Nominations for Pay It Forward and Hugh B. Scott Awards due September 18
The Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative (CGLI)® is pleased to announce that the nomination process for the 2026 Pay It Forward Awards, the Judge Hugh B. Scott Community Service Award and the Inspiring Youth Community Service Award are now open. The awards identify and recognize individuals and organizations who are creating positive change in the lives of youth through community service, civic engagement and/or volunteerism.
CGLI supports organizations working to create positive change in the lives of trailblazing youth living in Western New York. The initiative has recently been restructured and relaunched to focus CGLI’s efforts on grantmaking directly to organizations working to make a positive difference in the lives of young people in Western New York. This approach allows the CGLI to support and leverage the expertise of organizations that are best positioned to help create positive outcomes for youth.
The Judge Hugh B. Scott Community Service Award and the Inspiring Youth Community Service Award honor Hugh B. Scott, a United States magistrate judge for the Western District of New York, who also taught trial technique at University at Buffalo Law School for more than 30 years. Judge Scott was known for his integrity, demonstrated by his work in judicial codes of conduct, and his pioneering work in reentry. As a founding member of CGLI, he embodied its mission to help youth in Western New York understand the power of philanthropy in their lives and communities.
Nominations are now open for:
- The Judge Hugh B. Scott Community Service Award recognizes a person between the ages of 21 to 40 who exemplifies a commitment to creating positive change in the lives of youth of color through community service, civic engagement, or volunteerism outside of their professional position. The winner will have the opportunity to direct a $2,500 grant to a nonprofit of their choice.
- The Inspiring Youth Community Service Award recognizes a youth between the ages of 13 and 20 from a Western New York community of color, who exemplifies a commitment to creating positive change through community service, civic engagement, or volunteerism above and beyond activities required or sponsored by school or youth programs.
- The Pay It Forward Award recognizes personal and professional accomplishments and how those actions increase philanthropy in communities of color. Emphasis is placed on service to the community and educating the next generation, with a focus on showcasing community champions that reflect the CGLI mission of helping youth in WNY understand the power of philanthropy in their lives and communities.
The Pay it Forward Award is the highest honor the CGLI bestows upon an individual or organization. Since the awards were created in 2012, the CGLI has recognized dozens of outstanding individuals and organizations.
Nominations for all awards are due September 18. 2026, and can be submitted online at www.theCGLI.org.
Recipients will be honored at the CGLI’s 2026 Pay It Forward Awards at an event on November 5.
The Hugh B. Scott Legacy Fund at the Community Foundation, which supports the Hugh B. Scott Awards, is sponsored in part by Harter Secrest & Emery LLP.
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About the Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative
The Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative® (CGLI) was established as a fund of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo in 2008 by a group of community-minded professionals of color. CGLI exists to help youth in Western New York understand the power of philanthropy in their lives and communities. CGLI Council Members all share a desire to “pay it forward” in honor of those who helped them succeed by creating a legacy of success that will encourage collective giving to support positive change. For additional information about the CGLI, please visit www.theCGLI.org.
About the 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 cfgb.org.