WNY Forward Fund Grants

WNY Forward Fund Grants is sponsored by Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo (administering fund for 14 local funders). The WNY Forward Fund supports nonprofit organizations working to protect human rights and democracy, and to expand civic engagement and activation in the eight counties of Western New York. Funding can be used for general operating purposes.

WNY Forward Fund - Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo The WNY Forward Fund is a collaborative effort of 14 Western New York funders united to support our community and nonprofits that provides essential programs and services in the face of major shifts in federal funding and priorities since early 2025. These changes have created financial strain, rapid change and deep uncertainty at a time when community need is increasing.

Western New York is facing a perfect storm of economic pressures. The loss of federal funding, cost increases and declining tourism are straining the region’s nonprofit sector at a critical moment. With nearly 10,000 jobs already lost, low-income and marginalized communities—those who rely most heavily on nonprofit services—are bearing the greatest burden.

This Fund is a multi-year commitment to help ensure that the WNY community and the nonprofit sector remain strong, resilient and equipped to adapt, similar to our collective response to crises including the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2022 racially-motivated shooting on Buffalo’s East Side. A total of $2. 6 million has been allocated to the Fund to date.

The philanthropic community’s goal in working together is to help protect and strengthen the community, while encouraging innovation and reimagining how to best use community resources for long-term resilience. If you would like to contribute to the WNY Forward Fund, please click here .

While local funders can’t fully replace lost federal dollars, estimated to be nearly $7 billion in the first quarter of 2025 across New York, we can help spark innovation, strengthen capacity and encourage nonprofits to rethink how services are delivered more efficiently, collaboratively and sustainably.

We will also work together to ensure that all WNY residents are afforded respect and dignity, as well as access to equal justice, due process and legal defense when necessary. Using data and storytelling, we will also highlight the impact of these shifting priorities and the critical role that nonprofits play in supporting our community.

The Fund is intended to be a multi-year effort through select grantmaking and support of priority initiatives across three focus areas.

These priorities include: Strategic Realignment & Nonprofit Resiliency Our first action was to support grant proposals from local nonprofits pursuing partnerships, shared services, mergers or other collaborations to help organizations adapt to the evolving environment and remain resilient and responsive to community needs.

This included explorations of partnerships, shared services, mergers and other collaborative models that enhance effectiveness, capacity, and financial stability. This grant opportunity also supported exploration of potential dissolution planning for those nonprofits considering winding down operations.

In early 2026, the WNY Forward Fund allocated a total of $368,690 to 18 organizations ranging from $2,250 up to $25,000 for strategic alliance initiatives intended to spur reimagining of service delivery and innovation within the nonprofit sector. Our second grant opportunity in this priority area opens on June 22 with applications due on July 24 at 4 p. m.

Civic Health & Building Common Ground We are exploring opportunities to fund and support initiatives that protect access to justice, due process, and legal defense, and building deeper connections between public institutions and the stakeholders they serve. A grant opportunity opened in March 2026, to fund civic engagement and activation.

“Expressions of Interest (EOI)” are encouraged from nonprofit organizations who are working to protect human rights and democracy, and to expand civic engagement and activation. This focus is defined as strong connections between residents, robust relationships between people and public institutions, and positive attachments that people have to the places they live.

Established and emerging nonprofit organizations focused on rapid response in upholding democracy and human rights and building civic infrastructure throughout the eight counties of Western New York (Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Wyoming, Genesee, and Orleans) were invited to apply. The process is now closed.

As part of this priority area, the WNY Forward Fund has already supported the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project with a $150,000 grant to support participation in the Upstate Immigration Pro Bono Collaborative. This initiative recruits, trains, and mentors private attorneys to take on immigration cases and ensure that all litigants are adequately represented in the justice system.

The fund is also exploring opportunities to support local media that will bolster the local current events and civic information ecosystem. For more information about the grant opportunity and to apply, click here.

Impact Data & Storytelling Our third priority area is in supporting efforts to collect and share critical data on how funding cuts affect organizations and the people they serve, while helping us to better understand, support and communicate the region’s evolving needs.

Strategic Alliances & Nonprofit Resiliency: Supports grant proposals from local nonprofits pursuing partnerships, shared services, mergers, or other collaborations to help organizations adapt to the evolving environment, and remain resilient and responsive to community needs.

Civic Health & Common Ground: Exploring opportunities to fund and support initiatives that protect access to justice, due process, and legal defense and building deeper connections between public institutions and the stakeholders they serve.

Impact Data & Storytelling : Backing efforts to collect and share critical data on how funding cuts affect organizations and the people they serve to help our community better understand, communicate, and respond to the region’s evolving needs. What is the WNY Forward Fund?

The WNY F orward Fund is a collaborative effort of fourteen Western New York funders united to support the WNY community and nonprofits that provide essential programs and services in the face of major shifts in federal funding and priorities since early 2025. These changes have created financial strain, rapid change, and deep uncertainty, at a time when community need is increasing.

This Fund is a multi-year commitment to help ensure that the WNY community and the nonprofit sector remain strong, resilient, and equipped to adapt. It is similar to our collective response to past crises including the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2022 racially-motivated shooting on Buffalo’s East Side. A total of $2.

3 million has been allocated to the Fund to date. The philanthropic community’s goal in working together is to help protect and strengthen the community, while encouraging innovation and a reimagining of how to best use community resources for long-term resilience. Why was the WNY Forward Fund formed?

Since early 2025, as federal funding cuts have been enacted, many nonprofit organizations and the people they serve have been adversely impacted. While organizations have had to deal with fewer financial resources, greater community need is also rising. Western New York is facing a perfect storm of economic pressures.

The loss of federal funding, tariff-driven cost increases, and declining tourism are straining the region’s nonprofit sector at a critical moment. With nearly 10,000 jobs already lost, low-income and marginalized communities—those who rely most heavily on nonprofit services—are bearing the greatest burden.

Local foundations began meeting this spring to determine how collective action could best support the community, nonprofits that address essential community needs, and the individuals who benefit from their programs and services.

The group decided to pool funding and to collaborate to support initiatives that help to spur innovation, create new ways of thinking, and build greater resilience and adaptability in organizations that serve the community. What will the WNY Forward Fund support?

The Fund has three priority areas: Strategic Alliances & Nonprofit Resiliency: Supports grant proposals from local nonprofits pursuing partnerships, shared services, mergers, or other collaborations to help organizations adapt to the evolving environment, and remain resilient and responsive to community needs.

Civic Health & Common Ground: Exploring opportunities to fund and support initiatives that protect access to justice, due process, and legal defense and building deeper connections between public institutions and the stakeholders they serve.

Impact Data & Storytelling: Backing efforts to collect and share critical data on how funding cuts affect organizations and the people they serve to help our community better understand, communicate, and respond to the region’s evolving needs. Will the Fund replace funding lost to recent federal cuts?

No. The federal funding cuts – estimated to be $7 billion across New York State in the first quarter – are simply too large for philanthropy to fill the gap. Instead, we will use our pooled funding of approximately $2. 3 million to support innovation and adaptation that lead to greater efficiencies in delivering programs and services.

The Fund will also support initiatives that ensure all WNYers have access to justice, due process, legal defense, and the ability to respond to legal issues. And lastly, the Fund will support efforts to educate our community through data and storytelling on the impact of these funding cuts to people and organizations. Can my nonprofit apply for grants to replace lost funding due to recent federal cuts?

The Fund is not intended to replace traditional funding for ongoing operations, or programs and services. Currently, grant applications are being accepted for organizations who are interested in exploring and/or pursuing strategic alliances and partnerships with other community organizations to find new and creative ways of operating that lead to greater efficiency. The deadline to apply was Friday, December 12 at 4 p.

m. Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded in January. For more information and applications go to: www.

WNYForwardFund. org Additional grant opportunities for strategic alliances are also planned for next year and we expect to support additional community initiatives with direct funding soon. How can I learn more and apply for the grant process?

The grant guidelines and application process can be found www. WNYForwardFund. org We are not ready to apply for the Strategic Alliance grants right now – will there be future opportunities for funding?

Yes. We expect to offer additional grant opportunities to explore and create strategic alliances in 2026. Why don’t local foundations step up to replace lost funding?

The scope of the reduced funding is far too large for the local philanthropic community to fully address and would not be sustainable over time. Local foundations are exploring and implementing ways to address needs and provide resources in their own way.

In order to manage in this new environment, we believe it is imperative to consider new ways of operating and collaborating so that the nonprofit sector can remain strong and resilient. The WNY Forward Fund is an additional way for the philanthropic sector to support the WNY community. Will participating foundations reduce their traditional grantmaking to support this Fund?

As always, local foundations will determine how best to allocate their funds and many have already made plans to individually address the current environment. Who supports the WNY Forward Fund? The Buffalo Bills Foundation The Celia Lipton & Victor W.

Farris Foundation Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Fund James H. Cummings Foundation The John R. Oishei Foundation Margaret L.

Wendt Foundation The Peter & Elizabeth Tower Foundation Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation United Way of Buffalo and Erie County The Western New York Foundation For FAQs specific to the WNY Forward Fund grant process, please click here . Civic Health & Building Common Ground (Grant Opportunity Now Closed) This grant opportunity is now closed.

Strategic Realignment & Nonprofit Resiliency (Grant Process Opens June 22) Grant Opening June 22. Click her e to apply. The Buffalo Bills Foundation The Celia Lipton & Victor W.

Farris Foundation Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Fund James H. Cummings Foundation The John R. Oishei Foundation Margaret L.

Wendt Foundation The Peter & Elizabeth Tower Foundation Ralph C.

Wilson, Jr. Foundation United Way of Buffalo and Erie County The Western New York Foundation The WNY Forward Fund and grant applications will be managed by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo WNY Forward Fund Announces New Grant Opportunity for Improving Civic Health and Building Common Ground WNY Forward Fund Announces Grants to Support Exploration of Strategic Alliances in Nonprofit Sector Local Funders Collaborate to Create the WNY Forward Fund to Support Community in Face of Federal Cuts and Shifting Priorities Questions?

Reach out to our team. Collaborative Initiatives