A Propos

Awesome Buffalo is a giving circle that awards $1000 cash to weird, wonderful, and timely projects that make Buffalo more awesome.

We’re entirely volunteer-run and self-funded. We don’t distribute grants, and we’re not organized as a nonprofit. We simply give no-strings-attached cash to one awesome project every other month.

If you’ve ever enjoyed the rainbow crosswalk at Elmwood & Allen, like Elton John did, you’re welcome.

Deadlines

Please submit your project ideas by 6pm on the following dates:

►► February 22

►► April 12

►► June 14

►► August 9

►► October 13

►► December 13

►► Keep an eye out for 2023 dates, coming soon

What makes a project Awesome?

We use the following loose criteria to select projects. Consider addressing these areas in your application:

►►Is it awesome?: Is it unique? A new idea? Something that may be unfundable through traditional means? We’re looking for your Silly Walks and your bus stop jazz clubs.

►► Will $1000 make an actual impact? : We try to support individuals and small groups, rather than organizations who’re already well-funded. We’re looking for the small, but mighty projects for which $1000 will make a huge difference. Be as specific as possible; tell us exactly how the cash will be spent, so we can best understand your idea.

►►How will the project help the Buffalo area?: It’s important to us to fund projects that directly support and impact our neighbors in the Buffalo-Niagara community. We’ll consider projects outside city limits, but maybe not all the way in Rochester. Pssst… they have a chapter too!

We don’t typically fund:

►► Personal use: We think you’re really awesome, but we can't give you $1000 for personal salary/a car/vacation/rent payment/home reno/pony.

►► Charities, foundations, organizations: We’re primarily interested in new ventures and not the continuation of an existing organization. But existing organizations with a specific, creative $1000 project can apply!

►► Promotion: We want to hear all about your awesome idea and how we can help fund its happening, not just its posters.

Participate

Interested in joining our circle as a donating member? Drop us a form to join the waitlist here!

Media Coverage

• Buffalo Business First: Got an awesome project? This group of Buffalonians wants to fund it.
• Buffalo Business First: Everyone has crazy ideas. Why not bring them to us?
• Buffalo Rising: Awesome Buffalo
• Buffalo Rising: RAWTools Buffalo | Guns to Garden Tools
• Buffalo Rising: The Little Free Sled Library
• Buffalo Spree: Awesome Buffalo Funds More Projects
• Latitude - The 43North Podcast: Making Buffalo Awesome
• News 4, WIVB-TV featuring Colored Girls Bike Too
• News 4, WIVB-TV featuring Feed Buffalo
• Niagara Frontier Publications
• WBFO coverage of Be Awesome Day
• WBFO featuring Rainbows on Allen