Suwinski Family Foundation

The Suwinski Family Foundation is a Pittsford, New York-based private grantmaking foundation belonging to former corporate executive and Cornell University professor Jan Suwinski and his wife Susan that donates largely to left-leaning causes. 1

At-A-Glance

Foundation:

2000

President:

Jan Suwinski

Location: Pittsford, NY View on map
Tax ID: 16-1587911
Most Recent Filing: 2025
Budget (2025): Assets: $8,630,493 Revenue: $848,191 Expenses: $1,249,182

Contents

    The group is a major supporter of Planned Parenthood and its affiliates donating $70,000, or more than 10 percent of all grants, in grant year 2022 and also supports the population-control nonprofit Population Connection. 1

    The nonprofit also supports groups promoting left-of-center environmental policies such as 350.org, the Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation International, Earthjustice, Environmental Defense FundNatural Resources Defense Council, Post Carbon Institute, the Sierra Club Foundation, and the Union of Concerned Scientists. 1

    Background

    Jan Suwinski and his wife Susan founded the Suwinski Family Foundation in 2000. 2 Suwinski began his business career in 1965 working in numerous managerial roles for Corning, Incorporated. He then became executive vice president of Corning’s Opto Electronics group in 1990 and chairman of Siecor, a Siemens and Corning joint venture. He retired from Corning in 1996 and became a professor at Cornell University while serving on numerous corporate boards. He retired from Cornell in 2016. 3

    The group makes most of its donations in support of left-of-center advocacy causes. 1

    Abortion and Population Control

    Planned Parenthood

    The Suwinski Family Foundation donated more than 10 percent of its total donations in grant year 2022 in support of abortion provider Planned Parenthood and two of its affiliates. The group gave Planned Parenthood Federation of America $30,000, Planned Parenthood of Alaska $10,000, and Planned Parenthood of Charleston $30,000. 1

    Other Pro-Abortion Groups

    The Suwinski Family Foundation donated $5,000 to the Center For Reproductive Rights and $25,000 to overseas abortion provider EngenderHealth in 2022. 1

    Population Control Advocacy

    The Suwinski Family Foundation donated to groups advocating global population control, which advocates policies such as left-of-center policies in support of access to abortion, contraception, and sterilization in order to achieve no net population growth. The group donated $15,000 to the Center for Biological Diversity and $5,000 to Population Connection. 1

    Environmental Policies

    The Suwinski Family Foundation donated to groups advocating for left-of-center climate and environmental policies in 2022 including $10,000 to 350.org, $3,000 to 350 Eugene, $5,000 to Alaska Center for the Environment, $5,000 to the Alaska Conservation Foundation, $5,000 to Cascadia Wildlands, $5,000 to Conservation International, $5,000 to Defenders of Wildlife, $20,000 to Earthjustice, $10,000 to the Environmental Defense Fund, $3,000 to the Natural Resources Defense Council, $5,000 to the National Wildlife Federation, $1,000 to the Oregon Environmental Council, $5,000 to the Post Carbon Institute, $10,000 to the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, $2,000 to the Sierra Club Foundation, $2,000 to the Wilderness Society, $5,000 to the Union of Concerned Scientists, $5,000 to the Wildlife Conservation Society, $10,000 to the World Wildlife Fund, and $1,000 to the Xerces Society. 1

    Other Groups

    The Suwinksi Family Foundation donated $15,000 to the left-of-center human rights group Amnesty International USA; $15,000 to Doctors Without Borders; $10,000 to the Occupy Movement-inspired Occupy Medical in Eugene, Oregon; and $5,000 to Oxfam America. 1

    Finances

    According to the 2022 tax return, the Suwinski Family Foundation had $165,234 in revenue, $557,379 in expenses, and $7,834,399 in assets. 1

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $8,630,493 $848,191 $1,249,182 View
    2023 $8,615,705 $261,766 $617,497 View
    2022 $7,834,399 $165,234 $557,379 View
    2021 $9,733,110 $446,249 $520,185 View
    2020 $8,857,867 $2,011,717 $454,358 View
    2019 $7,613,460 $1,549,049 $385,111 View

    Prior year filings: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Expenses Detail

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $4,017,000
    • Number of Grants: 705
    • Number of Recipients: 121

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $75,0002025 The Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern TierUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $60,0002025 Planned Parenthood – Charleston Health CenterUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $50,0002025 EarthjusticeUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $40,0002025 Amnesty International of the USA IncUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $40,0002025 Center for Biological Diversity, Inc.UNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $40,0002025 Food for Lane CountyUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $40,0002025 South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, Inc.UNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $40,0002025 World Wildlife Fund, Inc.UNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $35,0002025 Conservation International FoundationUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $35,0002025 Wildlife Conservation SocietyUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $35,0002025 World Society for the Protection of AnimalsUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $35,0002023 The Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern TierUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $35,0002022 The Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern TierUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002025 Beyond ToxicsUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002025 MERCY FOR ANIMALSUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002025 Planned Parenthood Federation of AmericaUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002025 Plastic Oceans InternationalUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002025 The Fund for Animals Inc.UNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002023 Planned Parenthood – Charleston Health CenterUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002023 Planned Parenthood Federation of AmericaUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002022 Planned Parenthood – Charleston Health CenterUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002022 Planned Parenthood Federation of AmericaUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002021 Planned Parenthood – Charleston Health CenterUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002021 Planned Parenthood Federation of AmericaUNRESTRICTED GRANTS
    $30,0002021 The Catholic Charities Food Bank of the Southern TierUNRESTRICTED GRANTS

    References

    1. “The Suwinski Family Foundation Inc, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/161587911/202321299349104712/full.
    2. “The Suwinski Family Foundation Inc – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/161587911.
    3. “Jan Suwinski Retires from Thor Industries’ Board of Directors.” PR Newswire:, December 18, 2020. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jan-suwinski-retires-from-thor-industries-board-of-directors-301196275.html.