Overview
Through collective capital grant and consultant awards, Empire State Development is committed to the successful completion of diverse commercial and mixed-use capital projects throughout East Buffalo with the goal of supporting the residents, business owners, cultural institutions and patrons of East Buffalo and enhancing the community as a thriving place to live, work, learn and play.
Projects
Commercial Districts Grant Program - $6 million
The East Side Commercial District Program provides funding for facade and building renovations for eligible business and property owners in four target business districts throughout East Buffalo: Jefferson Avenue, Broadway-Fillmore, MLK Park portion of Fillmore, and Kensington Bailey. Awards of up to $100,000 are available for each property and are determined after the project receives a full technical review and has a project scope. Neighborhood-based nonprofits serve as the Local Program Administrators (LPAs) for each district and provide $100,000 toward architecture/engineering support services to be provided to grantees at no cost to them.
Here is the Map of Eligible Districts. Interested applicants should contact their LPAs for more information.
East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant Program - $3 million
This program provides grants of $5,000 to $50,000 to eligible small businesses designated areas of East Buffalo to help largely minority-owned establishments rebound from the social and economic impacts of the mass shooting at a Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue earlier this year. Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is serving as the Program Administrator on behalf of ESD. In addition to administering the grant funds, LISC is working in partnership with the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center and the Foundry to provide applicants with technical assistance for their businesses and their applications.
In the previous 2 rounds of funding, nearly 70 businesses and counting have been recipients of more than $800,000 in grant funds from the East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant Program. Applications for Round 3 of the East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant Program are available until May 10, 2024. Round 3 broadens applications and eligibility further by expanding the program’s geographic boundaries to much of East Buffalo. Program partners, including the Exchange at Beverly Gray and The Foundry, are also offering additional technical assistance on program applications to small businesses applying to the program.
For more information, visit the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) website.
African Heritage Food Co-Op - $3 million
The project involves the $3.5 million historic rehabilitation/adaptive reuse of 238 Carlton Street in the City’s “Fruit Belt” neighborhood to equip and operate it as a ~3,500 square-foot, full-service grocery store. The project would be operated by the African Heritage Food Cooperative (AHFC), which was formed in 2016 to increase access to nutritious and affordable food in Western New York communities identified as food deserts by the NY Healthy Neighborhoods Program.
Goodskills Career Builder Program - $1.5 million
The Goodskills Career Builder Program, established by Goodwill Industries of WNY, started as a small pilot effort in 2021. In 2022 Governor Hochul infused it with $1.5 million in additional New York State funds to set the stage for over $3.5 million in federal support through the Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
The program promotes innovation and collaboration in a partner-driven career pipeline approach for workforce training, with opportunities targeted to underrepresented communities that align with local employer staffing needs in tech and manufacturing companies in Western New York. Based on labor needs, companies in these sectors offer the most promise for meaningful, family-sustaining jobs. Participants are provided four weeks of workforce readiness training, together with wraparound services, and career coaching, and then placed in a job with a local employer. The program’s outreach process ensures adults are prepared to take on the requirements of jobs in tech and manufacturing and are best placed in the most appropriate training track to match their needs – with an intent to help recipients to move from un/underemployment into higher-paying careers, while building the pipeline of skilled and diverse talent for local employers.
For more information about the program, visit the Goodwill of Western New York website.
News
Governor Hochul Announces Ribbon Cutting for Eckhardts in East Buffalo August 12, 2024
Empire State Development Announces Round 3 of Small Business Grants in East Buffalo March 15, 2024
Governor Hochul Announces State of Construction of 950 Broadway Development in East Buffalo Septembers 27, 2023
Empire State Development Announces Round 2 of Small Business Grants in East Buffalo After Successful First Round June 23, 2023
Governor Hochul Announces Availability of $3 Million Small Business Grants in East Buffalo February 23, 2023
ESD Reminds Commercial and Mixed-Use Property Owners that Applications are Available for East Side Commercial Districts Program in Buffalo August 16, 2022
Governor Hochul Announces Applications Open for Comprehensive Programs Supporting Residents of East Buffalo
June 30, 2022