GrantmakersNew York

Lakeshore Connections Inc

Buffalo, NY · EIN 83-3190057. Reported 95 grants totalling $4,367,121 to 91 organizations across tax years 2021-2024, on Form 990 Schedule I.

91organizations funded
$37,000median reported grant
$4,367,121granted, 2021-2024
17%of grantees funded again the next year
8%of dollars to its largest recipient

Does this grantmaker accept applications?

Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.

Three things in the filing do bear on it:

  1. What kind of organization it is. The IRS has no activity classification on file for this one, so we cannot tell you whether it is a community foundation or a single-institution support fund. The recipient list below is the better guide.
  2. How spread out its giving is. 91 distinct organizations, with 8% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
  3. How much its list changes. 17% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 2 year-to-year transitions. That is below the 57% median for grantmaking charities, and well below the 67% private foundations manage. A list that turns over this much is one a newcomer can realistically join.

How big are its grants?

The median reported grant is $37,000. Half of what it reported fell between $20,000 and $65,000; the smallest was $9,000 and the largest $119,470. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.

Schedule I only reports grants over $5,000. Form 990 requires a charity to list recipients it paid more than that and lets it omit the rest, so every grant-size figure on this page describes the grants it reported, not all of them. Its real median is lower and its real recipient count is higher. This is also why these numbers cannot be compared with the private-foundation figures elsewhere on this site -- Form 990-PF has no reporting floor, so the two are different populations rather than two samples of one.
$5,000 - $10,000
1 grant
$10,000 - $25,000
29 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
26 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
33 grants
$100,000 - $250,000
6 grants

90 of those grants were non-cash -- goods, property or services worth $4,083,181 in total. In-kind giving is real support but it is not a cheque.

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by the EIN the filer reported, not by name, so an organization that was typed differently in two years appears once rather than twice.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship IncBuffalo, NY$327,820332024
Glow Young Mens Christian Association IncBatavia, NY$161,334212021
Allied Media Projects IncDetroit, MI$104,400112021
Detroit Food & Entrepreneurship AcademyDetroit, MI$100,000112021
Strength SolutionsOlean, NY$100,000112021
The Center for Teen Empowerment IncBoston, MA$100,000112021
Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York IncRochester, NY$99,848112021
Community Services for EVERY1 IncBuffalo, NY$99,815112021
Encompass Resources for Learning IncRochester, NY$98,600112021
Power Company Kids ClubPontiac, MI$93,500112021
People United for Sustainable Housing IncorporatedBuffalo, NY$90,000112021
The YunionDetroit, MI$87,308112021
Infinity Visual and Performing Arts IncJamestown, NY$85,000112021
Young Audiences of Western New York IncBuffalo, NY$85,000112021
Eye to Eye IncNew York, NY$75,000112021
Niagara Falls Boys & Girls ClubNiagara Falls, NY$75,000112021
Buffalo and Erie County Public Library CoBuffalo, NY$72,064112021
Coalition for Economic Justice IncBuffalo, NY$70,000112021
SonsPort Huron, MI$70,000112021
Avalon Village IncHighland Park, MI$67,500112021
482FORWARDDetroit, MI$65,000112021
Computers for Children IncBuffalo, NY$65,000112021
Student Advocacy Center of Michigan IncYpsilanti, MI$63,900112021
Michigan Science CenterDetroit, MI$63,622112021
Bestself Behavioral Health IncBuffalo, NY$63,361112021
The Heidelberg ProjectDetroit, MI$63,221112021
Buffalo Maritime Center IncBuffalo, NY$60,250112021
North Star ReachPinckney, MI$56,380112021
Buffalo String Works IncBuffalo, NY$53,000112021
Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI$52,830112021
EcoworksDetroit, MI$50,920112021
Life Application MinistriesWarren, MI$50,200112021
Class Act DetroitDetroit, MI$50,000112021
Girls GroupAnn Arbor, MI$50,000112021
Insideout Literary Arts ProjectDetroit, MI$50,000112021
Lahc Leaders Advancing and Helping CommunitiesDearborn, MI$50,000112021
Caught UpDetroit, MI$49,400112021
Genesee Valley Central School DistrictBelmont, NY$49,380112021
Congress of CommunitiesDetroit, MI$47,000112021
Urban Neighborhood Initiatives IncDetroit, MI$45,000112021
Providence Farm Collective CorpOrchard Park, NY$44,750112021
AccessDearborn, MI$43,406112021
Confident Girl Mentoring Program IncBuffalo, NY$42,000112021
Growing Hope IncYpsilanti, MI$40,857112021
WellspringDetroit, MI$37,000112021
5 Loaves FarmBuffalo, NY$36,600112021
Dream It Do It Western New York IncJamestown, NY$35,000112021
Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts CouncilBatavia, NY$35,000112021
African Cultural Center of Buffalo IncBuffalo, NY$34,000112021
Youth Arts AllianceYpsilanti, MI$33,000112021
Springville Club for Boys and GirlsSpringville, NY$32,300112021
Buffalo Public SchoolsBuffalo, NY$31,000222022
Art CenterMount Clemens, MI$30,000112021
Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance IncDetroit, MI$30,000112021
Howell Nature CenterHowell, MI$30,000112021
Neutral ZoneAnn Arbor, MI$30,000112021
Buffalo Media Resources IncBuffalo, NY$27,500112021
Childrens Center of Wayne County IncDetroit, MI$25,000112021
Clark Park CoalitionDetroit, MI$25,000112021
Detroit Horse PowerDetroit, MI$25,000112021
Focus HopeDetroit, MI$25,000112021
KnowresolveShelby Twp, MI$25,000112021
The Baldwin Center IncPontiac, MI$25,000112021
Peace of the City MinistriesBuffalo, NY$24,000112021
Ypsilanti District LibraryYpsilanti, MI$24,000112021
Detroit Creativity ProjectFarmingtn Hls, MI$22,600112021
Charter Township of CommerceCommerce Township, MI$21,000112021
Native American Community Services of Erie and Niagara CounBuffalo, NY$20,600112021
Difference Makers MentoringClyde, MI$20,000112021
Howell Area Parks and Recreation AuthorityHowell, MI$20,000112021
Local CirclesDetroit, MI$20,000112021
River Rec Teen Zone IncMarine City, MI$20,000112021
Regents of the University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI$19,709112021
Massachusetts Avenue Project IncBuffalo, NY$18,000112021
Family Help Center IncBuffalo, NY$16,396112021
Carousel Nursery SchoolWilliamsville, NY$16,000112023
Art Creates US IncBrooklyn, NY$15,000112021
Cameron Community Ministries IncRochester, NY$15,000112021
Kenan Center IncLockport, NY$15,000112021
Single Family LivingRoyal Oak, MI$15,000112021
Young Mens Christian Assoc JamestownJamestown, NY$15,000112021
Downtown Boxing Gym Youth ProgramDetroit, MI$14,575112021
Karen Society of Buffalo IncBuffalo, NY$14,500112021
Women of BanglatownDetroit, MI$14,500112021
Cooperative Extension Association in the State of N YAlbion, NY$14,362112021
Hartland Enrichment and Recreation OrganizationHartland, MI$14,000112021
D R I V E OneRay, MI$13,000112021
Highland Clubhouse IncNiagara Falls, NY$12,000112021
Gay & Lesbian Youth Services of Western New York IncBuffalo, NY$10,813112021
Fillmore Powerhouse Youth Center IncFillmore, NY$10,000112021
Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo IncGetzville, NY$9,000112023

2 of 91 (2%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.

It also reported 3 groups of grants to individuals -- scholarships, emergency assistance and similar. Schedule I reports these by category with a headcount and never by name, so there is nothing here we could publish about the recipients even if we wanted to.

What the money was for

Taken verbatim from the purpose column of its filings, largest first. This is the closest thing to a statement of what it funds, in its own words.

What kind of organizations it funds

By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 69 of 91 recipients we could match to a registered organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.

Youth Development
15 orgs
Human Services
13 orgs
Education
11 orgs
Arts & Culture
11 orgs
Community Improvement
4 orgs
Recreation & Sports
4 orgs
Health Care
2 orgs
Housing & Shelter
2 orgs

Giving by year

Tax yearGrants reportedTotalMedian grant
202190$4,083,181$38,928
20221$20,000$20,000
20233$144,470$16,000
20241$119,470$119,470

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.

Where its money goes

52% of its giving went to organizations in New York. Community foundations and federated funds are usually the most geographically bounded funders there are -- being outside the footprint is normally disqualifying in a way that a weak programme fit is not.

New York
$2.3M
Michigan
$2.0M
Massachusetts
$100K

Down to the city

Buffalo, NY
$1.3M
Detroit, MI
$992K
Rochester, NY
$213K
Batavia, NY
$196K
Ypsilanti, MI
$162K
Jamestown, NY
$135K

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Funders that support the same organizations

These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are the strongest signal available 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.

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund36 shared recipientsCommunity Foundation for Greater Buffalo30 shared recipientsThe Skillman Foundation28 shared recipientsCommunity Foundation for Southeast27 shared recipientsUnited Way for Southeastern Michigan26 shared recipientsAmerican Online Giving Foundation Inc25 shared recipients

How to approach this grantmaker

  1. Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
  2. Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $37,000 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
  3. Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in New York.
  4. Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.

Related guides

Foundations funding human services in New YorkEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding education in New YorkEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding arts & culture in New YorkEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding education in MichiganEvery funder in this group, ranked

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from Lakeshore Connections Inc's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred or estimated.

On its most recent return it told the IRS it made grants to 1 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 0 other organizations. That is the filer's own count for one year; the totals above cover every year we hold.

Address of record on the latest return: 217 E Delavan, Buffalo, NY, 14208.

EIN 83-3190057 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Form 990 is published about a year after the tax year it covers. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this organization has actually funded, which is the best available predictor of who it will fund next.

Is something here wrong about your organization? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.