Tom Golisano, philanthropist and founder of Paychex, Inc., has announced gifts totaling $360 million to 82 nonprofit organizations in Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse, New York. The funding includes $52 million to the Golisano Foundation, which will boost its total assets to $120 million, enabling the foundation to increase its giving to more than $5 million annually.

In addition, unrestricted awards from Golisano ranging between $250,000 and $20 million over four to five years will address regional community needs in upstate New York, including health care, education, animal welfare, and disability services. Almost all the latest grantees have been previous recipients of funding from Golisano and/or the Golisano Foundation, including The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester ($5 million), Foodlink ($5 million), Canisius University ($5 million), Niagara University ($10 million), Rochester Institute of Technology ($10 million), Oishei Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, ($10 million) Rochester Regional Health ($20 million), Arc Erie County New York ($5 million), AutismUp ($3 million), Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester ($2 million), and Rochester Emergency Veterinary Services ($1.5 million).

With the most recent commitment, Golisano has nearly doubled his lifetime total giving, bringing the total to $775 million. The latest pledge is in addition to a June 2024 commitment to the University of Rochester Medical Center to establish the Golisano Intellectual and Development Disabilities Institute.

“One of my favorite sayings is ‘the only wealth you keep is that which you give away,’ and I’m so lucky to be able to live that out,” said Golisano. “The success of Paychex, the hard work of the employees there—is ultimately what makes these donations possible, and I am beyond grateful that I have the ability to do so. I look forward to seeing how this will be used to strengthen their organizations and better the communities they serve.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Nicholas Klein)