Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County
Ithaca, NY · EIN 15-6018481. Reported 207 grants totalling $891,393 to 128 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $4,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $2,000 and $5,500; the smallest was $450 and the largest $19,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paleontological Research Institute | Ithaca, NY | $41,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services Inc | Ithaca, NY | $38,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Sciencenter of Ithaca | Ithaca, NY | $36,200 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Foodnet Meals on Wheels | Ithaca, NY | $28,312 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| United Way of Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $28,200 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $27,825 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| State Theatre of Ithaca Inc | Ithaca, NY | $23,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Child Development Council | Ithaca, NY | $22,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Family & Children's Service of Ithaca | Ithaca, NY | $20,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Finger Lakes Reuse Inc | Ithaca, NY | $17,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Catholic Charities | Ithaca, NY | $17,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Beverly J Martin School PTA | Ithaca, NY | $16,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Food Bank of the Southern Tier | Elmira, NY | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Brooktondale Community Center | Brooktondale, NY | $14,405 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Golden Opportunity | Ithaca, NY | $14,200 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Unity House of Cayuga County Inc | Auburn, NY | $13,700 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Ithaca Community Recovery | Ithaca, NY | $12,160 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Love Living at Home Inc | Ithaca, NY | $11,218 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ithaca Community Childcare Center | Ithaca, NY | $11,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Women's Opportunity Center | Ithaca, NY | $10,780 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Ithaca Voice | Ithaca, NY | $10,198 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Cayuga Medical Center Foundation | Ithaca, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Challenge Workforce Solutions | Ithaca, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Southside Community Center | Ithaca, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ithaca Welcomes Refugees | Ithaca, NY | $9,543 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Kitchen Theatre Company | Ithaca, NY | $9,100 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| William George Agency for Children's Services Inc | Freeville, NY | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Special Olympics New York | Albany, NY | $8,943 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Lifelong | Ithaca, NY | $8,529 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Second Wind Cottages | Ithaca, NY | $8,510 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Historic Ithaca Inc | Ithaca, NY | $8,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Mental Health Assoc in Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $8,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Human Services Coalition | Ithaca, NY | $8,347 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Downtown Ithaca Children's Center | Ithaca, NY | $8,300 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Friends of Stewart Park | Ithaca, NY | $8,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hospice & Palliative Care Service of Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $8,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| New Roots Charter School | Ithaca, NY | $8,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| NAMI Finger Lakes | Ithaca, NY | $7,655 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Center for Transformative Action - Umbrella | Ithaca, NY | $7,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Cooperative Extension Association of Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming | Ithaca, NY | $7,366 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research | Ithaca, NY | $6,760 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Finger Lakes Toy Library | Ithaca, NY | $6,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Lansing Community Library | Lansing, NY | $6,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cornell Cooperative Extension- Family & Community Development | Ithaca, NY | $6,375 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| First Baptist Church of Enfield | Newfield, NY | $6,310 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Greater Ithaca Activities Center | Ithaca, NY | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins & Cortland | Ithaca, NY | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lansing Lunchbox | Lansing, NY | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Family Reading Partnership | Ithaca, NY | $5,800 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Ithaca Health Alliance | Ithaca, NY | $5,800 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Challenge Industries | Ithaca, NY | $5,750 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wharton Studio Museum | Ithaca, NY | $5,491 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Racker | Ithaca, NY | $5,136 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| The Mental Health Association in Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $5,125 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Open Doors English | Ithaca, NY | $5,120 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Advocacy Center of Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Black Hands Universal | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Caroline After School Program Inc | Slaterville Springs, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Civic Ensemble Inc | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Community School of Music and Arts | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Community Unity Music Education Program | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Community Unity Music Education Program International | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friends of the Ithaca Youth Bureau | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Groton Parks and Recreation | Groton, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hangar Theatre | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hospicare & Palliative Care Service of Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ithaca Children's Garden | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Longview | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Shared Kitchen Ithaca Inc | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tompkins Learning Partners Inc | Ithaca, NY | $5,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Free Science Workshop | Ithaca, NY | $4,908 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Boyce Thompson Institute | Ithaca, NY | $4,800 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers | Ithaca, NY | $4,610 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Community Science Institute Inc | Ithaca, NY | $4,565 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Walking on Water Productions Inc | Groton, NY | $4,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Finger Lakes Land Trust | Ithaca, NY | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Girl Scouts of Nypenn Pathways Inc | Horseheads, NY | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ithaca Community Radio | Ithaca, NY | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $3,749 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ithaca Community Orchestra | Ithaca, NY | $3,600 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Community Nursing School of Cayuga Heights | Ithaca, NY | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| 4-H Primitive Persuits of Cornell Cooperative | Ithaca, NY | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hanger Theatre Center for the Arts of Ithaca | Ithaca, NY | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Running to Places Theatre | Ithaca, NY | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| SPCA of Thompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Youth Farm Project Inc | Ithaca, NY | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Loaves and Fishes of Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $2,803 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Learning Web | Ithaca, NY | $2,720 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Friendship Donations Network | Ithaca, NY | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Groton Agricultural Advisory Board | Groton, NY | $2,280 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jm Murray Center Inc | Cortland, NY | $2,280 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wildlife Wishing Well | Ithaca, NY | $2,280 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wonderful Wheelchairs | Ithaca, NY | $2,280 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Tompkins County Senior Citizens Inc | Ithaca, NY | $2,200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Enfield Community Council Inc | Ithaca, NY | $2,174 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Amplify Equity Inc | Elmira, NY | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| College Mentors for Kids | Indianapolis, IN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| First Congregational Church of Ithaca | Ithaca, NY | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mutual Aid Tompkins | Buffalo, NY | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Southworth Library Association | Dryden, NY | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Sophie Fund | Erie, PA | $1,965 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Affiliated Choruses of Ithaca | Ithaca, NY | $1,850 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ulysses Philomathic Library | Trumansburg, NY | $1,800 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Stablework | Newfield, NY | $1,663 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cortland Community Matters | Cortland, NY | $1,662 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Gadabout Transportation Services | Ithaca, NY | $1,662 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ithaca Public Education Initiative | Ithaca, NY | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The History Center in Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Ithaca and Tompkins County | Ithaca, NY | $1,310 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Encore Players Community Theater | Trumansburg, NY | $1,310 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Giac | Ithaca, NY | $1,310 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tompkins County SPCA | Ithaca, NY | $1,140 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Vets in Nature Inc | Newfield, NY | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Dryden Community Baseball | Dryden, NY | $831 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Dryden Little League | Dryden, NY | $831 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lodi Food 4 All Pantry | Lodi, NY | $831 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lodi Whittier Library | Lodi, NY | $831 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Beverly J Martin School | Ithaca, NY | $630 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Newfield Central School District | Newfield, NY | $630 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Rc Buckley Elementary School | Lansing, NY | $630 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ladeen Case - Lansing School District | Lansing, NY | $550 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lori Owens - Newfield School District | Newfield, NY | $550 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Michele Cappelli - Lansing School District | Lansing, NY | $550 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Varna United Methodist Church | Ithaca, NY | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Varna Community Association | Ithaca, NY | $450 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
48 of 128 (38%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 44%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services Inc
AWARDS, CONTRIBUTIONS & OPERATIONS
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 111 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41 | $237,560 | $4,000 |
| 2022 | 62 | $226,825 | $2,550 |
| 2023 | 48 | $214,103 | $4,654 |
| 2024 | 56 | $212,905 | $3,941 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 100% of this one's giving went to organizations in New York. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $4,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in New York.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: Po Box 97, Ithaca, NY, 14851. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 15-6018481 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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