,500 | 2026 | iCan Bike project |
| Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $214,908 | 2025 | ABA Support |
| Buff State College Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $210,000 | 2025 | Applied Behavioral Analyst Program |
| SABAH | Buffalo, NY | $145,000 | 2025 | Summer Athletes Bold at Heart skating program |
| Cradle Beach | Angola, NY | $93,000 | 2025 | GAP Camp program |
| VIA | Buffalo, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | O&M Training for School Aged blind or visually impaired children |
| Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity | Lackawanna, NY | $67,160 | 2025 | Evaluation and Treatment Center |
| Villa Maria College of Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | 2 Scholarships For Achieve Program |
| Community Services for Every1 | Buffalo, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | Lyceum Community Empowerment program |
| ARC Glow | Mount Morris, NY | $27,173 | 2025 | Splish, Splash Rock & Roll campSplish, Splash Rock & Roll camp |
| Parent Network of WNY | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Online evaluation |
| Gateway-Longview | Buffalo, NY | $22,400 | 2025 | Library renovation/ Maker Space Project |
| Buffalo Media Resources Inc | Buffalo, NY | $20,254 | 2025 | Digital Art Technology grant |
| Insightful Strides Inc | Attica, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Mental Health enrichment |
| Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $210,165 | 2024 | ABA Support |
| Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity | Lackawanna, NY | $157,840 | 2024 | OLV Evaluation and Treatment Center |
| Buff State College Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $70,130 | 2024 | Applied Behavioral Analyst Program |
| People Inc | Williamsville, NY | $52,413 | 2024 | Community respite services |
| Healthy Community Alliance Inc | Gowanada, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | Capacity building grant award |
| VIA | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | O&M Training for Erie & Niagara County School-Aged Children |
| Homespace Corp | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | Health & Wellness project |
| Rock Autism Inc | Buffalo, NY | $22,725 | 2024 | Musical Production |
| Empower | Niagara Falls, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | Empower program |
| The Teacher's Desk | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | Panchopacks |
| Kaleidoscope of WNY | Cheektowaga, NY | $15,974 | 2024 | Network for Good (" NFG") Jumpstart Fundraising Assistance Program |
| Accessible Academics USA Inc Total | Williamsville, NY | $15,400 | 2024 | Community Transition ServicesCommunity Transition Services |
| Chautauqua Institute | Chautauqua, NY | $14,319 | 2024 | Special Education Arts Program |
| Fantastic Friends of WNY Inc | Depew, NY | $9,984 | 2024 | Fantastic Foodies Program |
| Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $205,561 | 2023 | ABA Support |
| Buff State College Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $141,255 | 2023 | Applied Behavioral Analyst Program |
| Roswell Park Alliance | Buffalo, NY | $125,000 | 2023 | Down syndrome Research |
| Sisters of Charity Hospital Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $70,000 | 2023 | Artic Sun Cooling System Grant |
Rural Outreach Center
$255,000Mental Health Clinical Support
Falk-Mullen Elementary School Capacity Building Project
Chautauqua Institution
$100,000Chautauqua Institution Arts Education program
SABAH
$95,210Summer Athletes Bold at Heart skating program
Cradle Beach
$31,000GAP Camp program
The Summit Center
$25,000The Summit Center toward the Countyard at Creekside
Southern Tier Health
$20,000Opening dors for all renovation project
Rock Autism Inc
$20,000Multimedia Vocational Programs
Ellicottville Playground
$15,000The Quiet Grove section project and the organization's discretion
Insightful Strides Inc
$15,000Mental Health enrichment
Camp Get-A-Way of Western Region NYS Inc
$15,000Western New York Camper Scholarship fund
Museum Educators, Docent Training, Artist Fees, Program Supplies
Centaur Stride Inc
$11,645Sure-Hands life system at Centaur Stride
The Champion Project Inc
$8,500iCan Bike project
Buff State College Foundation
$210,000Applied Behavioral Analyst Program
SABAH
$145,000Summer Athletes Bold at Heart skating program
Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity
$67,160Evaluation and Treatment Center
Community Services for Every1
$30,000Lyceum Community Empowerment program
ARC Glow
$27,173Splish, Splash Rock & Roll campSplish, Splash Rock & Roll camp
Parent Network of WNY
$25,000Online evaluation
Buffalo Media Resources Inc
$20,254Digital Art Technology grant
Insightful Strides Inc
$10,000Mental Health enrichment
Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity
$157,840OLV Evaluation and Treatment Center
Buff State College Foundation
$70,130Applied Behavioral Analyst Program
People Inc
$52,413Community respite services
Homespace Corp
$25,000Health & Wellness project
Rock Autism Inc
$22,725Musical Production
Empower
$20,000Empower program
Kaleidoscope of WNY
$15,974Network for Good (" NFG") Jumpstart Fundraising Assistance Program
Accessible Academics USA Inc Total
$15,400Community Transition ServicesCommunity Transition Services
Chautauqua Institute
$14,319Special Education Arts Program
Fantastic Friends of WNY Inc
$9,984Fantastic Foodies Program
Buff State College Foundation
$141,255Applied Behavioral Analyst Program
Sisters of Charity Hospital Foundation
$70,000Artic Sun Cooling System Grant
