The Helen and Ritter Shumway Foundation, established by Helen S. Mayer, aims to support initiatives in conservation and historic preservation specifically within Rochester, New York, and surrounding areas. The foundation also continues to support various charitable causes favored by both Helen and her brother, Ritter Shumway. While primarily focused on a specific geographic area, the trustees may occasionally allocate discretionary grants outside this region, although unsolicited applications for such grants are not accepted.
This foundation accepts grant proposals for both general operating support and program-specific support. The grants are structured to be of one-year duration. The foundation prioritizes projects that align with its core mission of community improvement and capacity building, particularly in environmental and preservation-related efforts.
The Helen and Ritter Shumway Foundation is administered by Bank of America in collaboration with co-trustees Mr. Paul Lambert and Mr. Frank R. Shumway III. The trust is managed through Bank of America's New York office, where applicants can also direct inquiries about the application process. Applications must be submitted by June 30, with notification of funding decisions communicated before December 31 of the same year.
Interested applicants are directed to review the foundation’s procedures, which are available in both PDF and Microsoft Word formats through Bank of America’s Philanthropic Solutions portal. These documents provide additional details about the submission process and required application materials.
Applicants can seek assistance or clarification by emailing ny.grantmaking@bofa.com, ensuring to include the foundation’s name in the subject line of the email. While the exact procedural steps are available via linked documents, the online application interface and help guides offer further support for applicants navigating the submission process.
