The Upstate Foundation
The Upstate Foundation was founded in 1976 as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation to receive and administer gifts and bequests for charitable purposes with a focus on patient care, education, scientific research, and community health and well-being. A public charity with the ability to raise money for and make distributions to any qualified nonprofit organization, the Upstate Foundation’s primary orientation is supporting the mission of Upstate Medical University.
The Foundation’s staff works with an engaged board of directors to manage over 1,300 funds; conduct multi-year, multi-million-dollar capital and endowment campaigns; administer alumni associations for the colleges of Nursing and Health Professions; implement named giving and planned giving programs, and a grateful patient and family program; run annual campaigns for Upstate University Hospital, Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital and the Upstate Cancer Center; and sponsor several signature fundraising events annually. In addition, the Foundation is home
to the local chapter of the Children’s Miracle Network.
The Upstate Foundation offers donor-advised funds and is licensed to issue charitable gift annuities in New York and Florida.
The Foundation is largely self-supporting with the assets it manages totaling nearly $325 million.
Thank you to our donors
This year is a significant one in the history of the Upstate Foundation as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. Last year was highlighted by the Upstate Foundation’s Spirit of Philanthropy event in June, during which we honored our naming benefactor Tom Golisano and hailed the conclusion of our Campaign for Child & Adolescent Mental Health. That is why this special-edition Impact Report contains two sections – one, a historical timeline of the Foundation’s growth and impact over the past five decades, and the other, a reflection of our impact on community health and well-being just this past year.
It’s a reflective time for us. As the Foundation celebrates 50 years of philanthropic service, I have been its leader for the last 30, and Rita has been on our board of directors for 21 years. As one of our major donors, you, too, should feel pride at being part of an organization that has been so enduring and touched the lives of so many through the decades. We hope you enjoy the lookback on our history!
Last year, it was our distinct pleasure to recognize philanthropist Tom Golisano for his remarkable impact on pediatric care in Central New York with the unveiling of the newly named Golisano Children’s Pavilion. It was a demonstration of our appreciation for his beneficence over the past two decades totaling $20 million, including a $10 million unrestricted gift in 2024.
Also as part of our Spirit of Philanthropy celebration, the Upstate Foundation lauded donors to our Campaign for Child & Adolescent Mental Health, which raised $7.1 million, more than doubling the original $3 million goal. The campaign supported areas addressing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), eating disorders, suicide prevention, addiction and a mental health respite program. We are extremely grateful to the many donors to this campaign, as their generosity is elevating and expanding essential services for youth at a time of great need.
As always, thank you to our donors, and board and staff members, past and present. We couldn’t have done it without you. Cheers to another 50 years!
Candid/GuideStar’s top distinction
The Upstate Foundation has achieved Platinum distinction from Candid/GuideStar, the leading source of information on the programs, finances and impact of more than 1.8 million IRS-recognized nonprofit organizations.
Platinum is the highest level of recognition in Candid’s nonprofit profiles. Donors, funders, researchers, educators, professional service providers, governing agencies and the media use the Candid site, seen by seven million visitors annually.
According to Candid, the Platinum distinction encourages nonprofit organizations to share their progress and results in important new ways—moving way beyond simplistic financial ratios—to reflect the changes organizations are making in the world.
The Upstate Foundation had previously received Candid’s Bronze, Silver and Gold level distinctions, which offer increasingly detailed organizational information ranging from basic contact information to qualitative information. Now, Candid Platinum allows nonprofits to report their progress against their missions in quantitative terms. As an early adopter of Platinum recognition, the Upstate Foundation is demonstrating its commitment to measuring progress and results, and sharing that information with potential funders.
“Our donors expect us to use their contributed dollars wisely and appropriately to alleviate illness, search for knowledge and educate tomorrow’s health care practitioners,” said Eileen Pezzi, vice president for development at Upstate. “Candid's Platinum is one more way for the Upstate Foundation to provide transparency so our donors can see the impact of their gifts.”