Skip to content
Zeron Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Zeron Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$420k
Granted FY2024still arriving
26
Grants FY2024still arriving
6
States reached
$168k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0196% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Education$410kHealth$273kPhilanthropy$183kHuman Services$43kPublic Benefit$24kFood & Nutrition$16kRecreation & Sports$15kArts & Culture$9kOther$0
02FY2024 · 26 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k19 grants · $67k
  • $10k–50k5 grants · $110k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $243k
$5,000
Median grant
6
States reached
$4.1M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
JESSICA AND MATTHEW ENSTICE GIFT FUND OF THE BANK OF AMERICA CHARITABLE$167,800
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY$75,000
NARDIN ACADEMY$45,000
BISON CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIP FUND$35,000
HOSPICE FOUNDATION$10,000
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL$10,000
BPS FOUNDATION$10,000
CANISIUS HIGH SCHOOL$8,300
VIA$7,500
THE SALVATION ARMY$5,000
THE EMPIRE CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY INC$5,000
GRASSROOTS GARDENS$5,000
FRIENDS OF BUFFALO CREEK INC$5,000
SEVERN SCHOOL$5,000
GLIDING STARS$5,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY21–24, $21k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 95% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SERVICES FOUNDATION: $5k → 14%JOSEPH FOR DIGNITY: $1k → 5%GLIDING STARS: $5k → 13%GLIDING STARS: $5k → 13%GLIDING STARS: $5k → 13%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

MI
NY
NV
WY
IN
PA
MD
NC
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

71%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$715k · 20 repeat orgs$297k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +28% since the first grant, against +11% for those funded once.

20 repeat relationships: 14 still active in FY2024, 6 since wound down; 11 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

20
18

Total granted

$715k
$84k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+28%
+11%

Still filing today

55%
56%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 49% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $213k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23’24
EducationPhilanthropyHealthPublic BenefitArts & CultureRecreation & SportsOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • NIAGARA UNIVERSITY
    3× · 2021–2024 · $77k · revenue +28%
  • GS
    GLIDING STARSINC
    3× · 2021–2024 · $15k · revenue +109%
  • FO
    FRIENDS OF BUFFALO CREEK INC
    2× · 2022–2024 · $10k · revenue ×12 · 52% of their budget

Funded once

  • NS
    NICHOLS SCHOOL OF BUFFALO
    one grant, 2022 · $15k · revenue -24%
  • CC
    CATHOLIC CHARITIES
    one grant, 2021 · $10k
  • BN
    BUFFALO NIAGARA MEDICAL CAMPUS INC
    one grant, 2021 · $10k · revenue +23%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School

Buffalo academy of science is a tuition-free, college-preparatory charter school teaching students in a diverse community to be successful in a globally-oriented environment, using innovative and dynamic teaching methods with a small…

Education
2
Buffalo Collegiate Charter School

With unrelenting determination and a commitment to excellence, buffalo collegiate charter school educated students in grades 4 through 12 to graduate from the college of their choice and serve as our next generation of leaders. the…

—
3
St Francis College

St. francis college is an independent, coeducational institution of higher education chartered by an act of the regents of the university of the state of new york on april 10, 1957.

Education
4
Manhattanville University

To educate students to be ethical and socially responsible leaders in a global community.

Education
5
Daemen University

Private, independent university providing higher education to students. The mission of Daemen University is to prepare creative, ethically-minded leaders for a diverse and interconnected world by integrating the intellectual strengths…

Education
6
Buffalo Commons Charter School

Establish and operate a charter school to prepare our diverse community of students to succeed academically and professionally regardless of background and circumstance.

Education
7
Stony Brook Internists University Faculty Practice Corporation

Provide clinical instruction to and supervision of medical school students, interns and residents and, incident thereto, rendering professional services.

Health
8
Boston Architectural College

The bac is committed to provide excellence in design education grounded in practice and accessible to diverse communities.

—
9
The Baruch College Fund

The baruch college fund is an organization engaged in generating, encouraging and promoting the educational welfare of the students of the bernard m. baruch college of the city university of new york.

Education
10
South Buffalo Charter School

South buffalo charter school provides elementary education to students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. we are a professional learning community. our focus on learning is driven by research, data and collaborative reflection to…

Education
11
Rochester Academy of Science Charter School

Rochester academy of science charter school (the school) is a not-for-profit education corporation that operates kindergarten through 12th grades and is dedicated to providing quality education to a diverse body of students in the…

Education
12
Stony Brook Ophthalmology University Faculty Practice Corporation

Provide clinical instruction to and supervision of medical school students, interns and residents and, incident thereto, rendering professional services.

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Inc; the most unlike its peers is Rochester Community Robotics. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

29 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 29 of the 52 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
28/29
Grantees still filing
17/29
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ROSWELL PARK CANCER INSTITUTE: $200,000 · OtherROSWELL PARK CANCER INSTITUTEJESSICA AND MATTHEW ENSTICE GIFT FUND OF THE BANK OF AMERICA CHARITABLE: $167,800 · OtherJESSICA AND MATTHEW ENSTICE GIFT FUND OF THE BANK OF AMERICA CHARITABLEN A R D I N ACADEMY: $47,500 · OtherN A R D I N ACADEMYUNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL: $44,000 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOLVIA: $30,000 · OtherBISHOP TIMONST JUDE HIGH SCHOOL: $27,500 · Other+23 more: $139,781 · Other+23 moreTHE BISON CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIP FUND INC: $136,500 · PhilanthropyTHE BISON CHILD…+2 more: $3,250 · PhilanthropyNIAGARA UNIVERSITY: $77,000 · EducationNIAGARA UNIVE…NICHOLS SCHOOL OF BUFFALO: $15,000 · EducationNICHOLS SCHOO…FRIENDS OF BUFFALO CREEK INC: $10,000 · EducationFRIENDS OF BU…HILLSDALE COLLEGE: $6,500 · EducationBUFFALO SEMINARY: $5,000 · EducationSEVERN SCHOOL INC: $5,000 · Education+2 more: $3,700 · EducationECMC FOUNDATION INC: $40,000 · HealthBUFFALO NIAGARA MEDICAL CAMPUS INC: $10,000 · Health+1 more: $1,500 · HealthEMPIRE CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY INC: $21,500 · Public BenefitASSOCIATION OF THE GRADUATES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY: $2,500 · Public BenefitMANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH INC: $2,500 · Public BenefitGLIDING STARSINC: $15,000 · Human ServicesHERITAGE CHRISTIAN SERVICES FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 · Human ServicesJOSEPH FOR DIGNITY: $1,000 · Human ServicesBURCHFIELD PENNEY ART CENTER: $5,000 · Arts & CultureBUFFALO STRING WORKS INC: $1,500 · Arts & CultureANNE FRANK CENTER USA INC: $1,000 · Arts & Culture
Other$656,581Philanthropy$139,750Education$122,200Health$51,500Public Benefit$26,500Human Services$21,000Arts & Culture$7,500

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTHE BISON CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIP FUND INC: $136,500 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetNIAGARA UNIVERSITY: $77,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetECMC FOUNDATION INC: $40,000 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetEMPIRE CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY INC: $21,500 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetGLIDING STARSINC: $15,000 over 3y, 2.1% of budgetNICHOLS SCHOOL OF BUFFALO: $15,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBUFFALO NIAGARA MEDICAL CAMPUS INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetBPS FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF BUFFALO CREEK INC: $10,000 over 2y, 52% of budgetHILLSDALE COLLEGE: $6,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetDELAWARE SOCCER CLUB INC: $5,175 over 2y, 2.1% of budgetBURCHFIELD PENNEY ART CENTER: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBUFFALO SEMINARY: $5,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetHERITAGE CHRISTIAN SERVICES FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSEVERN SCHOOL INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUNITED WAY OF BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCITRS INC: $2,786 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF BUFFALO INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetROCHESTER COMMUNITY ROBOTICS: $2,500 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetASSOCIATION OF THE GRADUATES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH INC: $2,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetVILLA MARIA COLLEGE OF BUFFALO: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPERSISTENCE PREPARATORY ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL: $2,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBUFFALO STRING WORKS INC: $1,500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetDUKE UNIVERSITY: $1,200 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetJOSEPH FOR DIGNITY: $1,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetANNE FRANK CENTER USA INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBUFFALO RENAISSANCE FOUNDATION INC: $250 over 1y, 0.1% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds THE BISON CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIP FUND INC ↗
  • Who funds NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds ECMC FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds EMPIRE CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY INC ↗
  • Who funds GLIDING STARSINC ↗
  • Who funds NICHOLS SCHOOL OF BUFFALO ↗
  • Who funds BUFFALO NIAGARA MEDICAL CAMPUS INC ↗
  • Who funds BPS FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF BUFFALO CREEK INC ↗
  • Who funds HILLSDALE COLLEGE ↗
  • Who funds DELAWARE SOCCER CLUB INC ↗
  • Who funds BURCHFIELD PENNEY ART CENTER ↗
  • Who funds BUFFALO SEMINARY ↗
  • Who funds HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SERVICES FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds SEVERN SCHOOL INC ↗
  • Who funds UNITED WAY OF BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY ↗
  • Who funds CITRS INC ↗
  • Who funds ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF BUFFALO INC ↗
  • Who funds ROCHESTER COMMUNITY ROBOTICS ↗
  • Who funds ASSOCIATION OF THE GRADUATES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds MANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH INC ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Community Foundation …The Baird FoundationFoundation for Jewish…The Margaret L Wendt …The Osc Charitable Fo…Robert & Patricia Col…New Era Cap FoundationThe Marks Family Foun…Cullen Foundation of …Rich Family FoundationCullen FoundationFirst Niagara Foundat…
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo IncNY38.9× affinity17 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Inc · The Baird Foundation · Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies Inc · The Margaret L Wendt Foundation · The Osc Charitable Foundation · Robert & Patricia Colby Foundation 115319998 · New Era Cap Foundation · The Marks Family Foundation · Cullen Foundation of Western New York Inc · Rich Family Foundation · Cullen Foundation · First Niagara Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Zeron Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Zeron Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%4%15%34%60%funder's share of their income ↑0%8%15%22%30%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–30%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Zeron Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Zeron Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 52 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Zeron’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home