The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Tower Foundation funds work for young people from birth to age 26 affected by intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health issues and substance use disorders, so check that your organisation's work matches this focus before applying.
- Its geographic focus is Western New York: Erie and Niagara counties in New York, and Eastern Massachusetts: Barnstable, Dukes, Essex and Nantucket counties in Massachusetts.
- About 8 in 10 of its 582 grants to organisations fall between $2,000 and $88,000, with a median grant of $20,000, so a modest request in that range is realistic, though the largest grant made was about $805,000.
- The application method varies by programme; for Community Change work, inquiries are accepted on a rolling basis and should begin with a conversation with a Program Officer, which points to a relationship-led approach rather than a cold application.
- A large share of its support, 78% of grant dollars to organisations, has gone to groups it had funded before, so new applicants should bear in mind that repeat relationships make up a substantial part of its giving.
Overview
The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation is a US private foundation based in Getzville, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Tower Foundation supports organisations and initiatives working to improve the lives of young people from birth to age 26 affected by intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health issues and substance use disorders. Its geographic focus is Erie and Niagara Counties in Western New York and Barnstable, Dukes, Essex and Nantucket Counties in Eastern Massachusetts. It funds direct programmes and services, and helps organisations build the systems, structures, cultures, skills and resources needed to serve their communities. It also backs collaborative community-change work involving diverse stakeholders, especially those most directly harmed by existing conditions and practices. Equity is central to its approach, including attention to systemic inequalities.
Themes
- Intellectual disabilities
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health
- Substance use disorders
Geographic Focus
Western New York: Erie and Niagara counties in New York; Eastern Massachusetts: Barnstable, Dukes, Essex and Nantucket counties in Massachusetts.
What They Don't Fund
- The private benefit of any grant recipient
- Attempt to influence legislation
- Attempt to influence or intervene in any political campaign
How to apply
Applicants should follow the guidelines for their chosen portfolio. Community Change inquiries are accepted on a rolling basis and begin with contacting a Program Officer for a conversation.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 78% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 582 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Grant requests should align with the Foundation’s mission, focus areas and geographic focus.
- The strongest Community Change projects incorporate most, if not all, of the Foundation’s values.
- Community Change projects must align with its goals and bring diverse stakeholders, especially those most directly harmed, together towards common ends.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 78% of grant dollars went to organisations The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 218 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Institute for Nonprofit Practice · Charitable$700,0002024 tax year
- Massachusetts General Hospital · Charitable$626,1882024 tax year
- Brookline Community Mental Health Center · Charitable$333,3332024 tax year
- Power Of Place Learning Communitites · Charitable$260,5102024 tax year
- Harmonia Collaborative Care · Charitable$250,0002024 tax year
- Causewave Community Partners · Charitable$230,0002024 tax year
- New York Funders Alliance · Charitable$204,0352024 tax year
- Mental Health Advocates Of Wny · Charitable$196,8802024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Peter T Byrnes — Trustee
- James H Weiss — Trustee
- David M Welbourn — Trustee
- Donna Owens — Trustee
- Tracy Sawicki — Executive Director
- Robert M Doyle — Trustee
- Cynthia T Doyle — Trustee
- Mollie Tower Byrnes — Trustee
- Marguerite Francis — Trustee
- Jacqueline Hall — Trustee
- Allen Booker — Trustee
- Marie Cannon — Trustee
- Randolph Treece — Attorney Trustee
- Mollie M Doyle — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $10,949,935 | $6,452,789 | $139,884,420 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $11,513,849 | $7,675,243 | $149,566,276 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $12,295,236 | $9,255,412 | $151,671,339 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (716) 689-0370
- info@thetowerfoundation.org
- Getzville, NY
- thetowerfoundation.org
Applying to The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (716) 689-0370
- info@thetowerfoundation.org
- Getzville, NY
- thetowerfoundation.org