Community Foundation opens 21st Century Fund Grant Process

Buffalo, NYThe 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 at  www.cfgb.org/nonprofits/grants/21st-century-fund/ and are due December 6, 2019, at 4 p.m.

Organizations interested in learning more about the 2019-2020 grant process are encouraged to attend one of the two grant briefing sessions held on October 10, 2019, 5 to 6 p.m. and October 15, 2019, 5 to 6 p.m. 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 2020, where 21st Century Fund members will learn about the projects and vote to narrow the pool down to a group of finalists. In April 2020, 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. In 2018, Fund members chose the Niagara Falls Boys & Girls Club as the grant winner. The grant was used toward a transformation of the 17th Street Clubhouse that celebrated a grand re-opening in June 2019. Prior award winners include Gerard Place and Explore and More Children’s Museum.

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.

###
About the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Celebrating its centennial year in 2019, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo was established in 1919 to enhance and encourage 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. For 100 years, 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 cfgb.org.