The Cullen Foundation of Western New York Inc
Historical FunderBuffalo, New York · EIN 87-0849992 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2024)$5.2M
Organizations funded121
Typical grant$28,700
Total assets$137.1M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $15,000 and $50,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2024):
| Contact | MS FLORINE LUHR |
|---|---|
| Address | 250 DELAWARE AVENUE SUITE 820, BUFFALO NY 14202 |
| Phone | 7168004280 |
| FLUHR@THECULLENFOUNDATION.ORG | |
| Form and materials | GRANT PROCESS IS CONDUCTED ONLINE THROUGH WWW.THECULLENFOUNDATION.ORG; INSTRUCTIONS AND ELIGIBILITY LOCATED ON THIS WEBSITE; REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE: COMPLETION, SUBMISSION AND APPROVAL OF LOI AND APPLICATION; AUDITED OR REVIEWED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS COMPLETED BY INDEPENDENT CPA; 501(C)3 LETTER; PROJECT BUDGET; BOARD LIST; AND ORGANIZATIONAL BUDGET. |
| Deadlines | SUBMISSION DATES VARY PER YEAR BUT GENERALLY, LOI PROCESS BEGINS IN JANUARY AND JULY OF EACH YEAR. |
| Restrictions | APPLICATIONS LIMITED TO SPECIFIC AREAS OF EDUCATION AND PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN AND PRIMARILY BENEFITTING RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY, NEW YORK; APPLICANTS MUST BE 501(C)3; ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA APPLY SEE WWW.THECULLENFOUNDATION.ORG FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. |
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
9% of grants went outside New York.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tntp | New York, NY | Gen op: buffalo urban teaching fellows prgm | $400,000 |
| Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship Inc | Buffalo, NY | Program support: 2024 say yes summer camp | $325,000 |
| Education Collaborative of Wny | Buffalo, NY | Cullen scholars 2024-2025 tuition support | $213,050 |
| Brick Education Network | Newark, NJ | Brick buffalo academy charter school start up funds | $200,000 |
| Chapin Hall Center for Children | Chicago, IL | 2024-25 external evaluation of cullen sap grantees | $149,533 |
| Buffalo Commons Charter School | Buffalo, NY | Buffalo commons early literacy curriculum | $115,884 |
| Brick Education Network | Newark, NJ | Early literacy program curriculum at brick buffalo | $111,790 |
| Persistence Preparatory Academy Charter School | Buffalo, NY | Letrs training; teachers pd; leadership development | $101,900 |
| Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra | Buffalo, NY | General operating support 2022-2024 | $100,000 |
| City Year Inc | Boston, MA | General operating sy 2024-25 | $100,000 |
| Persistence Preparatory Academy Charter School | Buffalo, NY | Early literacy tutoring cohort sy24-25 | $100,000 |
| Buffalo Academy of Science | Buffalo, NY | Buffsci early college program funds | $90,000 |
| Achieving the Dream Inc | Silver Spring, MD | Facilitate buffalo charter early college cohort | $83,850 |
| The Bison Children's Scholarship Fund Inc | Buffalo, NY | Tuition support for cullen scholars 2024-25 | $83,210 |
| Tntp | New York, NY | Butf fellows support (cohort 2) | $82,500 |
| City Year Inc | Boston, MA | General operating & ace stipends sy 2024-25 | $75,809 |
| Charter School for Applied Technologies | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: early college & career pathways | $75,000 |
| Read to Succeed Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: experience corps buffalo | $75,000 |
| Riviera Theatre | North Tonawanda, NY | Capital funds: theatre renovation and expansion | $75,000 |
| Shaw Festival Foundation | Buffalo, NY | Gen operating: re-engaging wny audiences | $75,000 |
| Canisius College | Buffalo, NY | Tuiton support for butf 2024 fellows (cohort 2) | $61,476 |
| The Service Collaborative of Wny Inc | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: able early childhood prgm | $60,000 |
| University District Community Development Association Inc | Buffalo, NY | Program funds for supplemental academic program | $60,000 |
| Canisius College | Buffalo, NY | Tuition support for 2023 butf fellows (cohort 1) | $51,403 |
| Bestself Behavioral Health Inc | Buffalo, NY | After-School project-based learning teacher intern prgm | $50,000 |
| Buffalo City Swim Racers | Buffalo, NY | Programs funds: city swim project | $50,000 |
| Northeast Charter Schools Network | New Haven, CT | Buffalo charter schoolsl enrollment collaboration (common app) | $50,000 |
| Shakespeare in Delaware Park Inc | Buffalo, NY | General operating: support for free public theater | $50,000 |
| Springville Center for the Arts | Springville, NY | Program funds: mongerson theater blast off | $50,000 |
| The King Urban Life Center | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: expansion of parent child + prgm | $50,000 |
| Wedi Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | Program funds for supplemental academic program | $50,000 |
| Enterprise Charter School | Buffalo, NY | Early literacy tutoring cohort spring 2024 pilot | $47,302 |
| Artpark & Company Inc | Lewiston, NY | General operating support 2024 - 2026 | $45,000 |
| Persistence Preparatory Academy Charter School | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: buffalo charter school talent cohort | $45,000 |
| Buffalo State College Foundation Inc | Buffalo, NY | Tuition support for butf 2024 fellows (cohort 2) | $44,303 |
| Buffalo Prep | Buffalo, NY | Cullen scholars' participation in bp for sy 2024-25 | $42,000 |
| Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: language to literacy program | $40,000 |
| Buffalo Prep | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: supplemental academic programs | $40,000 |
| Colored Musicians Club of Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | General operating: salary support | $40,000 |
| Horizons National | Westport, CT | Program funds for horizons at resource council of wny | $40,000 |
| Irish Classical Theatre Company | Buffalo, NY | Gen operating for audience development | $40,000 |
| Learning Disabilities Association of Western New York | Kenmore, NY | Program funds for supplemental academic program (lead716) | $40,000 |
| Neglia Ballet Artists | Buffalo, NY | General operating | $40,000 |
| Peace of the City Ministries | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: tutoring, literacy, mathematics | $40,000 |
| United Way of Buffalo & Erie County | Buffalo, NY | Relay teacher training for buffalo public school teachers | $39,500 |
| Burchfield Penney Art Center | Buffalo, NY | Performing arts programming at bpac | $35,000 |
| D'youville College | Buffalo, NY | Patron services position at kavinoky theatre | $35,000 |
| Roswell Park Alliance | Buffalo, NY | Program funds for supplemental academic program (our story) | $35,000 |
| Reach Academy Charter School | Buffalo, NY | Early literacy tutoring cohort spring 2024 pilot | $34,160 |
| Persistence Preparatory Academy Charter School | Buffalo, NY | Early literacy tutoring cohort: spring 2024 pilot | $32,500 |
| Read to Succeed Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | Early literacy tutoring cohort sy24-25 | $30,746 |
| Reach Academy Charter School | Buffalo, NY | Early literacy tutoring cohort sy24-25 | $30,089 |
| Alleyway Theatre | Buffalo, NY | General operating for salary restructuring | $30,000 |
| Be-A-Friend Program Inc | Buffalo, NY | Hs bigs mentoring at tapestry charter school | $30,000 |
| Erie Regional Housing Development Corporation Dba the Belle Center | Buffalo, NY | Program support for supplemental academic program | $30,000 |
| Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute | Buffalo, NY | Program support for supplemental academic program | $30,000 |
| Rural Outreach Center | East Aurora, NY | Program support for supplemental academic program | $30,000 |
| Valley Community Association Inc | Buffalo, NY | Program funds for supplemental academic program | $30,000 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | Buffalo urban teaching fellows evaluation year 2 | $29,957 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | Buffalo urban teaching fellows evaluation year 2 | $29,957 |
Showing the 60 largest of 121 grants to organizations.
Grants approved for future payment
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read to Succeed Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: experience corps buffalo | $150,000 |
| University District Community Development Association Inc | Buffalo, NY | Program funds for supplemental academic program | $120,000 |
| Colored Musicians Club of Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | General operating: salary support | $80,000 |
| Neglia Ballet Artists | Buffalo, NY | General operating | $80,000 |
| Buffalo City Swim Racers | Buffalo, NY | Programs funds: city swim project | $54,200 |
| Bestself Behavioral Health Inc | Buffalo, NY | After-School project-based learning teacher intern prgm | $50,000 |
| Kenan Center Inc | Lockport, NY | Program funds: return to producing theatre | $50,000 |
| Arts at the Bakery (West Falls Ctr for the Arts) | West Falls, NY | Program funds for expansion of performances & audiences | $40,000 |
| Nusantara Arts Inc | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: expanding balinese music access | $40,000 |
| Be-A-Friend Program Inc | Buffalo, NY | Hs bigs mentoring at tapestry charter school | $30,000 |
| Afterschool Alliance | Washington, DC | Program funds: america after 3pm wny | $25,000 |
| Collaborative Center for Social Innovation | Lancaster, NY | Program support for supplemental academic prgm (STEM) | $25,000 |
| Erie Regional Housing Development Corporation Dba the Belle Center | Buffalo, NY | Program support for supplemental academic program | $25,000 |
| Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute | Buffalo, NY | Program support for supplemental academic program | $25,000 |
| Northeast Charter Schools Network | New Haven, CT | Buffalo charters enrollment project | $25,000 |
| Roswell Park Alliance | Buffalo, NY | Program funds for supplemental academic program (our story) | $25,000 |
| Lancaster Opera House | Lancaster, NY | General operating; staffing | $20,000 |
| YMCA Buffalo Niagara | Buffalo, NY | Program funds: summer learning loss prevention prgm | $16,000 |
| Second Generation Theatre Company Inc | Buffalo, NY | 2024-2025 season at the shea's smith and 2025-2026 season | $15,000 |
| Just Buffalo Literary Center | Buffalo, NY | Program funds for silo city reading series | $10,000 |
| Roycrofters At-Large Association Inc | East Aurora, NY | Program funds: roycroft chamber music festival | $10,000 |
| Camerata Di Sant'antonio | Buffalo, NY | Program support for public performances | $9,418 |
| Olv Charities | Lackawanna, NY | Olv STEM program capacity building | $1,360 |
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,188,072 | 144 |
| 2023 | $5,034,514 | 157 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 17, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202543219349104914
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 87-0849992
- 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.