Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation

• The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to organisations it has preselected, so a small charity with no existing link should not send it a cold proposal.
• Its funding areas are arts and culture, education, health care, family planning, poverty relief, food assistance, human rights, environmental work and community services, so a charity can judge whether its work fits.
• The filing gives no geographic focus, so location alone does not settle fit.
• About 8 in 10 grants fall between $2,500 and $40,000, with a median of $7,500, so a modest request in that band is typical, though the largest grant was $635,000 and the band is not a ceiling.
• Repeat recipients received 92% of grant dollars, so the process looks relationship-led, and the sensible first step is to seek an introduction or existing connection before requesting funds.

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

• Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society · Operating support of symphony orchestra
  $585,0002024 tax year
• Vipassana Community Foundation · Programs supporting vipassana meditation
  $170,0002024 tax year
• Oxfam America · Disaster relief and poverty relief
  $150,0002024 tax year
• Buffalo AKG Art Museum · General operating support and education programs
  $140,0002024 tax year
• Let There Be Light International · Solar light for families in africa
  $102,5002024 tax year
• Partners In Health · Health care for the poor
  $100,0002024 tax year
• Multiple Sclerosis Association of America · Services for people with multiple sclerosis
  $85,0002024 tax year
• FeedMore Western New York · Food assistance for families
  $70,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.