Protect, restore, connect, and inspire stewardship of Western New York’s freshwater resources; nurture human and ecological benefits of clean water while revitalizing regional waterways.
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Inc’s recent grantmaking is defined by a single large construction project: $7,424,725 to the City of Buffalo for a 2024 construction project. That grant fits a broader pattern of direct, project-based funding tied to Western New York waterways, where the organization works on water quality, habitat restoration, living shorelines, stormwater and green infrastructure, invasive species management, climate and coastal resiliency, environmental justice, and education and volunteer programs. The foundation’s stated purpose is to protect, restore, connect, and inspire stewardship of Western New York’s freshwater resources while nurturing human and ecological benefits of clean water. Its beneficiary set includes local Buffalo–Niagara communities, recreational water users and anglers, municipalities and coastal communities, and aquatic ecosystems and wildlife. That mix points to grantmaking that moves between public infrastructure, ecological restoration, and community engagement. A second defining feature is the way the organization uses funded programs to channel resources into watershed work. Its active grant programs include the Western New York Great Lakes Restoration Grant Program, focused on Great Lakes-related projects in Western New York, and an EPA-funded sub-award model for disadvantaged Lake Erie and Niagara River watershed communities. Together, those programs show a funder that combines direct implementation with partnership-based restoration work.
In watershed protection and water quality improvement, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Inc backs restoration and environmental protection work through the Western New York Great Lakes Restoration Grant Program, which is open to Letters of Intent and offers awards from $25,000 to $500,000. That program is tied to Great Lakes-related projects in Western New York and the Great Lakes region. Environmental justice is another clear line of work. Through its EPA-funded WNY Environmental Justice Watershed Partnership Funding Model, the organization is directing federal funding to disadvantaged Lake Erie and Niagara River watershed communities via sub-awards and partner development. The foundation also funds infrastructure and habitat-oriented work. Its stated focus areas include living shorelines, stormwater and green infrastructure, habitat restoration, and coastal resiliency, showing attention to both shoreline conditions and the systems that shape them. Education and volunteer programs are also part of the portfolio, alongside community science and environmental education, which connects stewardship goals with local participation.
$7.4M
$13.1M
$3.7M
$3.7M
Most grants fall between $7.4M and $7.4M, with a median of $7.4M.
25th Percentile
$7.4M
Median
$7.4M
75th Percentile
$7.4M
ALYCE R NOTARO CPA
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The available grant-size data centers on one recent award: a $7,424,725 grant, and the listed p25, median, and p75 are all the same figure. That suggests the current dataset is too narrow to show variation in individual award sizes, but it does show a very large project-level commitment. Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Inc is operating as a local funder, with 100% of grants going to recipients in New York and a grant geography concentrated in Western New York. The organization also appears to use both direct grantmaking and programmatic funding structures, including an EPA-funded sub-award model and an unsolicited-letter-of-intent program for the Western New York Great Lakes Restoration Grant Program. The recent grant list contains a single 2024 recipient in the dataset, so recurring recipient patterns cannot be established from the provided records.
Grantmaking lands entirely in New York, with 100% of listed grants going to recipients in the home state. The recipient distribution shown here is local rather than multi-state or international. The recent grant record names Buffalo as the recipient city, and the active programs are centered on Western New York, the Buffalo Niagara region, and the Niagara River watershed. One program also specifies the Lake Erie / Niagara River watershed and disadvantaged communities within that area. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Its stated focus areas include water quality, habitat restoration, living shorelines, stormwater and green infrastructure, invasive species management, climate and coastal resiliency, environmental justice, education, and volunteer programs. The active programs also emphasize Great Lakes restoration, watershed work, and community-based environmental justice sub-awards.
The provided grant-size statistics are all the same: p25 $7,424,725, median $7,424,725, and p75 $7,424,725. The recent grant list also shows a $7,424,725 award to the City of Buffalo in 2024.
The foundation gives locally, and 100% of the listed grants go to recipients in New York. The recent grant data points to Buffalo, while the active programs focus on Western New York, the Buffalo Niagara region, and the Niagara River watershed.
Yes. The Western New York Great Lakes Restoration Grant Program is described as accepting Letters of Intent. It is aimed at Great Lakes-related projects in Western New York and offers grants from $25,000 to $500,000.
Through an EPA-funded WNY Environmental Justice Watershed Partnership Funding Model, it is directing federal funding to disadvantaged Lake Erie and Niagara River watershed communities via sub-awards. The program also includes partner development and professional development for potential sub-award recipients.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations working on restoration, protection, or resiliency projects in the Western New York / Great Lakes watershed. (Specific eligibility details published on the program page.)
Deadline: Letters of Intent accepted until Friday, April 17 (year not specified on the page).
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITY OF BUFFALO | BUFFALO, NY | $7,424,725 | 2024 | CONSTRUCTION PROJECT |
CITY OF BUFFALO
$7,424,725CONSTRUCTION PROJECT