During the second quarter of 2025, the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York invested in partnerships and programs to improve community health in western and central New York. Here is a summary of the new grants.
Addressing the Health Care Workforce Shortage and Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector ($500,000)
Drawing from a 2022 unrestricted gift from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the Health Foundation is awarding $500,000 to nonprofit organizations that are working to address workforce shortages in the health care industry. The award will fund a variety of innovative and creative solutions reflecting collaborations between local colleges and health care systems across central and western New York. Some funds will also be used to address the negative impact of recent federal funding and policy changes on the nonprofit sector.
Age-Friendly: Go Local ($560,000)
Funding will support a third cohort of Age-Friendly: Go Local, a program for grassroots and community-based organizations working to build age-friendly neighborhoods that promote health for everyone. Funding will also support staff efforts to deepen age-friendly ecosystem work in two western New York counties by connecting Go Local grantees with partners engaged in other age-friendly initiatives. The Health Foundation will host convenings in both Erie and Allegany counties to bring all Age-Friendly: Go Local sector partners together to learn about each other’s work and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center: Birth Equity Project ($167,500)
Funding will expand Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center’s (ENAHEC) Birth Equity Project by developing a locally focused, New York State-specific doula training curriculum and “train the trainer” program to train more doulas; expanding doula training and provider and community education into rural communities in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties in partnership with Healthy Community Alliance; providing education and support for Medicaid-eligible perinatal people, including maternal health support groups; and providing Medicaid certification, enrollment, and billing support for doulas.
PEDALS – Positive Emotional Development and Learning Skills ($537,000)
These funds will support the next phases of PEDALS in western and central New York. PEDALS focuses on the development of social-emotional learning (SEL) among young children by introducing developmental screening, evidence-based curricula, and quality improvement methods to early childhood teachers. This funding will support PEDALS classrooms in western New York ($242,000) and central New York ($295,000).
StoryGrowing WNY (Up to $130,000)
StoryGrowing WNY will provide 8-10 participating nonprofit organizations with the tools and training necessary for more effective communications, public relations, and storytelling. Grantees will take part in a six-month workshop series, featuring marketing and communications experts as faculty. To reflect the current nonprofit landscape, the program will be enhanced with a stronger focus on narrative change and a new session dedicated to advocacy, as well as more opportunities for inter-organization networking and collaboration. The program is co-funded by the Health Foundation and The John R. Oishei Foundation.
Universal Primary Care: Cattaraugus-Allegany Prenatal Perinatal Access Program ($150,000)
Funding will support Universal Primary Care’s (UPC) efforts to strengthen its maternal health program, with the goal of reducing infant mortality rates, which are substantially high in the region UPC serves, particularly in Cattaraugus County. Health Foundation funding will contribute to the Cattaraugus-Allegany Prenatal Perinatal Access Program (CAPP-ACCESS), which includes over $500,000 worth of investments that focus on improving the early identification and monitoring of at-risk pregnancies; reducing transportation barriers for patients; improving access to specialty services using telehealth options; and improving breast feeding rates. UPC is actively seeking additional funding support for the remainder of the program.
USAging: Fostering Social Connection ($124,000)
Through an advisory group and environmental community scan, USAging will identify evidence-based social connection programs best positioned to be sustained and spread. A Request for Proposals will support 10 sites in piloting one of these programs, participating in a learning community, and disseminating learnings and outcomes. Health Foundation funding will support two of these sites, which will be located in western New York, to participate in the program and learning community. These two sites will implement evidence-based social connection programs that focus on meeting the needs of those with cognitive impairment or mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety. The Health Foundation will also serve on the advisory group to bring attention to the unique needs for social connection among the populations in western New York. The program is co-funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation and RRF Foundation for Aging.
Grants $50,000 or under:
Brunch N Bible Study’s Wellness Sanctuary – $3,000
Buffalo Toronto Public Media – Programming Support – $50,000
End of Life Choices – Expanding the Reach to Central and Western New York – $18,000
Human Services Leadership Council – Community Nonprofit Convening – $30,000
NurtureNest at YWCA of Jamestown – $37,845
