Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse is among 82 Upstate nonprofit organizations named as recipients of a total of $360 million in funding from entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader Tom Golisano.
Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital will receive $10 million.
Golisano announced the funding awards at the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship in Rochester.
Golisano — entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader — is the founder of Paychex, Inc., the nation’s largest human-resource company for small- to medium-sized businesses, providing human-capital management services for payroll, benefits, human resources, and insurance services for more than 745,000 clients in the U.S. and Europe.
Besides the $10 million for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, the funding awards also included $5 million for the Hillside Family of Agencies; $5 million for Mercy Flight Central; $5 million for Mozaic (Arc of Seneca, Cayuga & Yates Counties); and $5 million for Springbrook of Oneonta, per the announcement.
In addition, he awarded $52 million to the Golisano Foundation, which serves the Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse, New York regions and Southwest Florida
The “unrestricted,” multiyear awards range from $250,000 to $20 million each, paid over four to five years, spanning health care, education, animal welfare, disability services, and other crucial community needs.
“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. “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. 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 $360 million commitment announced Tuesday brings Golisano’s overall philanthropy to $775 million, per the announcement.