Update on October 20, 2026
Buffalo stands at a critical inflection point. The city faces significant financial hardship that threatens both residents’ quality of life and the progress our community has achieved in recent years. Philanthropy and the private sector have an important role to play.
At Mayor Sean Ryan’s request, The John R. Oishei Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo created a collaborative fund called the City of Buffalo Transition and Transformation Fund. The purpose of the fund is to help the City of Buffalo’s ability to advance operational effectiveness, innovative practices and governance efficiency, along with the ability to recruit the talent needed to move the city forward.
The Community Foundation and the City of Buffalo are currently working on a grant agreement and there will be a resolution presented to the Common Council before that agreement is signed. The grant agreement will detail parameters for distributions, reporting guidelines and will be compliant with all applicable ethical and legal standards. Once the grant agreement is signed, money from the fund can be distributed to the City of Buffalo.
Here is the current information about the City of Buffalo Transition and Transformation Fund as of October 20, 2026.
Fund Balance: $818,707 (includes interest earned)
Fund Contributors:
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo – $100,000
John R. Oishei Foundation – $500,000
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation – $200,000*
The Buffalo Contrarian – $26.00
The Community Foundation has permission from all of the donors to the fund to disclose this information.
Here is the Fund Agreement that established the Fund on December 11, 2025, including a fund modification to update the name in January 2026. Additionally, here is a letter that was shared with the City of Buffalo Common Council in December 2025 explaining the purpose of the fund.
*The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation gave an additional $50,000 to the Buffalo Niagara Partnership to hire the search firm for the Buffalo Police Commissioner.