About Cullen Foundation
The Cullen Foundation of Western New York, Inc. serves the residents of Erie County by providing funding and support that significantly enhances the education of students in grades pre-K through 12 and advances theatre and the performing arts.
Focus Areas
Education (Pre-K through 12)Performing Arts (community performances)Charter SchoolsHuman Capital / Talent DevelopmentScholarships (Cullen Scholars)Sector-wide capacity building
Who They Fund
K-12 students (including low-income and educationally disadvantaged)youth participants in after-school and summer programsaspiring and early-career teachers (teacher residents/fellows)diverse / BIPOC student populationscommunity audiences and arts patrons
About Cullen Foundation
A large share of Cullen Foundation’s recent giving is tied to teacher pipelines and school improvement in Buffalo: a $600,000 grant launched the Buffalo Urban Teaching Fellows, and another $250,000 supported City Year’s Teacher Pathways Program. The foundation also backs charter-school growth and data systems, including $217,300 for Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School’s replication work and $190,000 for Education Analytics Inc. for the Charter Data Collaborative & Dashboarding. Alongside education, Cullen funds performing arts organizations that serve Erie County audiences, with support for capital, operations, and programming. Recent examples include $100,000 to Shea’s Performing Arts Center for capital improvements at 710 Main and $100,000 to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra for general operating support. Scholarships are another visible part of the portfolio, including Cullen Scholars awards routed through local scholarship partners. The pattern is local, practical, and tied to specific programs, schools, and institutions rather than broad unrestricted support. Cullen also funds individuals through fellowships and scholarships, extending its education and arts work beyond organizational grants.
What Cullen Foundation Funds
In education, Cullen supports teacher preparation, tutoring, literacy, and college-ready pathways. It gave $240,450 to the Research Foundation for State University of New York (UB) for the UB Teacher Residency Program Extension and $125,000 to Canisius College for tuition support for WNY teacher residents. The foundation also invested in student support programs, including $278,250 to Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship Inc for the 2022 Say Yes Buffalo Summer Camp and $75,000 to Read to Succeed Buffalo for Experience Corps volunteer tutoring. Charter-school strategy is another thread: $201,200 went to Persistence Preparatory Academy Charter School for a Good to Great grant, and $73,000 supported West Buffalo Charter School’s CTG-ANet and EL Education continuation work. In the arts, Cullen funded both institutions and performances, including $75,000 to Shaw Festival Foundation for Bridging Borders and Re-Engaging WNY Audiences.
How Cullen Foundation Gives
Cullen Foundation’s typical grant size sits at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $31,574 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also shows several larger strategic awards, but the center of gravity is around smaller, targeted grants. Its structure mixes responsive grantmaking with strategic investments: some programs accept unsolicited applications, while others are invitation-only or partnership-based. The same grantees can appear across years and in multiple lines of work, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-off support. Cullen also funds individuals through scholarships and fellowships, including direct tuition support and professional advancement awards.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$6.1M
Total Assets
$0
Total Revenue
$0
Total Expenses
$0
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $5K and $32K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$32K
Geographic Reach
Local6 states funded
About 96% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Intensidad de financiamiento
BajaAlta
Sede
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Cullen Foundation Funds
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Cullen Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 188 | $6.1M | 99.5% |
| 2 | Canada | 1 | $75K |
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