ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Transformative. That’s how many local nonprofit groups are describing a surprise announcement Tuesday by Tom Golisano.

The billionaire philanthropist and founder of Paychex announced he is donating $360 million of his own money to 82 nonprofits throughout Western New York, including universities, healthcare providers, animal care groups, and organizations supporting the developmentally challenged.

These gifts range from $250,000 to $20 million.

“Well, I’m going to be candid with you. I had put most of these organizations in my will. So that when I, you know, they would benefit from it. But I decided, since I didn’t think anything was going to happen in the next three weeks, why not give it to them now so they can use it now?” Golisano said.

One of the recipients of Golisano’s grants is Pet Pride of New York, a cat shelter in Victor providing veterinary care and adoption services. Golisano donated $1.5 million to Pet Pride, three times the shelter’s annual operating budget.

Pet Pride communications director Elizabeth Hollinger says the announcement came as a complete surprise. She says they hope to use the money to expand their services to other rescue organizations they partner with.

“We have never received a donation of this size, so it’s going to be transformative in that it will allow us to do things that we only dreamed of before,” Hollinger said.

EquiCenter — a nature-based therapeutic center in Honeoye Falls where people of all abilities can get respite and healing through equestrian programs — received $2 million in grant money from Golisano, which its executive director called “extraordinary.”

“Absolutely, this money is going to go toward sustaining the organization over the long term and allowing us to continue to serve hundreds of people a week and actually increase the number of people we serve every week,” Katherine Hatch, EquiCenter executive director, said.

Hatch says on top of the adaptive riding program, EquiCenter also has horticulture and school group programming.