Paychex founder Thomas Golisano has pledged $360 million to 82 nonprofits in the Finger Lakes, Western New York, and Central New York regions. The donations mark his largest philanthropic gesture ever, more than doubling his giving to $775 million.
The pledge also follows his June 2024 commitment of $50 million—his largest single gift to date—to establish the Golisano Intellectual and Development Disabilities Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
“I’m thrilled to provide support to the Upstate New York community, to the region where I built my life and my business,” Golisano said at the announcement held at the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship today.
“One of my favorite sayings is ‘the only wealth you keep is that which you give away,’ and I’m so lucky to be able to live that out,” he continued. “The success of Paychex and the hard work of the employees there are ultimately what makes these donations possible, and I am beyond grateful that I have the ability to do so. I look forward to seeing how this will be used to strengthen their organizations and better the communities they serve.”
Nonprofits in Rochester will receive the bulk of the donations ($201 million), with organizations in Buffalo ($66.5 million) and Syracuse ($40.5 million) also receiving substantial amounts.
The individual awards range from $250,000 to $20 million and will be paid over four to five years. Most of the organizations have been recipients of donations by Golisano or his foundation in the past and include the areas of health care, education, animal welfare, and disability services.
“I know that there are many organizations doing great work and understand that running a nonprofit is not easy, facing both opportunities and challenges, like raising money,” Golisano said. “These awards are the result of relationships I’ve formed over the years. I am impressed with these organizations’ dedication and innovation. It is extremely rewarding to see what they have been able to accomplish with my financial support over the years. I hope this unexpected, unrestricted funding helps them build on their successes and broaden their impact.”
The Golisano Foundation, which serves those Upstate New York regions as well as Southwest Florida, will receive $52 million. That infusion of funding will increase the foundation’s annual giving from some $3 million to more than $5 million.
In particular, organizations that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are highlighted, aligning with the Golisano Foundation’s original intent when founded in 1985. Similarly, Bailey and Friends, an initiative founded in honor of Golisano’s two dogs, both of whom were named Bailey, also is supported by the foundation.
“We encourage nonprofit organizations to visit our website to learn more about Tom’s personal giving and the foundation’s mission,” said Erica Dayton, executive director of the Golisano Foundation. “We look forward to the new influx of agencies we’ll be introduced to through the widespread news of Tom’s most recent giving.
“Understanding the needs of the communities we support and the organizations that devote their expertise to serving them is a constantly evolving process,” she added. “We are always looking to learn more and determine how we can be supportive with the resources available.”
The nonprofits receiving awards are:
Community ($25 million)
- The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester – $5 million
- Foodlink – $5 million
- Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind – $2 million
- Hillside Family of Agencies – $5 million
- Lifespan – $2 million
- Medical Motor Service of Rochester & Monroe County – $2 Million
- Veterans Outreach Center – $2 Million
- WXXI Public Broadcasting – $2 Million
Education ($86 million)
- Alfred State College – $5 million
- Allendale Columbia School – $5 million
- Aquinas Institute of Rochester – $5 million
- Bishop Kearney High School – $5 million
- Canisius University – $5 million
- The Charles Finney School – $3 million
- Daemen University – $5 million
- The Harley School – $5 million
- Hope Hall School – $3 million
- McQuaid Jesuit High School – $5 million
- Nazareth University – $5 million
- Niagara University – $10 million
- Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women – $5 million
- Roberts Wesleyan University – $5 million
- Rochester Institute of Technology – $10 million
- St. John Fisher University – $5 million
Health ($69 million)
- American Cancer Society, Golisano Hope Lodge – $2 million
- American Red Cross – Greater Rochester Chapter – $5 million
- Daystar Kids – $5 million
- Mercy Flight Central – $5 million
- Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center – $10 million
- Oishei Children’s Hospital of Buffalo – $10 million
- Rochester Regional Health – $20 million
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester, NY – $2 million
- Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital – $10 million
Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities ($104 million)
- Ability Partners (CP Rochester, Rochester Rehab, Happiness House) – $5 million
- Arc Allegany-Steuben – $5 million
- Arc Chemung-Schuyler – $5 million
- Arc Erie County New York – $5 million
- Arc GLOW (Genesee/Livingston/Orleans/Wyoming) – $5 million
- Arc of Monroe County – $5 million
- Arc of Ontario County – $5 million
- Arc of Wayne County – $5 million
- AutismUp – $3 Million
- Best Buddies, WNY – $1 million
- Catholic Charities Family and Community Services – $5 million
- CDS Life Transitions – $5 million
- Cobblestone Arts Center – $2 million
- Empowering People’s Independence (EPI) – $5 million
- EquiCenter – $2 million
- Golisano Autism Center – $3 million
- Holy Childhood – $5 million
- Lifetime Assistance – $5 million
- Mary Cariola Center – Future Announcement
- Mozaic (Arc of Seneca, Cayuga & Yates Counties) – $5 million
- People Inc. – $5 million
- Special Olympics New York – $1 million
- Springbrook – $5 million
- Starbridge Services – $2 million
- Summit Center – $5 million
Jacob Schermerhorn is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and data journalist. The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. Submissions to the Letters page should be sent to [email protected].
Now compare the above listing of Golisano’s $360,000,000 largess to the $2,000,000 Donald Trump had to pay as a penalty for stealing from his fake “foundation”. Strange way to Make America Great Again.