The William & Sheila Konar Foundation concentrates its giving into a small number of large, mission-driven grants. Their portfolio emphasizes Jewish community and memory work (Holocaust education and local federation support), local higher-education philanthropy (an endowed gift to the Warner School of Education in Rochester), and a major commitment to Alzheimer's research. Grants are often substantial, sometimes repeated to the same organizations, and include both local and national beneficiaries.
A defining thread in the William & Sheila Konar Foundation c/o Ann Marie Mahoney’s recent giving is its repeated support for Holocaust education and antisemitism prevention. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum received $1.24 million in both 2023 and 2024 for its Denial & Antisemitism Initiative, signaling a sustained commitment rather than a one-time gift. That same pattern of continuity appears in Rochester, where the foundation has backed Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, Jewish Family Services, and the JCC of Greater Rochester across multiple years. The foundation also makes major higher-education gifts, including an endowment for the Warner School of Education in Rochester, and it has supported health research through a large grant to the Alzheimer’s Association. Its recent portfolio combines large institutional grants with local community investments, including emergency-response support, school-related programming, and Jewish community services. The overall picture is of a local funder with selective, high-dollar commitments that move across Jewish life, education, civic initiatives, and health research.
In tolerance education and Jewish history work, the foundation gave $1.24 million to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2023 and another $1.24 million in 2024 for the Denial & Antisemitism Initiative. In local Jewish community support, it gave $750,000 to Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester for Support Program Services and the Emergency Israel Campaign, then $525,000 the prior year for Support Program Services tied to the Ukraine Emergency Crisis Fund. Education is another clear lane: the foundation awarded $595,000 to Warner School of Education for the Warner School Endowment, following a $590,000 grant the year before for the same purpose. In youth education programming, it also gave $375,000 to Education Success Foundation for the Whole Child Iniative in both 2023 and 2024.
The foundation’s typical grant size centers on mid-sized awards: the 25th percentile is $5,295, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. The recent record also includes a smaller set of very large, repeated commitments, which raises the annual total well above the median grant. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Warner School of Education, Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, and Common Ground Foundation Inc. The foundation accepts applications through an online grant portal, reviews them quarterly, and funds most grants for one year, with multi-year grants also noted. It gives through both general grantmaking and joint funding opportunities.
$5.9M
$133.1M
$10M
$6.8M
Most grants fall between $5K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 86% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving with few but large grants; repeat funding to core grantees and a mix of national institutions and local Rochester-focused beneficiaries.
Notable grantees: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, Warner School of Education (University of Rochester), Alzheimer's Association
Giving is overwhelmingly concentrated in New York, with 86% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and NY ranked first by grant count. Rochester appears repeatedly as the core recipient city, alongside Fairport and Monroe County more broadly. Outside New York, the recent record includes Washington, DC, Chicago, Boston, and Denver, but those locations appear far less often than Rochester-area recipients. The grant list is entirely U.S.-based, with 294 grants to U.S. recipients.
Its typical grant size is $5,295 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes much larger awards, including seven-figure grants and several six-figure commitments.
Yes. It accepts grant applications through an online grant portal on a quarterly basis, and active programs also note that they accept unsolicited applications.
General grantmaking is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits. In some joint opportunities, public schools, school districts, and municipalities are also eligible.
Funding priorities include Pre-K–12 education, cultural and civic organizations, tolerance education, Jewish life and culture, and related community initiatives. The active program descriptions also mention early childhood education, literacy and numeracy, STEAM, and professional development or capacity building.
Yes. Its geographic scope is listed as local, 86% of grants go to recipients in New York, and the largest share of recipient locations in the recent grants list are in Rochester and nearby Monroe County communities.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's Association | Chicago, IL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Health Services Research Initiative |
| Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester | Rochester, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | Support Program Services |
| Jewish Family Services | Rochester, NY | $257,500 | 2025 | Services for Jewish families, pencils & paper program, mental wellness, future preparedness |
| Greater Rochester Housing Project | Rochester, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | Regional Revitalization Partnership Award |
| University of Rochester East EPO | Rochester, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | Annual Donation - Step to College |
| US Holocaust Museum | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | Denial & Antisemitism Initiative |
| Common Ground Foundation Inc | Fairport, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | Millcreek citizen assembly |
| Greater Rochester Enterprise Foundation | ROCHESTER, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | Economic Gardening Program & general program support |
| JCC of Greater Rochester | Rochester, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | Grant Support |
| WXXI Public Broadcasting Council | Rochester, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | Journalism Initiative |
| HOPE585 Inc | Rochester, NY | $105,000 | 2025 | Community of Hope for Vulnerable Youth, Program Support |
| Dana Farber Cancer Institute | Boston, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | Biobank for Innovative Cancer Research and Care |
| George Eastman Museum | Rochester, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | supporting museum access and transformation |
| Rochester Industries Education Fund | Rochester, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | Regional Revitalization Partnership |
| Urban League of Rochester | Rochester, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | Center for Equity & Justice Initiative |
| Foodlink Inc | Rochester, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | Monroe County School Support Initiatives |
| Tides Center | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Support for network partners in the Jewish partnership for democracy |
| GRSLA | Rochester, NY | $80,000 | 2025 | Summer LEAP Program |
| Freedom House | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | Program Support & Annual Awards |
| Academy of Health Services Charter School | Rochester, NY | $70,000 | 2025 | Career Pathways |
| St John Fisher College | Rochester, NY | $61,380 | 2025 | Teacher Pipeline Innovation Program & Collaborative Education for Equity |
| The Children's Agenda | ROCHESTER, NY | $55,000 | 2025 | Advocacy to change systems for all children |
| Carthage College | Kenosha, WI | $55,000 | 2025 | Urban Teacher Prep Program |
| Contina Impact | Berkeley, CA | $55,000 | 2025 | Democracy Communications Fund |
| YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County | Rochester, NY | $50,750 | 2025 | Empowering Women & sustaining emergency housing |
| Baden Street Settlement | Rochester, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Support for Youth Success |
| Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra | Rochester, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Annual campaign support for local musicians |
| Garth Fagan Dance | Rochester, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | General Operating Support |
| Flower City Arts Center | Rochester, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Educational Programs |
| Homesteads for Hope | ROCHESTER, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Support Program Services |
| The Center For Teen Empowerment | Rochester, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Neighborhood based youth programs |
| Memorial Art Gallery | Rochester, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Expanded Learning Collaboration |
| GEVA Theatre Center | ROCHESTER, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Education Programs |
| Legacy Makers Inc | Rochester, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Youth Financial Empowerment Program |
| Convergence Center for Policy Resolution | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | General Operating Expenses |
| Hillside Foundation | Rochester, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Work-scholarship connection grant |
| David's Refuge Inc | East Syracuse, NY | $49,000 | 2025 | Respite & Wellness Support for Rochester Caregivers |
| Rochester Education Foundation | Rochester, NY | $47,961 | 2025 | Equitable Access to Joy & Expansion of Rochester Imagination Library |
| Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency | Rochester, NY | $47,500 | 2025 | Healers Village - Building and Ecosystem of healing and wellness |
| Monroe Community College Foundation | Rochester, NY | $45,000 | 2025 | Scholar's Day Fund, Healthy Hero Summer Camp, Unrestricted Donation |
| Friends & Foundation of Rochester Public Library | Rochester, NY | $40,612 | 2025 | Summer Reading Program |
| Mentors Inspiring Boys & Girls | Rochester, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | Village artistic development program, After School Enrichment & Arts Program |
| ROC Royal Inc | Rochester, NY | $37,500 | 2025 | Summer Dream Camp |
| The Lawrence W & Elyse Fine Community Foundation | ROCHESTER, NY | $36,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| The Center for Youth Services | ROCHESTER, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | General Program Support & Crisis Nursery |
| Memorial AME Zion Inc | Rochester, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | Summer Camp Grant |
| Freedom Scholars Learning Center | Rochester, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | Summer Literacy Enrichment Program |
| BreatheDeep | Henrietta, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | Summer Peer Ambassador Internship & Training |
| Little Theatre Film Society | Rochester, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Onward - 100 years of The Little Theatre |
| JCC Rochester Jewish Film Festival | Rochester, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Jewish cultural support through film - Annual donation |
Alzheimer's Association
$1,000,000Health Services Research Initiative
Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester
$500,000Support Program Services
Jewish Family Services
$257,500Services for Jewish families, pencils & paper program, mental wellness, future preparedness
Greater Rochester Housing Project
$250,000Regional Revitalization Partnership Award
University of Rochester East EPO
$200,000Annual Donation - Step to College
US Holocaust Museum
$200,000Denial & Antisemitism Initiative
Common Ground Foundation Inc
$175,000Millcreek citizen assembly
Greater Rochester Enterprise Foundation
$150,000Economic Gardening Program & general program support
JCC of Greater Rochester
$150,000Grant Support
WXXI Public Broadcasting Council
$150,000Journalism Initiative
HOPE585 Inc
$105,000Community of Hope for Vulnerable Youth, Program Support
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
$100,000Biobank for Innovative Cancer Research and Care
George Eastman Museum
$100,000supporting museum access and transformation
Rochester Industries Education Fund
$100,000Regional Revitalization Partnership
Urban League of Rochester
$100,000Center for Equity & Justice Initiative
Foodlink Inc
$100,000Monroe County School Support Initiatives
Tides Center
$100,000Support for network partners in the Jewish partnership for democracy
GRSLA
$80,000Summer LEAP Program
Freedom House
$75,000Program Support & Annual Awards
Academy of Health Services Charter School
$70,000Career Pathways
St John Fisher College
$61,380Teacher Pipeline Innovation Program & Collaborative Education for Equity
The Children's Agenda
$55,000Advocacy to change systems for all children
Carthage College
$55,000Urban Teacher Prep Program
Contina Impact
$55,000Democracy Communications Fund
YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County
$50,750Empowering Women & sustaining emergency housing
Baden Street Settlement
$50,000Support for Youth Success
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
$50,000Annual campaign support for local musicians
Garth Fagan Dance
$50,000General Operating Support
Flower City Arts Center
$50,000Educational Programs
Homesteads for Hope
$50,000Support Program Services
The Center For Teen Empowerment
$50,000Neighborhood based youth programs
Memorial Art Gallery
$50,000Expanded Learning Collaboration
GEVA Theatre Center
$50,000Education Programs
Legacy Makers Inc
$50,000Youth Financial Empowerment Program
Convergence Center for Policy Resolution
$50,000General Operating Expenses
Hillside Foundation
$50,000Work-scholarship connection grant
David's Refuge Inc
$49,000Respite & Wellness Support for Rochester Caregivers
Rochester Education Foundation
$47,961Equitable Access to Joy & Expansion of Rochester Imagination Library
Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency
$47,500Healers Village - Building and Ecosystem of healing and wellness
Monroe Community College Foundation
$45,000Scholar's Day Fund, Healthy Hero Summer Camp, Unrestricted Donation
Friends & Foundation of Rochester Public Library
$40,612Summer Reading Program
Mentors Inspiring Boys & Girls
$40,000Village artistic development program, After School Enrichment & Arts Program
ROC Royal Inc
$37,500Summer Dream Camp
The Lawrence W & Elyse Fine Community Foundation
$36,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
The Center for Youth Services
$35,000General Program Support & Crisis Nursery
Memorial AME Zion Inc
$30,000Summer Camp Grant
Freedom Scholars Learning Center
$30,000Summer Literacy Enrichment Program
BreatheDeep
$30,000Summer Peer Ambassador Internship & Training
Little Theatre Film Society
$25,000Onward - 100 years of The Little Theatre
JCC Rochester Jewish Film Festival
$25,000Jewish cultural support through film - Annual donation