Groundwork Buffalo is a nonprofit that builds sustainable urban environments in Greater Buffalo by engaging families, communities, and youth in projects that reconnect neighborhoods with natural infrastructure and the built environment.

I worked with Groundwork Buffalo to research and write three grants in 2017, all of which were awarded: the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant ($33,000), the Community Foundation Community Impact Grant ($23,000), and a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Justice Community Impact Grant. Total funded: over $56,000.

I also collaborated with Groundwork Buffalo and Buffalo BookBike to research and write a proposal for New York State's 2018 Reimagine the Canals grant program.

Grant Details

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant — $33,000 awarded to engage youth in learning about native habitats, water systems, and waterway connectivity through habitat restoration projects including invasive species removal, water culvert assessments, and a half-acre stormwater management and beautification demonstration project in Willert Park and the adjacent Central Business District. Partners included Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor, Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, and Great Lakes Experience.

Community Foundation, Community Impact Grant — $23,000 awarded to organize a low-income community to reclaim vacant lots for neighborhood health.

NY State DEC, Environmental Justice Community Impact Grant — awarded to Groundwork Buffalo for community-led environmental health initiatives.