Goal: Achieve racial and ethnic equity
When Opportunity Reaches Everyone
Racial equity reflects the full promise of a community where race no longer predicts outcomes and where opportunity truly reaches everyone. We see creativity, innovation and human talent powering our businesses.
We see more consumers strengthening those businesses — buying groceries, cars and homes, and sustaining our cultural assets. When economic growth in our region is more equitable, everyone benefits, and collaboration across differences helps build stronger, healthier communities.
For nearly two decades, the Community Foundation has convened cross-sector, community-informed efforts to advance diversity, inclusion and belonging across our region. Today, we continued to advance this work in several ways, including through the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable, which the Community Foundation first convened in 2015.
The Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable continued to move forward its multi-pronged work with more than 350 partners to create an expanded, inclusive economy. Some 2025 highlights include:
The Buffalo Purchasing Initiative (BPI) is an initiative of the Business Leaders Task Force, which includes 15 major employers in our region that created a business cooperative to explore strategies and share resources to expand purchasing opportunities. In 2025, the BPI expanded its reach to include small businesses with fewer than 100 employees that are headquartered in the Buffalo Niagara region. The program has:
- Facilitated 825 New Relationships between small businesses and BPI member companies
- Resulting in $82 Million in New Spending with these small businesses over the life of the program
Juvenile Justice Works, with more than 35 partners working collaboratively, focuses on young people by implementing restorative justice programs within institutions. It also pilots diversion strategies to reduce
youth contact with the justice system. In 2025, this was illustrated through key initiatives:
- A three-part restorative justice series, in partnership with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office and Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition, included implementing restorative justice practices at the district attorney’s office. This series results in youth with first-time offense status to have their felony charge dropped.
- The Juvenile Justice Works Runaway Initiative, led by BestSelf Behavioral Health, in partnership with the
Buffalo Police Department, the Community Action Organization of WNY STRIVE Initiative and other community stakeholders, provides an immediate and supportive alternative to traditional criminal justice pathways for runaway youth and at-risk teens. The initiative ensures that youth encountered by police are directed to safe spaces where they can receive intake, medical or behavioral health assessments, as well as wraparound services.
The Community Foundation continues to champion the broad and collective efforts needed to advance racial equity and strengthen Western New York. Together, we are creating a community where racial equity is a shared reality.
Supporting Community Initiatives
Click on the following initiatives to learn how they support achieving racial equity in our region.