Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc
Historical FunderAuburn, New York · EIN 15-6017650 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2025)$7.9M
Organizations funded70
Typical grant$10,000
Total assets$120.3M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $4,000 and $25,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2025):
| Contact | DANIEL J FESSENDEN EXECUTIVE DIRECT |
|---|---|
| Address | 5654 SOUTH STREET ROAD, AUBURN NY 13021 |
| Phone | 3152539621 |
| Form and materials | ALL ORGANIZATIONS SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL MUST COMPLETE THE EMERSON FOUNDATION GRANT APPLICATION FORM. |
| Deadlines | PROPOSALS ARE ACCEPTED AND CONSIDERED ON AN ONGOING BASIS. |
| Restrictions | FRED L. EMERSON FOUNDATION, INC. DOES NOT MAKE GRANTS TO INDIVIDUALS OF FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND DOES NOT SPONSOR FUNDRAISING OR POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. PROPOSALS SEEKING SUPPORT SOLELY FOR RECURRING OPERATING EXPENSES OF AN ORGANIZATION ARE STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. GRANT RECIPIENTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION WITH AN EVALUATION REPORT UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT FOR WHICH THE FUNDING WAS PROVIDED. |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
20% of grants went outside New York.
Grants paid in tax year 2025
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seward House Museum | Auburn, NY | Toward endowment ($4.9M); capital restricted ($500K); seward carriage ($100K) | $5,525,032 |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY | Mccaffery-Wagman tennis and wellness center | $450,000 |
| The Rev Theater Company | Auburn, NY | Programming ($175K); unrestricted ($175K); tribute band event ($10K) | $360,000 |
| Causewave Community Partners | Rochester, NY | Capacity navigation with streamlined access to capacity building support | $259,475 |
| Booker T Washington Community Center | Auburn, NY | Toward before and after school feeding program, unrestricted | $121,000 |
| Food Bank of Central New York | Syracuse, NY | Capacity expansion project ($50,000); support cayuga county food programs ($45,000); unrestricted ($15,000) | $110,000 |
| Catalyst Cayuga | Auburn, NY | Investing in peer-to-peer networking and learning in cayuga county | $100,000 |
| Syracuse Area Landmark Theatre | Syracuse, NY | Toward the centennial capital campaign | $75,000 |
| E John Gavras Center | Auburn, NY | Preschool capacity building grant ($44,000); dolly parton imagination library sustainability project ($30,000) | $74,000 |
| Friends of Emerson Park | Auburn, NY | Toward development mgmt ($50K); unrestricted ($3K); easter 2025 event ($2.5K); sunday funday ($1K) | $56,500 |
| Auburn Public Theater | Auburn, NY | Toward 2025 gap support | $50,000 |
| Hazard Library Association | Poplar Ridge, NY | Toward hazard library building project | $50,000 |
| Seymour Public Library District | Auburn, NY | Toward interior renovation and improvements | $50,000 |
| Cayuga Co Emerson Park | Auburn, NY | Emerson park programming support grant 2024-2026 | $38,255 |
| Cayuga Bombers Youth Baseball Inc | Auburn, NY | Toward the outfield fence | $25,000 |
| Cayuga County Treasurer | Auburn, NY | Toward ward o'hara museum - replacement of museum log cabin | $25,000 |
| Ducks Unlimited Inc | Memphis, TN | Toward wetland restoration at owasco flats inlet | $25,000 |
| Saunders Finger Lakes Museum | Branchport, NY | Saunders finger lakes museum's capital project | $25,000 |
| Southern Cayuga Instant Aid Inc | Poplar Ridge, NY | Toward scia building renovation and improvements project | $25,000 |
| Union Springs Fire Department | Union Springs, NY | Toward 2025 neoteric hovercraft | $25,000 |
| Sleep in Heavenly Peace-Ny Auburn | Twin Falls, ID | Toward no kid sleeps on the floor ($15,000); unrestricted ($7,500) | $22,500 |
| First Presbyterian Church | Auburn, NY | Toward case mansion ballroom roof restoration | $20,000 |
| Hamilton College | Clinton, NY | Toward the mary mclean evans '82 scholarship fund | $20,000 |
| Musical Associates of Cny | Syracuse, NY | Toward july 3 patriotic celebration in emerson park 2025 | $20,000 |
| University of Rochester | Rochester, NY | Toward river campus libraries excellence fund | $20,000 |
| Tyburn Academy | Auburn, NY | Toward the science lab remodel | $18,500 |
| City of Auburn | Auburn, NY | Toward city of auburn summer recreation program for kids | $17,500 |
| Moravia Hope Pantry | Moravia, NY | Toward backpack program ($10,000); toward general support ($5,000) | $15,000 |
| Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility | Syracuse, NY | Toward syracuse community connections | $15,000 |
| West Genoa Cemetery Association | King Ferry, NY | Toward civil war soldier monument repair | $15,000 |
| Powers Library Association | Moravia, NY | Unrestricted | $14,000 |
| Finger Lakes SPCA of Cny | Auburn, NY | Toward laundry room needs ($8,500); unrestricted ($5,000) | $13,500 |
| Matthew House | Auburn, NY | Unrestricted | $12,500 |
| Greenwich Alliance for Education Foundation | Greenwich, CT | Toward strategic planning ($10,000); toward board retreat ($2,000) | $12,000 |
| Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce Foundation | Auburn, NY | Specifically toward costs to create the strategic plan | $11,500 |
| Abc Cayuga Inc | Auburn, NY | Toward play space - in honor of meg o'connell | $10,000 |
| Clear Path for Veterans Inc | Chittenango, NY | Unrestricted, for use with the canine program | $10,000 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | Toward cals annual fund | $10,000 |
| Hope for Heather | Liverpool, NY | Toward ovarian cancer research and awareness | $10,000 |
| Indian Mound Cemetery Assoc | Moravia, NY | For combatting community deterioration (public areas) | $10,000 |
| Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum | Wilmington, NC | Unrestricted or for capital needs | $10,000 |
| Sage Upstate | Syracuse, NY | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| St James Parish Foundation | Wilmington, NC | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| The Frederick Gunn School | Washington, CT | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Community Action Programs Cayugaseneca | Auburn, NY | Christmas elf | $5,000 |
| Dress for Success Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Kids in Crisis | Cos Cob, CT | Toward teen talk ($3,000); toward the text helpline ($2,000) | $5,000 |
| Links Foundation Inc | Washington, DC | (Pittsburgh chapter) toward eastern area hbcu project | $5,000 |
| Literacy Volunteers of Cayuga County | Auburn, NY | Toward student assessments - literacy classes | $5,000 |
| Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse | Syracuse, NY | Toward needs at syracuse emergency shelter/crossroads | $5,000 |
| St Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish | Rochester, NY | Towards matthew's closet clothing storehouse | $5,000 |
| St Mary's Church | Auburn, NY | Toward hvac repair/replacement at st. mary's church | $5,000 |
| Candid | New York, NY | General operating support for 2025 | $4,000 |
| National Center for Family Philanthropy | Washington, DC | 2025 programs and services | $4,000 |
| Scipio Volunteer Fire Company | Scipio Center, NY | Unrestricted | $4,000 |
| NY Funders Alliance | Syracuse, NY | 2025 programs and services | $3,500 |
| Antique Boat Museum | Clayton, NY | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Discalced Hermits of Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Highlands Ranch, CO | Toward the monastery in fairfield, pa | $3,000 |
| Greenwich Library | Greenwich, CT | Toward children's programs and outreach | $3,000 |
| Old Mentz Heritage Center | Port Byron, NY | Toward restoration and preservation of historic erie canal mural. | $3,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 70 grants to organizations.
Grants approved for future payment
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causewave Community Partners | Rochester, NY | Capacity navigation with streamlined access to capacity building support | $259,475 |
| Catalyst Cayuga (Formerly Human Services Coalition) | Auburn, NY | Connecting for impact: investing in peer-to-peer networking & learning in cayuga county | $200,000 |
| Friends of Emerson Park | Auburn, NY | Development management and staffing | $100,000 |
| Cayuga Co Emerson Park | Auburn, NY | Emerson park programming support grant 2024-2026 | $55,000 |
| E John Gavras Center | Auburn, NY | Dolly parton imagination library sustainability project | $40,000 |
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,892,812 | 75 |
| 2024 | $2,496,660 | 92 |
| 2023 | $2,396,399 | 99 |
| 2021 | $8,351,224 | 86 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2025, filed Jul 15, 2026 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202611969349101001
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 15-6017650
- Profile updated Nov 5, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.