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Project Play Western New York is a nonprofit initiative launched by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation through the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and with the support of Aspen to ensure kids in Niagara, Erie, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany County have the opportunity to be active through sports and build physical literacy.

Since the release of the State of Play Western New York report in 2017, the initiative has made significant progress in the following ways:

  • Guided the grantmaking of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, which has approved over $250 million in grants for youth sports and recreation, parks and trail systems.

  • Support has been provided to partners to develop satellite programming, including She Can Coach events, the Project Play Western New York Summer Track Series, and SportPort (an equipment library to foster sport sampling and free play).

  • Project Play Western New York mobilized youth sports providers to support legislation to allocate a share of mobile sports betting revenue to youth sports nonprofits.

  • In 2024, four Buffalo elementary schools planned to add new or expanded playgrounds. An impetus for this effort stemmed from Buffalo Schools’ role in the coalition that produced the State of Play Western New York report in 2017.

  • The foundations created Project Play: Western New York, a multi-year initiative to drive progress in the areas of opportunity identified by the region’s stakeholders.

  • Youth-serving organizations across the region have been connected through a task force and shared learning opportunities, including local convenings and an international trip.

  • 100+ community youth sports coaches have been inducted into the Project Play: WNY Coaches Honor Roll, supported by local professional sports teams.

SUPPORTED BY

 
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