Niagara University has received a $10 million gift from entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader B. Thomas Golisano. This transformational gift is one of the largest received among a series of major awards totaling $360 million to organizations in Upstate New York, which were announced by Golisano on Sept. 17, 2024.
“It is truly an exceptional day at Niagara University and an exceptional day for the region,” said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of Niagara University. “Mr. Golisano has shown an impressive commitment to helping those who help others – hospitals, not-for-profits that provide direct services to individuals, and educational institutions. These organizations, many of which are our partners, are working to transform the lives of the underserved and marginalized in Niagara County and across our entire region. We are humbled to be among the incredible institutions and organizations that are the beneficiaries of Mr. Golisano’s generosity, and we are honored by this show of confidence in the vision and future of Niagara University.”
Golisano’s previous gift to the university supported the construction of the Golisano Center for Integrated Sciences, and it is anticipated that this gift will be equally transformative to Niagara and its nearly 4,100 undergraduate and graduate students. The university has recently launched a Biomedical Research Lab on the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus, a family nurse practitioner graduate degree, and an Institute on Disability Awareness. It was also recently designated as a National Security Agency Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and is implementing a new program in supply chain and logistics for next fall.
Eighty-two organizations in the categories of health, education, intellectual and developmental disability services, general community, and animal welfare will receive the unrestricted, multi-year awards, which range from $250,000 to $20 million each, paid over four to five years.
“I’m thrilled to provide support to the Upstate New York community, to the region where I built my life and my business,” said Golisano. “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."
“I am beyond grateful that I have the ability to do so," he continued. "I look forward to seeing how this will be used to strengthen their organizations and better the communities they serve.”
This marks Golisano’s second $10 million gift to Niagara University, the first of which spearheaded the fall 2013 completion of the 50,000 square-foot, $33 million B. Thomas Golisano Center for Integrated Sciences.