The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo announced 44 organizations from across Western New York received grants from endowment funds created to carry on the legacy of giving of Ralph C. Wilson Jr.
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation established these endowment funds at the Community Foundation to provide support to areas that were important to Wilson during his lifetime: caregiving, community assets, design and access, and youth sports. Endowment funds are designed to grow over time and provide funding for charitable causes according to the client's wishes, forever.
"Our nonprofit sector continues to impress us with their dedication to the region, quality of services and creativity of programming," said Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. "The 2017 grantees of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds are adding great value to their communities and will use these funds to continue improving lives in Western New York, in honor of Mr. Wilson."
The endowment funds at the Community Foundation are complementary to the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation's efforts to create immediate impact and long-term benefit within the communities of Western New York and Southeast Michigan. To learn more about grants offered by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation directly, visit
www.RCWJRF.org/how-to-apply/.
The following grants were awarded from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds through an open, competitive application process:
Grants from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Caregiving
- Bornhava - $8,099 to provide caregivers of children with special needs the opportunity to participate in planned networking, educational and social events
- Buffalo City Mission - $12,000 to fund educational classes for the Buffalo City Mission's direct caregiver staff that assist homeless clients
- Child & Family Services of Erie County - $21,000 to enhance support systems for caregivers in the foster care program
- Cradle Beach - $19,500 to help foster care families, kinship caregivers and post-adoptive families access much-needed respite care services
- Daemen College - $25,000 to provide athletic-based respite programs for families of individuals with disabilities
- Health Association of Niagara County Inc. - $25,000 to create a caregiver support network with a mission of improving the quality of life for the patient and caregiver
- Mercy Hospital Foundation - $15,000 to pilot a one-year program providing caregivers direct communication with a registered nurse, physician and in-home patient visits to improve patient care and caregiver peace of mind
- Roswell Park Alliance Foundation - $5,500 to provide an annual retreat weekend for those dealing with the challenges of cancer
- Summit Educational Resources - $15,000 for a respite program that will coincide with current training programs allowing parents to attend without the worry of coordinating specialized childcare
Grants from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Community Assets
- Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park - $10,000 for structure improvements on the USS Little Rock
- Buffalo Jazz Collective - $8,000 for a year-round All City Jazz Ensemble for high school instrumental music students
- Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society - $10,000 for a unique and high-profile celebration at the Richardson Olmsted Complex
- Buffalo String Works - $13,450 to expand programming and teaching staff to increase the number of children served
- Center for Exploratory & Perceptual Arts Inc. - $10,000 to ensure continuity of in-school programming and expand access to all grade levels
- Community Music School of Buffalo - $7,650 to provide free private music instruction to students at Waterfront Academy in piano, guitar and clarinet
- Explore Buffalo - $5,000 to support the purchase of audio headset systems to improve the quality of the walking tour experience
- Graycliff Conservancy Inc. - $15,000 to restore the flower garden, one of the iconic landscape elements on the Graycliff estate
- Hull House Foundation - $6,500 to restore the stair and landing of the Hull House and enhance accessibility
- Just Buffalo Literary Center - $10,000 to support The Civil Writes Project, which focuses on Buffalo's contributions to the literary arts field and Civil Rights movement
- Martin House Restoration Corp. - $10,000 to market signature events, tours and programs throughout a yearlong celebration of Frank Lloyd Wright's birth
- North Park Theatre of Buffalo Inc. - $8,000 for restoration efforts
- Springville Center for the Arts - $25,000 for renovation work to the multiarts center to increase accessibility, safety and programming capacity
- Squeaky Wheel | Buffalo Media Resources - $7,500 to support low-to-no-cost media arts education programs serving youth living in Western New York
Grants from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Design and Access
- Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper - $50,000 to coordinate collective efforts around waterway restoration
- Buffalo Lighthouse Association - $50,000 for restoration efforts
- GObike Buffalo - $29,157 to empower residents to implement complete streets within their neighborhoods
- Groundwork Buffalo - $40,500 to support environmental design projects that are restorative and contribute to neighborhood health and wellness
- Hawk Creek Wildlife Center Inc. - $30,343 to build an activity trail utilizing universal access design that will promote exercise, green living and empathy for all living things
- Western New York Land Conservancy - $50,000 to convene stakeholders, partners and the community to create a shared vision for the "High Line" Rail Trail
Grants from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Youth Sports
- Adam Page Sled Hockey Foundation - $12,500 to alleviate the equipment costs for the recruitment and development of new sled teams for youth with disabilities
- Algonquin Sports for Kids Inc. - $18,299 for training for the coaching staff to increase staff's core competencies in safety, motivation and skill development
- Buffalo City Swim Racers Inc. - $10,000 to provide water safety and swim lessons for low-income families in the City of Buffalo
- Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy - $24,000 to renovate and upgrade the soccer field at Rumsey Woods in Delaware Park
- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County - $15,000 to support Aim High, an archery program offered to youth throughout Niagara County
- Cradle Beach - $11,500 to provide equipment to enhance year-round youth sports and recreational programming for children with disabilities and disadvantages
- Franklinville Central School District - $16,000 to support the development of an after-school physical activity/recreation program for pre-K to eighth-grade students
- Girls Golf Inc. -$5,000 to support programs that provide girl-friendly environments for participants interested in learning the game of golf
- Health Sciences Charter School -$5,000 to purchase equipment that supports the expansion of physical education activities
- MCC-DC (d.b.a. West Side Community Services) -$25,000 to resurface an existing basketball court into a multisport court allowing for greater access to a variety of sports
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children New York - $25,000 to train youth sport coaches, volunteers, kids and parents about child sexual victimization prevention
- Rural Outreach Center - $12,500 to support scholarships and equipment for children living in rural poverty to take part in physical extracurricular activities
- Valley Community Association Inc. - $25,000 to provide interactive age and developmentally appropriate activities promoting a healthy, active lifestyle based on the state learning standards
- West Side Rowing Club Inc. - $20,000 to provide access to rowing for underserved youth, ages 12 to 18, from Buffalo public and charter schools through scholarships
- Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program - $5,000 to expand a summer fitness and sports program for low-income youth
- YMCA Buffalo Niagara - $15,000 to expand and enhance its current youth development and healthy living program offerings
In addition to awarding grants from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Fund for Youth Sports, the Wilson Foundation, along with the Community Foundation and Aspen Institute, will publish a comprehensive report detailing the status of youth sports in greater Buffalo. The report will be released to the public toward the end of June.
About the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo:
The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, a 501(c)(3) organization, was established in 1919 to enhance and encourage long-term philanthropy in the Western New York community. The Community Foundation's mission is: Connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York. Since 1919, the Community Foundation has made the most of the generosity of individuals, families, foundations and organizations who entrust charitable assets to the Community Foundation's care. www.cfgb.org.
About the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation: The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect Wilson's devotion to his hometown of Detroit, and greater Buffalo, home of his Buffalo Bills franchise. Prior to his passing in 2014, Wilson requested a significant share of his estate be used to continue a lifelong generosity of spirit by funding the foundation that bears his name. The foundation has a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires Jan. 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Wilson's desire for the foundation's impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable, and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information, visit http://www.ralphcwilsonjrfoundation.org.