During the third 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.
BetterAge Pilot ($104,500)
The BetterAge digital platform is designed to measure and improve the health and well-being of older adults. The Health Foundation will partner with the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) to support a pilot of BetterAge in 10 counties—five in western New York and five in central New York. County Offices for the Aging will partner with local senior centers and community-based organizations to help older adults and their caregivers complete the platform’s holistic self-assessment. Personalized assessment results will facilitate recommendations about local care support and services. Funding from the Health Foundation will include implementation grants for five of the 10 Offices for the Aging in the western and central New York regions and to BetterAge for platform design, technical assistance, and data gathering and reporting.
Team Alice: MedSEC program ($91,695)
When a provider prescribes a medication, they aren’t always able to make sure it’s being taken safely. In fact, unsafe medication use is becoming the leading cause of preventable harm, especially among older adults. To mount a response to this growing challenge, Team Alice from the University at Buffalo will design and implement the Medication Safety and Empowerment Curriculum (MedSEC) program to improve medication awareness and empower older adults to talk with health care providers about their prescriptions. The two-part interactive curriculum will be piloted through six senior centers representing diverse populations throughout Erie and Niagara counties and will reach 125 older adults and their caregivers. It will also be piloted at Lockport Memorial Hospital to test MedSEC in a hospital setting.
Liftoff WNY ($90,000)
Committed to the success of every child, Liftoff WNY will receive $90,000 over three years to expand early childhood development initiatives, strengthen policy advocacy, increase access to affordable childcare, and engage community leaders through partnerships and learning programs. Additional funding will be provided by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, the Peter and Elizabeth Tower Foundation, and The John R. Oishei Foundation.
Grants $50,000 or under:
Arc GLOW – The Golden Years ($8,140)
Buffalo Center for Health Equity – Igniting Hope 2025 Sponsorship ($10,000)
Buffalo NAACP Sponsorship ($5,000)
Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation – RAM Clinic 2025 ($5,000)
Elderlife, Inc. – Brain Health ($10,000)
Friends of Lighthouse – Lighthouse Path Program ($21,300)
Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York – Consultant for Capacity Building ($7,500)
Integrated Community Planning of Oswego County – Trauma Informed Care Strategic Planning ($20,000)
Ithaca Health Alliance – General Operating Support ($10,000)
Kenan Center – Golden Acres Expansion ($10,000)
South Buffalo Community Association – Buffalo Senior Centers Collaborative ($5,000)
Tully Arts Council – Musical Memories Café ($15,000)
