The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is accepting Letters of Intent (LOI) for its 2021 competitive grant process through Feb. 1 at 4 p.m.

Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in or serving one of the eight counties of Western New York (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming).

Interested organizations should read the detailed guidelines/additional information that can be found here before submitting a Letter of Intent.

LOI proposals must address at least one of the Solutions listed under the Community Foundation’s four Community Goals that can be found at the link above.

The four Community Goals are: 

• Improve educational achievement for students living in low-income households;
• Increase racial/ethnic equity;
• Protect and restore significant environmental resources and promote equitable access;
• Strengthen the region as a center for architecture, arts and culture.

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo scholarship application process for the 2021 – 2022 academic year is now open. Applications are due by May 1 and must be submitted online.

All students, including Say Yes Buffalo applicants and scholars, that meet the following eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a current resident of one of the eight counties of Western New York (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming);
• Have a minimum of a “C” average or a GPA of 2.0 or greater;
• Be admitted to a nonprofit 501(c)(3), U.S. Department of Education accredited school for full-time study beginning in the fall 2021 semester. 

Scholarship awards typically range from $1,000 to $6,000.

More than 200 individuals, families, foundations and organizations have established scholarship funds through the Community Foundation. In 2020, the Community Foundation remained as one of the region’s largest scholarship providers, awarding scholarships totaling $3 million to more than 3,000 Western New York students. 

For more information on the Community Foundation’s scholarship program, including application instructions, please visit www.cfgbscholarships.org or text SCHOLARSHIP to (855) 213 - 4426.*

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The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is now accepting applications for the 2021 Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Legacy Funds competitive grant process.

The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation established endowment funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo to provide annual support for programs and initiatives that reflect the personal passions of Wilson. Grants will support the following areas of interest:

Caregivers

Support caregivers –whether paid, voluntary or family – of persons who are unable to fully care for themselves and are part of an underserved community. Preference will be given to organizations or projects that provide support to caregivers of older adults. 

Requests must address at least one of the following objectives:

• Increase opportunities for caregivers to take advantage of resources.
• Support operating expense of the applicant organization. 

Community Assets

Support significant cultural and historic assets and/or increase access to long-term arts instruction for youth. 

Requests must address one of the following objectives: 

• Increase access to long term arts instruction for children and youth living in under-resourced communities. 
• Restore and leverage significant historic buildings and architectural landmarks, with a preference for sites that promote cultural tourism.
• Support operating expenses of the applicant organization. 

Design and Access

Support enhancement of community access to spaces and programs that support healthy living. Requests must address one of the following objectives: 

• Support for preplanning, development and/or construction. This may include projects related to increasing the walkability and bikeability of local communities, and improving waterways, greenways and recreation corridors. 
• Support operating expenses of the applicant organization. 

It is a preference but not a requirement that these projects: 

• Incorporate green design to be environmentally sustainable.
• Incorporate universal access design to serve people of all abilities.
• Please note: Large sports facilities are not of interest.

Youth Sports

• Provide opportunities for all children to be active through sport. Requests to build collaborations among organizations are encouraged. Requests for projects should include the following objectives from the State of Play WNY Report:

1. Ask kids what they want.

2. Reintroduce free play.

3. Encourage sport sampling.

4. Revitalize in-town leagues.

5. Think small.

6. Design for development.

7. Train all coaches.

8. Emphasize prevention. 

Grant requests should range between $10,000 and $25,000 for Caregivers, Community Assets and Youth Sports. Design and Access requests should range between $10,000 and $50,000.

Funds will be released after grant requirements and obligations have been signed and returned. 

For Caregivers, Design and Access, and Youth Sports, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that meet the guidelines described above and reside in Western New York may apply for a grant. Western New York is defined as Allegany, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. For Caregivers, Design and Access and Youth Sports, government agencies also may apply. For Community Assets, only 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that reside in Erie County may apply.

Applications are due Dec. 4, at 4 p.m. Decisions will be made in May.

A virtual information session for all areas of interest will be held from 12 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Additionally, there will be an evening virtual session for Youth Sports first-time applicants from 7 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.

To register for information sessions, learn more about deadlines and eligibility, and to apply, please click here.

All students, including Say Yes Buffalo applicants and scholars, that meet the following eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply.

Scholarship awards typically range from $1,000 to $6,000.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a current resident of one of the eight counties of Western New York (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming);
• Have a minimum of a “C” average or a GPA of 2.0 or greater;
• Be admitted to a nonprofit 501(c)(3), U.S. Department of Education accredited school for full-time study beginning in the fall 2020 semester.

More than 200 individuals, families, foundations and organizations have established scholarship funds through the Community Foundation. In 2019, the Community Foundation remained as one of the region’s largest scholarship providers, awarding scholarships totaling $3.2 million to more than 3,000 Western New York students.

For more information on the Community Foundation’s scholarship program, including application instructions, please visit www.cfgbscholarships.org or text SCHOLARSHIP to (855) 213-4426*.

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is now accepting Letters of Intent for its 2020 competitive grant process through 4 p.m. Feb. 3.

Interested organizations should read the detailed guidelines/additional information before submitting a Letter of Intent. A link to the guidelines can be found here.

LOI proposals must address at least one of the Solutions listed under the Community Foundation’s four community goals. The Solutions are listed on the webpage and the goals are listed below:

• Improve educational achievement and workforce readiness for residents living in low-income households;
• Increase racial/ethnic equity;
• Protect and restore significant environmental resources and promote equitable access;
• Strengthen the region as a center for architecture, arts and culture.

Additionally, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in or serving one of the eight counties of Western New York (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming).

In 2019, the Community Foundation awarded more than $500,000 to 28 Western New York nonprofit organizations through the competitive grants process. The Community Foundation is home to more than 900 named funds, totaling over $500 million in assets and is one of the region’s largest grantmakers.

The 21st Century Fund a fund and giving circle of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is now accepting applications from nonprofit organizations for its 2019-2020 grant cycle. Applications must be submitted online here and are due by 4 p.m. Dec. 6.

Organizations interested in learning more about the 2019-2020 grant process are encouraged to attend one of the two grant briefing sessions held from 5 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 10 and Oct. 15 at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. Information on how to confirm your attendance for the information sessions can be found on the website.

A group of selected applicants with high-impact projects will be invited to present at an event in early March, where 21st Century Fund members will learn about the projects and vote to narrow the pool down to a group of finalists. In April, the finalists will present live on stage, members will vote and a $100,000 grant will be awarded.

The 21st Century Fund is unique in that the members pay a one-time fee to join and every two years come together and vote to award a $100,000 grant for a specific project they feel is of strategic importance to Western New York.

Lifetime members can join as individuals, families, businesses, or organizations for $2,100, and membership pledges can be paid over five years. A special rate of $1,000 is available to individuals 35 years of age and younger, which can also be paid over five years. The Fund’s membership includes a diverse group of professionals, families, students and more.

The Genesee Orleans Regional Arts Council -- GO ART! -- was the sole Genesee County recipient of a grant from the foundation. GO ART! will receive $20,000.

Competitive grants will go to area nonprofits that support the Community Foundation’s four strategic community goals:

• Improve educational achievement and workforce readiness for residents living in low-income households;
• Increase racial/ethnic equity;
• Protect and restore significant environmental resources and promote equitable access;
• Strengthen the region as a center for architecture, arts and culture.

• Four winners (one per category) will each be honored with $200,000: $100,000 to make a one-time grant to a WNY nonprofit and $100,000 to create an endowment that will allow them to make grants in their name forever.
• Eight finalists will each grant $25,000 to a WNY nonprofit of their choice.