Peter & Elizabeth C Tower Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $7.7 million
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (foundation is highly supportive throughout process)
• Decision Time: 4 months or less (typical)
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $450,000 (average ~$30,000)
• Geographic Focus: Erie and Niagara Counties (NY); Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, and Nantucket Counties (MA)
• Assets: $123+ million

Contact Details

Address: 2351 North Forest Road, Suite 106, Getzville, NY 14068-1225

Phone: 716-689-0370

Email: Info@TheTowerFoundation.org

Website: www.thetowerfoundation.org

Grants Portal: https://towerfdn.link/grants-portal

Schedule Consultation: https://calendly.com/towerfdn-program (highly recommended before applying)

Overview

Founded in 1990 by Peter and Elizabeth Tower, the Peter & Elizabeth C Tower Foundation is a family foundation with over $123 million in assets that distributes more than $7.7 million annually to organisations serving young people facing significant challenges. Peter Tower, a Niagara Falls native who grew his family's customs brokerage business to 90 times its original size before selling to McGraw-Hill in 1986, established the foundation with his wife Elizabeth, an accomplished painter, guided by the principle that "with prosperity comes responsibility." Today, their daughters Mollie and Cynthia and their husbands serve on the Board, continuing the founders' vision. The foundation focuses exclusively on children, adolescents, and young adults (birth to age 26) facing intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health challenges, and substance use disorders in Western New York and Eastern Massachusetts. The foundation has evolved significantly in recent years, embracing equity-focused grantmaking, participatory approaches involving young people with lived experience, and a shift towards general operating support to provide greater flexibility to partner organisations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

1. Short-Term General Operating Grants

• Amount: Typically $50,000 per award
• Total Available: Approximately $1.5 million annually (30 awards total across two cycles)
• Application Method: Online portal, two fixed deadline cycles per year
• Typical Spring Cycle: February deadline with decisions by late March
• Typical Autumn Cycle: September deadline with decisions by early November

2. Programmes & Services Grants

• Amount: Typically $15,000 - $50,000 per year; most competitive applications are $150,000 total or less over 3 years maximum
• Total Annual: Approximately $2.8 million available when active
• Application Method: Two cycles annually when active
• Focus: Direct service programmes in the four focus areas
• Note: This programme is periodically paused for emergency response grantmaking

3. Strengthening Partner Capacity Grants

• Amount: $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000
• Total Annual: Approximately $1,050,000
• Application Method: Three cycles annually when active, approximately 20 awards per cycle
• Focus: Organisational development including board/leadership development, DEI initiatives, evaluation design, professional development, technology planning, small capital projects
• Note: Most grants in this category are by invitation only; this programme is periodically paused

4. Community Change Grants

• Application Method: Rolling basis for enquiries
• Focus: Collaborative initiatives addressing systemic challenges, coordinating care continuums, workforce development, community coalitions
• Note: This programme is periodically paused for emergency response grantmaking

5. Community Experts Fund

• Amount: $200,000-$225,000 distributed annually through participatory grantmaking
• Process: Young adults with lived experience in foundation's focus areas review applications and make funding decisions
• Unique Feature: Entirely driven by Community Experts Team members

Priority Areas

Population Focus (Birth to Age 26)

• Intellectual disabilities
• Learning disabilities
• Mental health challenges
• Substance use disorders

Equity Commitment The foundation explicitly prioritises organisations serving marginalised communities including:

• Black/African-American communities
• Hispanic/Latinx communities
• Native American/Indigenous peoples
• People with disabilities
• Housing insecure populations
• Immigrant/refugee communities
• LGBTQIA+ populations

The foundation examines the convergence of their focus areas with systemic issues of racism, sexism, classism, and ableism, recognising that living at the intersection of multiple identities is critically important to their grantmaking.

Geographic Restriction

• Western New York: Erie County and Niagara County only
• Eastern Massachusetts: Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, and Nantucket Counties only

What They Don't Fund

• Organisations outside their specific geographic focus areas
• Programmes serving populations outside the birth to age 26 range
• Causes outside their four focus areas (intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health, substance use disorders)

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Tracy A. Sawicki, Executive Director

• Leads the foundation's strategic direction and equity initiatives
• Notable quote: "The first time I heard an individual with a disability say don't decide anything about me, without me, I was in college. I never forgot this. It really resonated with me."
• On partnerships: "We can't do our work without you. We can't get to the results we want without you."
• Background: Passionate about inclusion and participatory approaches

Donald W. Matteson, Chief Programme Officer

• Oversees grant programmes and strategy
• Focuses on supporting young people and families

Kathleen E. Andriaccio, Director of Finance and Administration

Programme Officers

• Charles E. Colston, Jr., Programme Officer
• Megan T. MacDavey, Programme Officer
• Nicholas G. Randell, Programme Officer

Board of Trustees

• Allen Booker
• Mollie Byrnes (daughter of founders)
• Peter Byrnes
• Dr. Marie A. Cannon
• Cynthia Doyle (daughter of founders)
• Robert Doyle
• Beth Francis
• Dr. Jacqueline Hall
• Patricia Meservey
• Donna Owens
• TJ Quinn
• Randy Treece
• David Welbourn

Additional Leadership

• Manny Cruz, Board Advisor
• James Weiss, Trustee Emeritus

The foundation has recruited new board members to better reflect the communities they serve, demonstrating commitment to diversity and lived experience representation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Pre-Application Consultation (Highly Recommended)

• Schedule a call with a Programme Officer: https://calendly.com/towerfdn-program
• Email enquiries to: Info@TheTowerFoundation.org
• The foundation strongly encourages discussing eligibility and project fit before applying

Application Submission

• All applications submitted through online portal: https://towerfdn.link/grants-portal
• Technical support: support@thetowerfoundation.org
• Accommodation requests: info@thetowerfoundation.org

Current Opportunities The foundation operates multiple grant programmes throughout the year, though some programmes are periodically paused for emergency response grantmaking. Check the foundation website for current application opportunities.

Decision Timeline

Typical Process: 4 months or less from submission to decision

Short-Term General Operating Grants Timeline:

• Spring Cycle: Applications typically due in February; decisions typically sent by late March (approximately 6 weeks)
• Autumn Cycle: Applications typically due in September; decisions typically sent by early November (approximately 6 weeks)

Notification Method: Email and through grants portal

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. However, the foundation typically makes over 200 awards annually.

Important Insight from Grant Seekers: The Letter of Inquiry (LOI) stage appears to be the most competitive phase. Once past the LOI, applicants report that programme officers become highly invested in helping the application succeed. The foundation has a reputation for being supportive rather than adversarial.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation does not publicly specify a waiting period for unsuccessful applicants. However, applicant experiences indicate:

• The foundation provides detailed feedback on rejected applications
• Unsuccessful applicants are explicitly encouraged to reapply
• Some organisations report being rejected 3 times at the LOI stage before success
• The foundation "always gives you the time you need to understand why and encouragement to try again"

Application Success Factors

Foundation-Specific Strengths

1. Strong Geographic and Thematic Alignment Organisations must serve young people (birth to age 26) in their specific counties with programmes addressing intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health, or substance use disorders. Applications outside these parameters will not be considered.

2. Equity and Inclusion Commitment The foundation explicitly prioritises organisations serving marginalised communities. Successful applicants demonstrate:

• Service to populations experiencing systemic inequities
• Understanding of intersectionality (how race, disability, socioeconomic status, etc. overlap)
• Commitment to equity in their organisational practices

3. Engagement with Lived Experience Following Tracy Sawicki's principle of "don't decide anything about me, without me," strong applications show:

• Youth voice in programme design and delivery
• Leadership or meaningful involvement of people with lived experience
• Participatory approaches to decision-making

4. Pre-Application Engagement The foundation explicitly states: "Programme Officers are very accessible and welcome opportunities to explore concepts and ideas in advance of submitting an application, and potential applicants are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities to help with alignment of the proposal and grant guidelines."

Applicants who schedule consultations before applying have better outcomes because:

• Programme officers can clarify eligibility early
• Discussions help align proposals with current priorities
• Relationships begin before formal submission

5. Collaborative Approach The foundation values organisations that:

• Work in partnership with other organisations
• Coordinate care across systems
• Build community coalitions
• Challenge existing practices to improve outcomes

6. Clarity and Conciseness Grant seekers advise: "Just make sure to have a clear, succinct idea of what you'd like to communicate." The foundation appreciates straightforward proposals that clearly articulate need, approach, and expected outcomes.

Common Success Patterns

Organisations Funded Recently Include:

• Mentoring and counselling programmes for youth
• Prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance use
• Programmes supporting youth with disabilities
• Mental health services with equity focus

Community Experts Fund: Distributes $200,000-$225,000 annually through participatory grantmaking involving young people with lived experience reviewing and selecting grants.

What Makes Applications Stand Out

Based on foundation communications and grantee experiences:

1. Demonstrated commitment to equity - Not just serving diverse populations, but actively working to address systemic barriers
2. Youth-centred approaches - Programmes designed with, not just for, young people
3. Organisational authenticity - Staff, board, and organisational culture that reflect commitment to diversity and inclusion
4. Willingness to experiment - The foundation supports organisations willing to try new approaches to persistent challenges
5. Strong relationships - Once you connect with a programme officer, they become invested in your success

Use of Generative AI

The foundation explicitly encourages applicants to use generative AI tools to strengthen grant requests, though they note important caveats (specific guidance available through the foundation).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Pre-application consultation is essential - The foundation's programme officers are remarkably accessible and invested in applicant success. Schedule a call before applying to ensure alignment and begin building the relationship.

2. Geographic and age restrictions are absolute - Only organisations serving young people (birth to 26) in Erie/Niagara Counties (NY) or Barnstable/Dukes/Essex/Nantucket Counties (MA) are eligible. Do not apply if outside these parameters.

3. Equity focus is central, not peripheral - The foundation has evolved significantly towards equity-centred grantmaking. Applications must demonstrate genuine commitment to serving marginalised communities and addressing systemic barriers.

4. The LOI stage is most competitive - Once past the initial Letter of Inquiry, programme officers become true partners in developing strong applications. Don't be discouraged by initial rejection - the foundation encourages reapplication with feedback.

5. Lived experience matters deeply - Organisations that meaningfully involve young people and people with disabilities in leadership and decision-making align strongly with the foundation's values.

6. General operating support is increasingly available - The foundation has shifted towards providing more flexible funding, recognising that unrestricted support helps organisations respond to community needs.

7. Monitor website for current opportunities - Some grant programmes are periodically paused for emergency response grantmaking. Stay connected and monitor the website for updates on current application opportunities.

References

1. The Tower Foundation Official Website - https://thetowerfoundation.org/

2. The Tower Foundation: What We Fund - https://thetowerfoundation.org/what-we-fund/

3. The Tower Foundation: Grant Opportunities - https://thetowerfoundation.org/what-we-fund/grant-opportunities/

4. The Tower Foundation: Staff & Trustees - https://thetowerfoundation.org/the-foundation/staff-trustees/

5. The Tower Foundation: History & Founders - https://thetowerfoundation.org/the-foundation/history-founders/

6. The Tower Foundation: Equity - https://thetowerfoundation.org/resources/equity/

7. The Tower Foundation: Participatory Grantmaking - https://thetowerfoundation.org/resources/participatory-grantmaking/

8. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Peter & Elizabeth C Tower Foundation Tr - https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/166350753

9. Inside Philanthropy: Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation - https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-t/peter-and-elizabeth-c-tower-foundation

10. GrantAdvisor Profile: Peter & Elizabeth C Tower Foundation Tr - https://grantadvisor.org/profile/16-6350753/peter-elizabeth-c-tower-foundation-tr