WNY Forward Fund/Civic Health and Building Common Ground

• 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and organizations using a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor
  
• Organizations serving residents of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua Counties
• Nonprofit organizations working to protect human rights and democracy, and to expand civic engagement and activation. Established and emerging nonprofit organizations focused on rapid response in upholding democracy and human rights and building civic infrastructure are eligible

• March 31, 2026: Process opens
• April 13, 2026 at 3 p.m.: A virtual information session will be held via Zoom
• https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81261261807pwd=OVM9XTwqaUKCfopkwXmIYzkT01gVnk.1&from=addon.
  To register Click here.
• April 20, 2026, at 4 p.m.: Applications due, no exceptions
• Week of May 5, 2026: Organizations selected to apply for funds will be contacted for further discussion
• May 11 – May 21, 2026: Discussions conducted
• Week of May 25, 2026: Notification of grant awards

Grant Funding/Eligibility

1. Why is the WNY Forward Fund focusing on Civic Health and Building Common Ground?

The WNY Forward Fund believes that protecting democracy and human rights depends on an educated and engaged citizenry and will support organizations that are working to respond to these threats within our community. As shifts in federal funding and priorities have been enacted since early 2025, some nonprofit organizations and those they serve have been adversely impacted. At the same time, we have witnessed the need to protect many of our constitutionally enshrined rights and democracy itself. Increasingly, the public’s understanding of these issues and their impact, and their ability to mobilize has taken on greater urgency.

Additionally, the WNY Forward Fund surveyed the community to determine the necessary scope of this funding opportunity. This process helped us to understand where people see the biggest opportunities in improving civic health and building common ground, as well as the greatest challenges. Following this extensive learning process, the Fund designed this opportunity so that organizations who are performing key activities related to rapid response and building civic infrastructure can have flexible funds to support this work.

2. What types of organizations and activities will be considered for this grant opportunity?

Nonprofit organizations, grassroots groups, and community-based organizations working for civic engagement and activation to protect human rights and increase community voice by expanding access to democracy and decisionmakers are invited to complete an Expression of Interest. Organizations within the eight counties of Western New York are eligible.

Grants are available in two priority areas:

Rapid Response to Protect Democracy and Civil Rights

• Flexible funds to support community protection, engagement, and activation activities
• Stop-gap funding for on-the-ground engagement, organizing and activation (including outreach, training, skill building and mobilization) that has seen a direct or indirect decline in funding related to recent federal shifts

Civic Infrastructure Building

• Cross-organization/cross-sector coordination and infrastructure building to plan for and implement strategies and activities to mobilize residents – including residents who have not previously been civically engaged – for meaningful, sustained civic participation
• Campaign planning and research focused on policy and practices changes that will increase protection of human rights and democracy within Western New York. While flexible funds may be used for various purposes, successful applicants will be centered on civic engagement and activation. For example, utilizing funding for meeting immediate needs (such as emergency food and legal support) in the context of these activities would be an eligible use of funds; however, operating a traditional food bank or emergency shelter or operating a community services legal clinic would not be considered through this fund.

3. Can grant awards be made to fiscal sponsors or pass-through agencies if the organization is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization?

Funding awards, in whole or in part, may also be used to support unincorporated groups and organizations serving similar purposes, provided there is a 501(c)(3) organization serving as a pass-through agency.

4. What specifically can the funding be used for? Can it be used for general operating support?
Grant funds are intended to be flexible operating dollars (general operating support) that are directed toward supporting initiatives and activities in these priority areas. This funding round is specifically intended to increase community participation in issue advocacy and civil society and build effective partnerships to address protecting human rights and democracy.

5. Are salaries for staff time, including an executive director, eligible expenses?

Yes. These grants are intended as unrestricted funds and can be used for expenses, including salaries, that are considered general operating support.

6. What will NOT be considered for funding?

As part of the Civic Health and Building Common Ground priority area, WNY Forward Fund has already supported legal defense with a $150,000 grant to the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project. This funding supports participation in the Upstate Immigration Pro Bono Collaborative that recruits, trains and mentors private attorneys to take on immigration cases. We are also exploring specific initiatives that support local journalism. Since funding for legal defense and local journalism has already been designated, those issue areas will not be included in this current grant opportunity.

Grant Process

7. What is the process for applying and being considered for this funding?

Interested applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), a short four-question form and that includes:

• Organizational Profile
• Proposed Initiatives and Focus Areas that include your issue area(s), engagement/activation approach(es), target audience(s), objectives and other details
• Budget request that addresses how the funds will support your organization’s work to protect human rights and increase community voice by expanding access to democracy and decision makers.
• Aspirations for a proposed co-learning network of grantees and funders

8. What do you mean by a “co-learning network of grantees and funders”?

Grant awardees will have minimal formal reporting requirements. Successful applicants will be requested to participate in co-learning spaces with additional grantees and WNY Forward Fund contributors in order to: 1) share successes, challenges and insights from the work; 2) build meaningful and productive collaboration between philanthropy and direct civic engagement organizations that progresses beyond grant funding. This co-learning network will be co-designed with grantees to produce relevant outcomes and relationships while not becoming overly burdensome to participants.

9. How was this grant process developed?

WNY Forward Fund developed the parameters of the grant funding based on input from organizations operating in the field and includes two-year funding, general operating support, and a streamlined grant process that includes a short questionnaire coupled with discussions with potential grantees.

10. What will funding decisions be based on?

Applicants/organizations will be assessed on:

• Alignment with the fund’s priority areas (protecting human rights and increasing community voice by expanding access to democracy and decision makers)
• Capacity and experience for civic engagement and activation
• Being rooted in, or meaningfully working with, frontline and marginalized communities
• Outlining a path to tangible change in people’s lives and/or policy

11. Will there be funding in the future for these activities if we are not quite ready to apply now or if we are not chosen in this application round? Will the WNY Forward Fund offer additional grant funding in this or other priority areas?

This is a one-time grant process to support civic health and building common ground. We do not anticipate making additional awards in this priority area at this time, but the WNY Forward Fund is a long-term initiative that may make additional investments as community needs evolve. Additional opportunities for Strategic Alliances and Nonprofit Resiliency are anticipated later in 2026.

12. What are the total funds allocated for this round?

Activities funded through this current application process will receive two-year funding commitments and grant awards are generally anticipated to be between $50,000 and $100,000 per funded organization per year, however, there is not a strict funding limit. A total of $500,000 is available through this funding round in both 2026 and in 2027 ($1 million total).

13. What is the timing of grant awards and the deadline for when those funds should be used?

The grant process will open on March 31 and the deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest is April 20, at 4 p.m. and those selected to apply will be notified during the week of May 5. Discussions with potential grantees will take place May 11– May 18 and final grant awards are expected to be made by May 30, 2026.

14. Can projects/names be kept confidential in any public announcement?

We understand that the work of potential grantees may be sensitive and that some organizations would prefer not to raise their profile as they are engaged in this work. We will respect any grantee organization’s wishes to keep their name private. Please let us know if that is the case.

We may also ask some grantees to share their project so that future grantees can get a better sense of what represents a successful project.

For general FAQs about the WNY Forward Fund, please click here.

• A virtual information session will be held via Zoom on Monday, April 13, from 3p.m. – 4p.m. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81261261807?pwd=OVM9XTwqaUKCfopkwXmIYzkT01gVnk.1&from=addon
• Registration is required by clicking here. If you are unable to attend, please see the attached slides for more information.

Please feel free to share this information with any WNY nonprofits in your networks.