# The Cullen Foundation of Western New York

The Cullen Foundation of Western New York is an Endowment / Foundation based in Buffalo, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Buffalo, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 250 Delaware Ave, Suite 820, Buffalo, NY 14202
- **Founded:** 2003
- **Assets under management:** $121M (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** thecullenfoundation.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/cullen-foundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The foundation was created in 2003 from the estate of John S. "Jack" Cullen II, who built his wealth through Multisorb Technologies, an industrial manufacturing company. Following Cullen's death, the sale of Multisorb to private equity firm Summer Street Capital Partners funded the endowment. Michael R. McGee, Cullen's former business partner and Chairman of Multisorb, now chairs the foundation, with Cullen's family member Florine Luhr serving as President. The foundation runs a concentrated dual-mandate: direct grants for education programs serving pre-K through 12th grade students in Erie County, and funding for theatre and performing arts that benefit county residents. It operates a dedicated scholarship vehicle, the Cullen Scholars Program, and collaborates frequently with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation on Western New York educational initiatives. The foundation owns commercial real estate at its headquarters at 250 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo and holds a residential rental property in the city. The grantmaking operation is lean, with a board governing strategy and no disclosed staff headcount. Beyond its direct grant commitments, the foundation participates in professional networks including Grantmakers for Education and the New York Council on Nonprofits, and collaborates with Arts Services Inc. on arts funding. The foundation has no separate venture capital or private equity arm; its investing posture is grantmaking from an endowment base. The Cullen Foundation's structural distinction is its geographic monocle — it is among the few foundations of its size that concentrates all grantmaking in a single county. This Erie County exclusivity, combined with a dual focus on education pipeline and performing arts, creates an unusually narrow mandate with deep local stakeholder alignment, governed by a board directly tied to the founding family and its business legacy.

## Sectors

- Education
- Media & Entertainment

## People

- Florine Luhr — President
- Michael R. McGee — Chairman
- Charles W. Chiampou — Treasurer and Director

## Questions

### Who makes the grant and investment decisions?

The foundation is governed by a board that includes Chairman Michael R. McGee, President Florine Luhr, and Treasurer and Director Charles W. Chiampou. McGee was a longtime business partner of founder Jack Cullen and former Chairman of Multisorb Technologies. Luhr is a family member of the late founder. The board directly oversees the grantmaking strategy without a separate investment committee disclosed.

### Is the Cullen Foundation a venture capital investor or a traditional grantmaker?

The Cullen Foundation is a traditional grantmaking private foundation, not a venture capital firm. It does not make direct equity investments, fund commitments, or co-investments. Its entire deployment takes the form of grants to nonprofit organizations operating in Erie County, New York.

### Which organizations does the Cullen Foundation collaborate with?

The foundation is a frequent collaborator with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation on Western New York educational initiatives. It also partners with the New York Council on Nonprofits for professional development workshops and with Arts Services Inc. on arts funding. It maintains memberships in Grantmakers for Education.

### Does the foundation have any real estate or operating assets outside of its grantmaking?

Yes. The foundation owns its headquarters at 250 Delaware Avenue, Suite 820 in Buffalo, and holds a residential rental property called Acacia Rental Property, also in Buffalo. These are part of the foundation's asset base alongside its endowment.

### What is the specific geographic restriction on the foundation's giving?

All grantmaking is restricted to Erie County, New York. The foundation's dual mandate for pre-K through 12th-grade education and performing arts is applied exclusively within this single county, making it one of the few foundations of its size with such a concentrated geographic focus.

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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