Funding search · EIN 450921232 · Detroit, MI

The Ralph C Wilson Jr Foundation

Name: The Ralph C Wilson Jr Foundation grants, 2022–2024
Creator: PaperOrbit
License: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-public-disclosure-and-availability-requirements

A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.

1,450
grants reported: $434.7M
total given: 2022–2024
filing years: $39,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2022–2024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

matching trustee designated employee gifts capacity michigan detroit

Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is built Report an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

Parks, trails and waterfront capital projects in Detroit and Buffalo
Regional intermediaries and community foundations as fund managers
Workforce and community college training (D3C3, WNY Advanced Manufacturing)
Small business, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic development
Family caregiving, respite and aging initiatives
Youth sports access (Project Play) and nonprofit capacity building

Typical grant

Median grant is $39,000 and half of everything falls between $2,500 and $200,000, so most of the 1,450 grants are modest. The money, though, is top-heavy: eight-figure and seven-figure checks go to community foundations, park construction entities (BUDC, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Southeast Michigan Foundation for Public Spaces) and multi-year regional initiatives. Repeat giving is normal for those anchors, with BUDC taking five separate Ralph Wilson Park grants in 2024 alone and both regional community foundations receiving parallel awards for the same initiative.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

“Capacity”
“Implementation Phase I”
“Expansion”
“Inclusive”
“Sustainability”

Positioning adjacent work

Tie applied research to a named initiative: Project Play, Help Me Grow, Exhale caregiving, or D3C3 workforce implementation.
Ask in the $350,000 to $1,000,000 range for multi-year applied work; smaller studies land near $100,000.
Name Southeast Michigan or Western New York as the beneficiary region even if your institution sits elsewhere.
Pair the research with a delivery partner's capacity build, the way Buffalo State paired the Great Lakes Center with the Dart Street Study.

Worth knowing: Almost everything is Southeast Michigan or Western New York, with Rochester as a recent third region; out-of-state grantees like the Boston Foundation, Per Scholas and CaringBridge got funded to deliver into those two regions, not for work elsewhere. A short list of intermediaries (Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, BUDC, Invest Detroit, TechTown) absorbs a large share of dollars, and the 2024 emphasis on "Finishline" and construction cost-increase grants suggests they are closing out the big park commitments and shifting toward arts, caregiving and sector sustainability.

7 grants matching “neutrality” · $803,300

$178,500
Neutral Zone · Ann Arbor, MI · 2024
Future Corps Expansion
$150,000
Neutral Zone · Ann Arbor, MI · 2024
Amplifying Youth Voice and Empowerment
$167,000
Neutral Zone · Ann Arbor, MI · 2023
To support and expand the youth driven spaces (yds) program in the southeast michigan.
$70,000
Neutral Zone · Ann Arbor, MI · 2023
To support the future corps workforce development program.
$167,000
Neutral Zone · Ann Arbor, MI · 2022
To support and expand the youth driven spaces program in the southeast michigan.
$70,000
Neutral Zone · Ann Arbor, MI · 2022
To support the future corps serving youth including mentoring, education, and on-the-job training and experience
$800
Neutral Zone · Ann Arbor, MI · 2022
Matching gifts program

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

Budc16 grants · $59.5M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo31 grants · $34.5M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan34 grants · $34.1M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo20 grants · $21.5M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan19 grants · $12.1M
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy7 grants · $10.1M
Southeast Michigan Foundation for Public Spaces2 grants · $7.7M
Natural Heritage Trust5 grants · $7.5M
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy2 grants · $6.5M
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper5 grants · $6.3M

Giving over time

$155.8M

2022

$137.9M

2023

$140.9M

2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 1,450 grants.

$12.0M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To ensure the execution of the first phase of construction for ralph c. Wilson, jr. Centennial park in buffalo, new york.
$11.0M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To support the execution of an expanded first phase of construction for ralph c. Wilson, jr. Centennial park in buffalo.
$11.0M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support an expanded 1st phase of construction for ralph wilson park in buffalo.
$10.0M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2024
City Within a Park Fund
$10.0M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To support the city within a park initiative.
$10.0M
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy · Detroit, MI · 2023
To transform west riverfront park into the ralph c. Wilson, jr. Centennial park.
$7.5M
Southeast Michigan Foundation for Public Spaces · Detroit, MI · 2024
Detroit Riverfront Finishline Fund
$7.5M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To enhance and sustain the arts and culture sector in western new york
$7.5M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2022
To enhance and sustain the arts and culture sector in southeast michigan
$6.5M
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy · Detroit, MI · 2024
Construction Support - Ralph Wilson Park
$6.3M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support phase 1 construction of ralph c. Wilson centennial park.
$5.3M
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support the shoreline restoration of ralph wilson park.
$5.0M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2024
RCWJRF Inclusive Arts & Culture Initiative
$5.0M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2024
RCWJRF Inclusive Arts & Culture Initiative
$5.0M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To enhance and sustain the arts and culture sector within wny.
$5.0M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2023
To support the sustainability of the unified greenway.
$5.0M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2023
To enhance and sustain the arts and culture sector in southeast michigan.
$5.0M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support a pedestrian bridge to connect ralph wilson park to eastside neighborhoods
$5.0M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support the rcwjrf inclusive arts & culture initiative.
$5.0M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the rcwjrf inclusive arts & culture initiative.
$4.2M
Natural Heritage Trust · Albany, NY · 2022
To support three major trail projects in western new york.
$4.0M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Ralph Wilson Park: Phase 1 GMP Package 2
$3.8M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Support for the Arts and Culture Sector in WNY
$3.8M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2024
To sustain the Arts and Culture Sector
$3.0M
Motown Museum · Detroit, MI · 2023
To support the capital costs to expand the motown museum.
$2.6M
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Ralph Wilson Park/ Shoreline Implementation & Capacity
$2.5M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Phase 1 Expansion/ Ralph Wilson Park
$2.5M
Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers · Americus, GA · 2022
To support the "amplifying the voice of the american caregivers" .
$2.4M
The Boston Foundation Inc (Dba the Philanthropic Initiative) · Boston, MA · 2024
Exhale, The Family Caregiver Initiative- Southeast Michigan Expansion
$2.0M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Ralph Wilson Park: Play Garden + Phase 2 GMP Advance
$2.0M
Greater Rochester Chamber Foundation (Roc2025 Fund) · Rochester, NY · 2024
Regional Revitalization Partnership's West Main Commercial Corridor Program
$2.0M
Invest Detroit Foundation · Detroit, MI · 2024
Strategic Neighborhood Fund 3
$2.0M
Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy: Organizational Capacity & Future Sustainability
$2.0M
Albright-Knox Art Gallery · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support the construction of the ralph c. Wilson, jr. Town square
$2.0M
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan · Farmington Hills, MI · 2022
To support the scale of youth sports and recreation programs across southeast michigan.
$2.0M
Monroe Community College Foundation · Rochester, NY · 2022
To support start-up costs for the finger lakes workforce development center.
$2.0M
Motown Museum · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the capital costs to expand the motown museum.
$2.0M
Natural Heritage Trust · Albany, NY · 2022
To support a state of the art welcome center within niagara falls state park.
$2.0M
The Strong National Museum of Play · Rochester, NY · 2022
To support the capital costs to expand the strong national museum of play.
$1.9M
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · Boston, MA · 2022
To expand ournotes component of opennotes to identify family caregiver needs and resources
$1.8M
Lakeshore Connections · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To suppor the pedals program in wny for social-emotional learning supports in early childhood classrooms.
$1.6M
Pedals Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2024
PEDALS Michigan Expansion
$1.6M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support the next phase of project play western new york.
$1.6M
Techtown Detroit · Detroit, MI · 2024
Co.act Detroit: Accelerating Collaborative Action
$1.6M
Techtown Detroit · Detroit, MI · 2023
To support nonprofit capacity-building and collaboration in southeast michigan.
$1.6M
Techtown Detroit · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support co.act detroit's operational and programmatic costs to support nonprofit capacity-building
$1.6M
Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance · Lansing, MI · 2024
Ralph Wilson Loop Trail on Belle Isle - Phase 2
$1.5M
Pedals Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the pedals program in southeast michigan in early childhood classrooms.
$1.5M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2023
To support the start-up and on-going operations of a new regional, ceo-led workforce intermediary in southeast michigan.
$1.5M
Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative · Chelsea, MI · 2023
To support the construction of multiple sections of the iron belle trail in washtenaw and wayne counties.
$1.5M
Launch Ny · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To provide continued operational support for advisory services to entrepreneurs in wny.
$1.5M
Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers · Americus, GA · 2023
To support the "amplifying the voice of the american caregivers" initiative.
$1.5M
Detroit Economic Growth Association · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the construction of the joe louis greenway and warren trailhead.
$1.5M
Invest Detroit Foundation · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the strategic neighborhood fund 2.0 initiative.
$1.5M
Invest Detroit Foundation · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the access, mentorship and supports to michigan-based startups.
$1.5M
Launch Ny · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support the nonprofit seed fund and provide continued operational support.
$1.5M
The Boston Foundation Inc (Dba the Philanthropic Initiative) · Boston, MA · 2022
To support communities care family caregiver respite program into wny.
$1.3M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Ralph Wilson Park Capacity Grant
$1.3M
Natural Heritage Trust · Albany, NY · 2024
WNY Southern Tier and Artpark State Park Trail Projects
$1.3M
Center for Regional Strategies · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To serve as the central intermediary for the implementation of the wny regional revitalization partnership.
$1.3M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the new five-year strategy of the new economy initiative.
$1.3M
Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the launch of a new food distribution site and model for fresh produce and dairy.
$1.2M
Macomb Community College Foundation · Warren, MI · 2024
D3C3 implementation Phase I
$1.2M
Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To develop, launch, and implement the two-year pilot phase of western new york youth apprenticeship partnership.
$1.2M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support additoinal funding for the 2022 ralph c. Wilson, jr. Legacy funds
$1.1M
Oakland Community College · Auburn Hills, MI · 2023
To support student success, k-12 alignment, and mobility sector talent pipeline development strategies as part of d3c3.
$1.1M
Oakland Community College · Auburn Hills, MI · 2022
To support detroit drives degrees community college collaborative (d3c3).
$1.1M
Oakland Community College · Auburn Hills, MI · 2024
D3C3 Implementation Phase I
$1.1M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2024
Phase Two of Project Play: Southeast Michigan
$1.1M
Michigan Municipal League Foundation · Ann Arbor, MI · 2022
To support the development of the hamtramck recreation district (hrd).
$1.0M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2022
To support additional funding for the 2022 ralph c. Wilson, jr. Legacy funds
$1.0M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2022
To support the next phase of project play southeast michigan.
$1.0M
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2023
To support the detroit parks coalition.
$1.0M
Buffalo State College Foundation · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Great Lakes Center & Dart Street Study
$1.0M
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan · Detroit, MI · 2024
BGCSM Sports Ecosystem
$1.0M
Budc · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Ralph Wilson Park/ Phase 1 Construction Cost Increase
$1.0M
Central Terminal Restoration Corp · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Central Terminal Restoration: Programming and Capacity
$1.0M
Detroit Economic Growth Association · Detroit, MI · 2024
City of Detroit - Parks Lighting
$1.0M
Detroit Regional Partnership Foundation · Detroit, MI · 2024
Detroit Regional Partnership Foundation general operations support.
$1.0M
Economic Development Group Dba the Northland Workforce Training Center · Buffalo, NY · 2024
WNY Advanced Manufacturing & Tech Coalition: Clean Tech Training
$1.0M
Friends of the Detroit River · Taylor, MI · 2024
Downriver linked greenways system improvements
$1.0M
Friends of the Rouge · Plymouth, MI · 2024
Connecting the Rouge: Rouge Gateway Trail Connectors
$1.0M
Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative · Chelsea, MI · 2024
Iron Belle Trail Expansion in Washtenaw and Wayne Counties
$1.0M
Invest Detroit Foundation · Detroit, MI · 2024
Advancing Inclusive High-Growth Entrepreneurship
$1.0M
Launch Ny · Buffalo, NY · 2024
Ensuring a Mature, Sustainable Venture Development Organization
$1.0M
Monroe County Community College · Monroe, MI · 2024
D3C3 Implementation Phase I
$1.0M
Rochester Area Community Foundation · Rochester, NY · 2024
Medina High Wall
$1.0M
Techtown Detroit · Detroit, MI · 2024
Driving Small Business Growth Via Equitable Economic Development in Detroit
$1.0M
Albright-Knox Art Gallery · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To support the construction of the ralph c. Wilson, jr. Town square as part of the albright-knox art gallerys campus expansion.
$1.0M
Center for Regional Strategies · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To support phase 1 of the 2032 strategic vision for the entrepreneurial ecosystem of wny.
$1.0M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2023
East side parks fund to support historically underserved parks on buffalo's east side.
$1.0M
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To establish an endowment in honor of mary mclean wilson.
$1.0M
Detroit Regional Partnership Foundation · Detroit, MI · 2023
To catalyze inclusive economic growth by attracting new businesses and developing an economic development ecosystem.
$1.0M
Economic Development Group Doing Business As the Northland Workforce Traini · Buffalo, NY · 2023
To support education and training in middle-skill, middle-wage advanced manufacturing and clean energy careers.
$1.0M
Institute for Healthcare Improvement · Boston, MA · 2023
To launch carefront with seven health systems in semi and wny.
$1.0M
Invest Detroit Foundation · Detroit, MI · 2023
To support the strategic neighborhood fund 2.0 initiative to implement inclusive recovery and revitalization.
$1.0M
Invest Detroit Foundation · Detroit, MI · 2023
For support of the first capital fund (fcf).
$1.0M
Rochester Area Community Foundation · Rochester, NY · 2023
Support the medina high wall project.
$1.0M
Techtown Detroit · Detroit, MI · 2023
To support operations at techtown and its entrepreneurship and small business programs.
$1.0M
The Boston Foundation Inc (Dba the Philanthropic Initiative) · Boston, MA · 2023
Support for the expansion of the communities care family caregiver respite program.

View all 1,450 grants →

Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.

Search funders like this one

Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.