Grants FAQ

In the wake of the shooting on May 14, 2022, The Buffalo Together Community Response Fund was established with donations from national and local contributors to assist with community revitalization. An initial round of grants from the Buffalo Together Fund provided $655,000 to 86 organizations mobilizing resources in the neighborhood to enable them to respond to immediate critical neighborhood needs. The remaining balance of the fund was set aside to focus on accelerating the revitalization of East Buffalo by addressing economic and racial inequities guided by a community informed long-term investment plan.

A steering committee and co-chairs stood up to create the long-term investment strategy. The investment strategy was completed on September 21, 2024.

Buffalo Together is seeking to partner with 501c3 organizations to provide services to the East Side, that addresses long-term, systemic issues, which existed before May 14, 2022 and continue today. This RFP is the first to be released by Buffalo Together.

General Guidance and Eligibility for Applicants

  • The grant request cannot exceed $25,000
  • Grants are awarded only to organizations that have a current Section 501(c)(3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service The organization does not need to be located on the East Side of Buffalo; however, the project must be located and benefit the public on the East Side of Buffalo.
  • All grants must be closed out within one year of the receipt of funds. The failure of an applicant to properly close out a grant in a timely manner will be a factor when considering new grants.

The Buffalo Together Fund will not consider funding for:

  • Religious purposes. Funding cannot be used to support religious activities such as worship or proselytizing. Secular programs or services must be available to eligible participants without regard to religious belief or willingness to participate in religious activities.
  • Schools not registered with the New York State Education Department
  • Attendance at or sponsorship of fundraising events for organizations
  • Annual events or festivals
  • Any partisan political activity. Funds cannot be used to support or oppose a candidate for political office.
  • Projects and activities that have occurred. The Fund will not, except in extraordinary cases, provide payment or reimbursement for expenses incurred prior to the funding decision being communicated to the applicant.

Buffalo Together believes that the success of the East Side of Buffalo is contingent upon how well our community collaborates with each other and the rest of the City of Buffalo. Buffalo Together’s Community Investment Strategy encourages collaboration. A successful proposal will be collaborative and aligned with one or more of the priority areas found within the Community Investment Strategy. It should also include sustainability of the proposed initiative.

Applicants may submit their response to this RFP via www.buffalotogetherfund.org (will include the actual portal address) no later than 4:00 PM on March 28, 2025 (see below timeline). Each responding applicant will be notified of the final decision no later than April 25, 2025.

Timeline:
RFP Distributed February 26, 2025
Proposal Due March 28, 2025

Contact Allie Urbanski, Director of Community Impact at allieu@cfgb.org