Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo announces 2024 grant awards from Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds

Press Release

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo announced 61 Western New York organizations received nearly $1 million in grant awards from endowment funds created to carry on the legacy of Ralph C. Wilson Jr.

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation established the Legacy Funds in 2016 as endowments at the Community Foundation to provide annual support to areas that were important to Wilson during his lifetime: caregivers, community assets, design and access, and youth sports. Endowment funds are designed to grow over time and provide funding for charitable causes according to a client’s wishes, forever.

The Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation complement the work of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and were created to provide immediate impact and long-term benefit in Western New York. Grant awards are listed alphabetically within each interest area.

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Caregivers

•Burchfield Penney Art Center: $11,000 for “Building Support for the Caregiver Community: Art Moves Me at the Burchfield Penney”

•Canopy of Neighbors Inc.: $15,000 for “Volunteer Community Caregivers Innovatively Meeting Growing Needs Among Isolated & Vulnerable Adults”

•Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation: $24,433 for “Cattaraugus County Caregiver Resource Center”

•Center for Elder Law & Justice Inc.: $19,000 for “Pooled Trust: Supporting Caregivers Through Social Work”

•Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse: $25,000 for “Supporting the Mindful Caregiver Project”

•Genesee County Office for the Aging: $15,260 for “Supporting Caregivers”

•Hearts and Hands – Faith in Action Inc.: $15,000 for “Hearts and Hands: Caregiver Respite/Transportation” 

•Hope Center of LeRoy: $11,937 for “Senior Moments Lunch Club Respite”

•Hope Lutheran Church: $10,000 for “Respite Program for Caregivers Through Programming for Seniors”

•MCC-DC (dba West Side Community Services): $25,000 for “The Golden Hours: Supportive Programming for Caregivers and Adults Age 55+”

•United Way of Orleans County: $13,000 for “Who Cares for the Caregivers? Coordinating & developing caregiver respite in Orleans County”

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Community Assets

•Arts for Learning WNY: $25,000 for “ArtWorks: Hired to Create. Inspired to Succeed.”

•Assembly House 150: $10,000 for “Assembly House Capital Improvements”

•Buffalo Arts Studio: $7,500 for “Jump Start Program”

•Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology: $17,342 for “A Third Space: Creating a social anchor for creativity, learning and sense of self”

•Buffalo String Works: $17,000 for “Buffalo String Works: Investing in Program Staff & Faculty”

•Center for Exploratory and Perceptual Arts Inc.: $13,238 for “Photography Works!”

•El Batey Inc.: $12,500 for “El Batey Arts and Culture Initiative”

•Friends of Knox Farm State Park: $9,585 for “Window repair/replacement at Historic Stables at Knox Farm”

•Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission: $12,500 for “Nash House Staffing”

•Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity: $20,000 for “OLV National Shrine & Basilica Main Dome Restoration Project”

•Ujima Company Inc.: $25,000 for “The Dunbar Youth Program”

•Western New York Minority Media Professionals Inc.: $15,000 for “Broadway Theater Restoration Project”

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Design and Access

•Alfred Almond Community Sports Association Inc.: $25,000 for “Almond Riverwalk Project Phase II”

•Chautauqua County Equestrian Trail System Inc.: $25,000 for “Our Mission is Our Legacy”

•Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corp.: $25,000 for “Chautauqua County Overland Trails Revitalization Project, Phase IV”

•New City Parks: $25,000 for “Community Access and Green Design in Buffalo’s Kingsley Park”

•New York Green Inc.: $50,000 for “Town of Batavia Park Road Park”

•Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy – Main: $45,000 for “Ralph Wilson Park Public Space Activation”

•Town of Caneadea: $25,000 for “Town Park Pavilion: Improving Park Amenities in a Rural Community”

•Village of Hamburg: $50,000 for “Village of Hamburg Eighteen Mile Creek Pedestrian Bridge”

•Village of Perry: $25,000 for “Main Street Trailhead/Peace Park along the Silver Lake Trail”

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Youth Sports

•#IntegrityFirst Inc.: $8,000 for “Park Play with Pros”

•BASE – Buffalo All Star Extreme: $7,087 for “CheerAbilities”

•Boys & Girls Club of Holland: $9,000 for “Project Empower Youth”

•Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County: $20,000 for “Girls on the Run”

•Boys on the Right Track: $5,000 for “Boys on the Right Track”

•Buffalo Maendeleo Soccer Club Inc.: $10,000 for “Buffalo Maendeleo Soccer Club”

•Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy: $10,000 for “Improving Youth Access to the Game of Golf”

•Chautauqua Striders Inc.: $8,000 for “Youth Track and Field Development Program”

•City of Lackawanna: $18,000 for “City Swim Project Lackawanna”

•Cradle Beach Camp: $6,000 for “Cradle Beach – Sports Sampling”

•El Batey Inc.: $10,000 for “Level Up Sport Mentoring”

•Erie Regional Housing Development Corp. – The Belle Center: $8,000 for “Sport Sampling: Curling is a Sport!”

•First Tee of Western New York: $8,000 for “First Tee WNY & Seneca Babcock Community Association Building Character & Health in WNY’s Youth”

•Full Circle Family Services: $7,000 for “EmpowerSports Initiative”

•Girl Scouts of Western New York Inc.: $6,000 for “2024 Camp Seven Hills Creating Girl Leaders through Sports and Play”

•Girls on the Run of Buffalo Inc.: $10,000 for “Girls on the Run of Buffalo School Sponsorship Fund”

•Gliding Stars Inc.: $7,000 for “Gliding Stars Adaptive Ice Skating Program”

•Harrison's Playmakers: $10,000 for “Everyone Plays”

•Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo: $12,500 for “JCC of Greater Buffalo Swim For All”

•Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District: $20,000 for “Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District Sports Equity & Opportunity Project”

•King Urban Life Center: $12,500 for “STEAM TEAM Sports Programming”

•SOLID Foundation Prep Inc.: $10,000 for “SOLID Foundation Prep ACHIEVE Camp and Yearly Programming”

•Tapestry Charter School: $16,000 for “Tapestry-PlayBuffalo Spring and Summer Youth Sports Sampling Camps, 2024”

•The Champion Project: $15,000 for “The Champion Project – High Five”

•WAVE Buffalo Inc.: $8,000 for “Mentoring on Wheels and Let's Play Ball”

•YMCA Buffalo Niagara – Main: $13,500 for “Strengthening Kids through Sports”

•YMCA of the Twin Tiers – Main: $12,000 for “Family Free Play Friday Nights”

•Youth Advantage/Buffalo Legacy Project: $15,000 for “Youth Advantage Free Play Zones”

•Youth Mentoring Services of Niagara County: $8,000 for “Go for the Gold”

Since 2016, $11.5 million has been awarded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds to support organizations across the eight counties of Western New York.

The Legacy Funds are annual grants; for updates on the next granting cycle, visit https://www.cfgb.org/nonprofits/grants/ralph-wilson-legacy/.

More on Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo


For more than a century, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has enhanced and encouraged long-term philanthropy in the Western New York community. A 501 (c)(3) organization, the Community Foundation’s mission is: Connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York. Established in 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. Learn more at www.cfgb.org. 

More on 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 beloved Buffalo Bills NFL team. Prior to his passing in 2014, Wilson provided that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a lifelong generosity of spirit by funding the foundation that bears his name. Based in Detroit, the foundation began with 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 www.rcwjrf.org.