The William E & Ann L Swan Foundation
This organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable causes, with a notable emphasis on education, health, and human services. It funds educational institutions, such as St. Mary's High School, and health-related organizations like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Children's Hospital & Buffalo Foundation. The foundation also provides significant support to community service organizations, including The Salvation Army and Response to Love Center. While it primarily operates in New York, it has also extended its support to organizations in Washington, D.C., and other states. The foundation's mission reflects a commitment to enhancing community welfare through diverse charitable initiatives.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Established nonprofits with a strong local presence in New York working in education, health, or human services and the capacity to receive mid‑to‑large institutional grants.
Good Fit
- • Primary program delivery in New York, especially Buffalo/Western New York.
- • Work in education, hospitals/health, or human services consistent with prior grants.
- • Organizational scale and budget able to absorb grants in the $50k–$500k range (with occasional larger gifts).
- • Existing local credibility or relationships that could lead to preselection.
Geography
Observed giving is heavily concentrated in New York (about 89% of dollars) but grants reached recipients in five states in the latest year, indicating state‑level focus with limited out‑of‑state activity.
Recipient Variety
In the latest year the foundation funded 16 distinct recipients and added 15 new grantees that year, showing a broad and changing recipient set rather than a tiny closed circle.
New Applicants
The foundation's filings and default application metadata state grants are to preselected organizations; while many 2023 grantees were new, there is no evidence of an open application route, so unfamiliar applicants appear unlikely to gain entry without nomination or a relationship.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
