The Margaret L Wendt Foundation
Buffalo, NY · EIN 16-6030037. Reported 158 grants totalling $13.1M to 136 recipients across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Margaret L Wendt Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $50,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $24,968 and $100,000; the smallest was $1,641 and the largest $779,306. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Seminary | Buffalo, NY | $779,306 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Niagara Aquarium Foundation | Niagara Falls, NY | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Graycliff Conservancy | Derby, NY | $360,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ub Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $338,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| United Way of Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $315,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Jacobs Institute | Buffalo, NY | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mount St Mary's Hospital Foundation | Lewiston, NY | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Roswell Park Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Westminster Economic Development Initiative | Buffalo, NY | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Gow School | South Wales, NY | $275,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Say Yes Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $260,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ecmc Lifeline Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $258,118 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wny Rural Area Health Education Center | Warsaw, NY | $254,431 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Hauptman Woodward Institute | Buffalo, NY | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| King Urban Life Center | Buffalo, NY | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Genesee Gateway | Buffalo, NY | $234,697 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Buffalo Heritage Carousel | Buffalo, NY | $225,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society | Buffalo, NY | $207,615 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Wny Railway Historical Society | Buffalo, NY | $206,809 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Wny | Buffalo, NY | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Burchfield Penney Art Center | Buffalo, NY | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $200,000 | 3 | 2 | 2022 |
| Niagara Lutheran Health Foundation | Lancaster, NY | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy | Buffalo, NY | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Genesis Center of Wny Inc | Buffalo, NY | $195,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Arc of Erie County | Williamsville, NY | $177,317 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| United Way | Buffalo, NY | $165,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Holy Trinity Lutheran Church | Buffalo, NY | $160,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Bestself | Buffalo, NY | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper | Buffalo, NY | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Houghton College | Houghton, NY | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kleinhans Music Hall Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| World of Girls and Boys Leadership | Buffalo, NY | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Saved By Grace Ministry | Buffalo, NY | $140,975 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hispanic Heritage Counsel of Wny | Buffalo, NY | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| One Symphony Circle | Buffalo, NY | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Playworks Education Energized | New York, NY | $125,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Genesis Center | Buffalo, NY | $114,000 | 2 | 1 | 2024 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Wny | Buffalo, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy | Buffalo, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Daemen College | Amherst, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hilbert College | Buffalo, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Patient Airlift Services | Massapequa Park, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Pioneer on the Lake | Angola, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Read to Succeed | Buffalo, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Roycroft Campus Corporation | East Aurora, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Summit Center | Getzville, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wny Public Broadcasting Assoc | Buffalo, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Buffalo Prep | Buffalo, NY | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Foundry | Buffalo, NY | $80,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Tool Library | Buffalo, NY | $78,750 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Buffalo, NY | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Canisius College | Buffalo, NY | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Gerard Place | Buffalo, NY | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Investigative Post | Buffalo, NY | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Opportunities Collaborative for Students With Special Needs Inc | Amherst, NY | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Housing Options Made Easy | Buffalo, NY | $72,889 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Buffalo Wrestling Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $70,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra | Buffalo, NY | $69,414 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Compeer | Buffalo, NY | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Providence Farm Collective | Orchard Park, NY | $65,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Cantalician Center | Buffalo, NY | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Girls on the Run Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buffalo City Mission | Buffalo, NY | $58,050 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society | Buffalo, NY | $58,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Carousel Society of Niagara Frontier | North Tonawanda, NY | $56,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Accessible Academics | Williamsville, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Buffalo Reuse | Buffalo, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Center for Elder Law & Justice | Buffalo, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Homespace | Buffalo, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lothlorien Therapeutic Riding Center | East Aurora, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Riviera Theatre & Organ Preservation | North Tonawanda, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rural Outreach Center | East Aurora, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Save the Michaels | Buffalo, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Stitch Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ujima Theatre | Buffalo, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Veterans One Stop | Buffalo, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hope of Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $48,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Brothers of Mercy | Clarence, NY | $48,043 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Family Promise | Buffalo, NY | $42,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Chestnut Ridge Conservancy | Orchard Park, NY | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cradle Beach Camp | Angola, NY | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Home Assistance Referral Team | Lewiston, NY | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mental Health Advocates of Wny | Buffalo, NY | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Collaborative Center for Social Innovation | Lancaster, NY | $39,617 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Visually Impaired Advancement | Buffalo, NY | $36,608 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| O'connell & Company Productions | Buffalo, NY | $32,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buffalo Inner City Ballet | Buffalo, NY | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Seneca Street Community Development | Buffalo, NY | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Village of South Dayton | South Dayton, NY | $27,144 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Wny Land Conservancy | East Aurora, NY | $26,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Young Audiences Wny | Buffalo, NY | $26,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Grassroots Gardens | Buffalo, NY | $25,789 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Epic | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Housing Opportunities Made Equal | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Junior Achievement of Wny | Amherst, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Kenan Center | Lockport, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Martin House | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Nickel City Opera | Cheektowaga, NY | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Ronald Mcdonald House Wny | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Society of St Vincent De Paul | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| SUNY Niagara Nccc | Sanborn, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Bison Scholarship Fund | Buffalo, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Be-a-Friend | Beacon, NY | $24,968 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village | Amherst, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Explore Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Gliding Stars | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hallwalls | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Independent Health Foundation | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Road Less Traveled Productions | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Word of Life Church | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Literacy Ny Buffalo Niagara | Buffalo, NY | $19,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lockport Cares | Lockport, NY | $18,660 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cepa | Buffalo, NY | $17,600 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Healthy Community Alliance Inc | Gowanda, NY | $17,200 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| North Park Theatre | Buffalo, NY | $16,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| 716 Squash | Buffalo, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Girl Scouts of Wny | Buffalo, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Nativitymiguel | Buffalo, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail | Orchard Park, NY | $14,300 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hull House Foundation | Lancaster, NY | $12,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Shakespeare in Delaware Park | Buffalo, NY | $11,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buffalo Opera Unlimited | Buffalo, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Greater Eastside Fields of Dreams | Buffalo, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Greater Eastside Fields of Dreams Block Club | Buffalo, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Saving Grace Outreach | Buffalo, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Valley Community Association | Buffalo, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Home Beneath Our Feet | Alden, NY | $9,950 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wny Books Arts Club | Buffalo, NY | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wahi | Newfane, NY | $5,253 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Boces Educational Foundation Inc | Fredonia, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Keys Corp | Sherrill, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Buffalo Society of Artists | Buffalo, NY | $4,880 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buffalo Naval Park | Buffalo, NY | $2,400 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Winslow Block Club | Buffalo, NY | $1,641 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
16 of 136 (12%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 12%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 83 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41 | $3,702,383 | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 36 | $3,799,336 | $55,000 |
| 2023 | 37 | $2,679,446 | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 44 | $2,882,759 | $30,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Already committed for future years
Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. The Margaret L Wendt Foundation has 42 of them, worth $4,377,346. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.
| Organization | Location | Approved |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Seminary | Buffalo, NY | $785,209 |
| Buffalo Public Schools | Buffalo, NY | $500,000 |
| Feedmore Wny | Buffalo, NY | $400,000 |
| Buffalo Audubon Society | North Java, NY | $400,000 |
| Wny Railway Historical Society | Buffalo, NY | $206,809 |
| Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship Inc | Buffalo, NY | $150,000 |
| Bestself | Buffalo, NY | $150,000 |
| Houghton College | Houghton, NY | $150,000 |
| Niagara Aerospace Museum | Niagara Falls, NY | $100,000 |
| Read to Succeed | Buffalo, NY | $100,000 |
| Southern Tier Health Care System | Olean, NY | $100,000 |
| Housing Options Made Easy | Buffalo, NY | $84,161 |
| Tool Library | Buffalo, NY | $78,750 |
| Buffalo Naval Park | Buffalo, NY | $77,600 |
| World of Girls and Boys Leadership | Buffalo, NY | $75,000 |
Where its money goes
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $50,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in New York.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Margaret L Wendt Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 111 Genesee Street 304, Buffalo, NY, 14203. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 16-6030037 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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