The Foss Family Foundation makes a very small number of high-dollar grants focused on large institutional recipients rather than many small community groups. Recent giving highlights major support for cancer care/research and for collegiate athletics/alma mater-related causes, plus at least one large unspecified multi-beneficiary award. The foundation appears to prefer unrestricted or “general charitable purpose” gifts to established organizations.
Highly concentrated: very few, very large grants; favors established institutions; gifts are broad-purpose/unrestricted rather than program-restricted; appears to make occasional one-off large disbursements or pooled multi-recipient awards.
The Foss Family Foundation’s recent giving is marked by a single very large pass-through award of $1,415,681 to "See Attached List" in Albany, alongside repeated seven-figure and six-figure support for established institutions. That pattern points to a foundation that funds at scale through broad charitable distributions as well as named organizations, with grants that often arrive as general charitable purpose gifts rather than project-restricted awards. Across the latest grants on file, the foundation backs cancer care and research, collegiate athletics, and a mix of community-serving nonprofits. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center received $666,667 in 2023, and the 12th Man Foundation received $200,000 in 2024. Those gifts sit next to recurring support for organizations such as Back on My Feet and Ability Beyond, suggesting a portfolio that includes both major institutional philanthropy and smaller repeat grants. The grant list also shows support for schools, health-related foundations, family services, and community groups in several states. Most awards are framed as general charitable purpose gifts, which gives the foundation flexibility to support operating needs, general missions, or broad institutional priorities.
Cancer care and research is one clear theme in the foundation’s portfolio. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center received $666,667 in 2023 for general charitable purpose, showing that the foundation is willing to make a large institutional gift in this area. Athletics-related philanthropy is another visible thread. The 12th Man Foundation received $200,000 in 2024, also listed as a general charitable purpose gift, indicating support for collegiate athletics infrastructure or affiliated priorities rather than a narrowly specified program. The foundation also backs organizations serving people with disabilities and broader community needs. Ability Beyond received $50,000 in both 2023 and 2024, while Back on My Feet received $100,000 in each of those years. In addition, smaller gifts went to Texas Health Resources Foundation and Visiting Nurse Associations of America, showing interest in health-related charitable institutions as well.
Typical grants cluster around a median of $10,000, with the 25th percentile at $5,000 and the 75th percentile at $31,250. The foundation’s recent activity is unusually concentrated: several grantees appear in consecutive years, including Back on My Feet, Ability Beyond, Ball State University, Texas Health Resources Foundation, Visiting Nurse Associations of America, dallas casa, Genesis Women’s Shelter, Tzu Zoo Rescue, Childrens Medical Center Foundation, and The Patriot Figure Skating Club. That repeat pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. The grants are listed as general charitable purpose gifts, and the foundation does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$2.3M
$8.9M
$5.8M
$2.5M
Most grants fall between $5K and $31K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$31K
About 14% of grants go to recipients in TX.
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Notable grantees: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 12TH MAN FOUNDATION, Unspecified multi-beneficiary grant recipient list ('SEE ATTACHED LIST')
Grants go nationwide, with recipients in 100% U.S. locations and New York as the top state by grant count. The list reaches New York City, Philadelphia, Dallas, Tulsa, Arlington, and College Station, with additional grants in Chappaqua, Muncie, Newark, Lowell, and Washington, DC. Although the foundation is headquartered in Albany, much of the giving extends well beyond the capital region, including repeat awards in Texas and Pennsylvania. The largest single grant in the dataset is to an Albany recipient list, which also connects the foundation to its HQ state.
The recent grant list shows support for cancer care and research, collegiate athletics, disability services, health-related foundations, schools, and family-service organizations. Examples include Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the 12th Man Foundation, Ability Beyond, Back on My Feet, and Texas Health Resources Foundation.
The typical recent grant is $10,000 at the median. The 25th percentile is $5,000 and the 75th percentile is $31,250, which shows a small-grant baseline with occasional larger institutional awards.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Back on My Feet, Ability Beyond, Ball State University, Texas Health Resources Foundation, Visiting Nurse Associations of America, dallas casa, Genesis Women’s Shelter, Tzu Zoo Rescue, Childrens Medical Center Foundation, and The Patriot Figure Skating Club.
Grants are national, with New York as the top state by grant count. Recipient cities include New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, Tulsa, Arlington, College Station, Chappaqua, Muncie, Newark, Lowell, and Washington, DC.
The recent grants are described as general charitable purpose gifts. That pattern appears across both large and small awards, including major support to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and recurring gifts to organizations such as Ability Beyond and Back on My Feet.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12TH MAN FOUNDATION | COLLEGE STATION, TX | $200,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Back on My Feet | Philadelphia, PA | $100,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Ability Beyond | Chappaqua, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Ball State University | Muncie, IN | $25,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| The Patriot Figure Skating Club | Newark, DE | $25,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| GUTS CHURCH | TULSA, OK | $20,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Texas Health Resources Foundation | Arlington, TX | $15,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Tri Creek School corporation | lowell, IN | $10,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Tzu Zoo Rescue | Colleyville, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Childrens Medical Center Foundation | Dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Genesis Women's Shelter | dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Visiting Nurse Associations of America | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| dallas casa | dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | general charitable purpose |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | New York, NY | $666,667 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| Back on My Feet | Philadelphia, PA | $100,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| Ability Beyond | Chappaqua, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| Ball State University | Muncie, IN | $25,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| City Lights Foundation | tulsa, OK | $10,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| JayHigh SchoolDugout Club | Jay, OK | $10,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| Texas Health Resources Foundation | Arlington, TX | $10,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| dallas casa | dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| Childrens Medical Center Foundation | Dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| Tzu Zoo Rescue | Colleyville, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| Genesis Women's Shelter | dallas, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| shoes that fit | Claremont, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| Visiting Nurse Associations of America | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
| The Patriot Figure Skating Club | Newark, DE | $500 | 2023 | general charitable purpose |
Ability Beyond
$50,000general charitable purpose
The Patriot Figure Skating Club
$25,000general charitable purpose
GUTS CHURCH
general charitable purpose
Tri Creek School corporation
$10,000general charitable purpose
Tzu Zoo Rescue
$5,000general charitable purpose
Genesis Women's Shelter
$5,000general charitable purpose
Visiting Nurse Associations of America
$5,000general charitable purpose
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
$666,667general charitable purpose
Ability Beyond
$50,000general charitable purpose
City Lights Foundation
$10,000general charitable purpose
JayHigh SchoolDugout Club
$10,000general charitable purpose
Tzu Zoo Rescue
$5,000general charitable purpose
Genesis Women's Shelter
$5,000general charitable purpose
Visiting Nurse Associations of America
$5,000general charitable purpose
The Patriot Figure Skating Club
$500general charitable purpose