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East Buffalo Development Corporation
Buffalo, NY · EIN 922484969 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE S31 · Community Improvement · Small ($100K-$1M) · eastbuffalodevelopment.org
revenue
$254K
expenses
$243K
net assets
$11K
employees
2
volunteers
36
program ratio
74%
mission · from form 990

East Buffalo Development Corporation is a community-based real estate development corporation committed to our mission of leveraging private and public funds to drive equitable and inclusive eastside planning, construction, land use, and engagement.

profile · synthesized from sources

East Buffalo Development Corporation is a community-based real estate development organization focused on equitable and inclusive planning, construction, and land use on Buffalo’s eastside. The organization runs programs that activate vacant lots, support homeowners and renters, revitalize commercial corridors, and fund block-level improvements. It serves residents, small businesses, and community groups through direct services and project management supported by public and private funding.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

40ACRE Dining Experience
Healing-focused farm-to-table event for 100 guests, featuring African American cultural performances, art, poetry, and seed-planting activities to promote community reclamation.
Block Club Micro Grants
Provides $5,000 grants to neighborhood block clubs for beautification, signage, community gardens, and youth engagement projects.
Buffalo Community Connectors Farmer's Market
Free farmer's market providing fresh produce to 4,600 eastside residents across six events; includes food samples, children's activities, and community engagement.
Commercial District Support
Provides project management and technical assistance for commercial property renovations on Bailey and Delavan Avenues, including structural repairs and storefront upgrades.
Senior Power Package
Provides free motion-sensor lighting systems for seniors aged 60+ to improve home safety; includes solar-powered exterior and rechargeable interior lights.
Vacant Rental Program (VRP)
Grants up to $75,000 to property owners to renovate vacant homes into affordable housing units, with a 10-year affordability requirement.
activities · 10 groups

What they do

  • Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
    • Block club grant and capacity support
      Awarded $5,000 grants to five block clubs for community improvement and youth engagement projects, and provided direct support to groups like the Winslow Block Club in planning, budgeting, and implementation of neighborhood initiatives.
  • Public Space Beautification and Maintenance 1 activity
    • Community greenspace development
      Supports the transformation of vacant lots into community greenspaces and gardens, including installation of pergolas, greenhouses, lighting, seating, children's areas, and irrigation infrastructure such as municipal water lines.
  • Neighborhood Revitalization Initiatives 1 activity
    • Community-based real estate development
      Engages in grassroots and community-based real estate development on Buffalo's eastside, focusing on equitable and inclusive planning, construction, land use, and community engagement. Activities include structural repairs, exterior renovations, and new construction extensions for commercial properties.
  • Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
    • Entrepreneurship support program
      Produced Season 1 of the My Power Talk Series, a five-part monthly business executive coaching "fireside" talk series for Eastside entrepreneurs, serving an audience of 100 local business owners focused on growth and development.
  • Local Food Market Operation 1 activity
    • Free farmer's market series
      Hosted six no-cost farmer's markets from July to September 2024 on two vacant lots, serving 4,600 residents across 1,500 registered households. Events included volunteer support, food demonstrations, music, and cultural programming by chefs, DJs, and African drummers.
  • Capital Infrastructure Funding 1 activity
    • Funding affordable housing development
      Provides grant funding to property owners for renovating vacant residential properties into affordable rental units on the Eastside of Buffalo, including administering the Vacant Residential Property (VRP) program with grants of up to $75,000 per unit. Received $1.35M from NYS Office of Homes and Community Renewal to support this initiative.
  • Supplemental Urban Sanitation Services 1 activity
    • Neighborhood beautification and maintenance
      Conducts biweekly litter removal along Bailey Avenue, removes over 60 large trash bags quarterly, provides snow plowing for snowfalls over three inches, and supports long-term beautification through landscaping, solar-powered address signs, planters, and public seating. Also installed municipal water lines and custom trash receptacles to support community gardens.
  • Real Estate and Housing Policy Advocacy 1 activity
    • Policy advocacy and representation
      Advocates for community interests through policy engagement, including representing homeowners to secure modified funding guidelines for multi-property improvements and attending national legislative conferences such as the 53rd National Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislators, Inc. Conference in February 2025.
  • Home Accessibility Modifications 1 activity
    • Safety lighting installation for seniors
      Installing 10,000 motion-sensor and solar-powered lights across 250 homes of seniors aged 60+ on the Eastside of Buffalo to improve safety and visibility.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Commercial and nonprofit facility renovation
      Provides auxiliary project management and direct renovation services for commercial storefronts and nonprofit facilities, including scope development, contractor sourcing, permit coordination, and construction oversight. Projects include renovations at 3185 Bailey Avenue, 1294 E. Delavan Avenue, 3181 Bailey Avenue, and the organization’s own headquarters at 60 Clyde Avenue.
    • Community healing and education events
      Organized the 40ACRE Farm-to-Table Dining Experience for 100 guests, featuring a five-course meal on a farm in East Aurora, paired with a charter bus trip that included an educational presentation by Dr. Henry Taylor on African American heritage in Buffalo’s Eastside.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$254K
Contributions & grants$229K90%
Program service revenue$25K10%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$243K
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead24%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$28K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$12K
Cash$0
Investments$0
Liabilities$656
Net assets$11K
Liquid reserves0.0 mo
2 years on record · 2023–2024 · YoY revenue +2009.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Essence Sweat Executive Director 5 $21K
board members · 7
  • Annette Watts — Treasurer
  • Brandon Baxter — Board Member
  • Ike Baker — President
  • Josh Enri — Board Member
  • Lisa Napier — Secretary
  • Marcell Redden — Vice President
  • Talia Huff -Johnson — Board Member
relationships · 27

Who they work with

  • Buffalo State SBDC Partner — Partner providing bid opportunity tools and resources for M/WBE contractors.
  • City of Buffalo Government — Collaborates on block club registration and infrastructure approvals.
  • City of Buffalo Partner — Partner in promoting local businesses through the Buffalo Business Forward directory.
  • Empire State Development Government — Funded storefront renovation projects at 3185 and 3181 Bailey Avenue.
  • Erie County Government — Funded multiple storefront renovation projects on Bailey Avenue and East Delavan Avenue.
  • Go Local; Age Friendly Partner — Announced a grant award to East Buffalo Development Corporation for the Senior Power Package initiative.
  • Health Foundation of Western and Central New York Funder — Funded the Senior Power Package program.
  • Home Beneath Our Feet Partner — Partnered on the activation of vacant lots for the farmer's market and the 40ACRE Dining Experience.
  • LISC Partner — Partner organization providing economic development resources to local businesses.
  • LISC New York Funder — Awarded a two-year $200,000 grant to support organizational administrative capacity.
  • NFTA Partner — Partnered on the activation of vacant lots for the farmer's market, including providing 260 bus passes for transportation support.
  • NFTA Partner — Partnership organization supporting the $5,000 block empowerment grant program.
  • NYS Homes and Community Renewal Government — Funded the storefront renovation project at 1294 E. Delavan Avenue.
  • NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) Funder — Funded the Vacant Rental Program.
  • NYS Office of Homes and Community Renewal Government — Awarded $1.35M to facilitate the Vacant Rental Program for affordable housing on the Eastside.
  • National Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislators, Inc. Partner — Participated in the organization's 2025 conference as part of advocacy efforts.
  • Open 4 Buffalo Partner — Keiah Shauku from Open 4 Buffalo moderated the My Power Talk Series.
  • Pursuit Funder — Funded the My Power Talk Series.
  • Pursuit Partner — Funded The My Power Series through a $10,000 grant award.
  • Pursuit Lending Partner — Partner providing access to loan products for business owners.
  • Smart Growth America Funder — Funded the activation of vacant lots for the farmer's market and the 40ACRE Dining Experience.
  • Smart Growth America Partner — Funding partner for the $5,000 block empowerment grant program.
  • The Foundry Partner — Vendor that produced custom trash receptacles for the East Lovejoy Coalition of Neighbors.
  • The Park Partner — Vendor that supplied benches for the East Lovejoy Coalition of Neighbors.
  • The Partnership for the Public Good (PPG) Network — Joined as a contributing member in 2024 to support research and policy initiatives.
  • University of Buffalo Partner — Dean of Urban Planning, Dr. Henry Taylor, provided educational programming on African American heritage during the 40ACRE event.
  • private and public funds Government — Partners with public entities and private funders to support real estate development and community projects.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Based Healing and Engagement
    methodology: community_based_healing
    By creating spaces for collective healing — such as community gatherings on open land and no-cost farmer’s markets — the organization strengthens social cohesion and addresses trauma, because shared experiences in safe, affirming environments restore agency and build resilience after violence and disinvestment.
  • Community-Led Development
    methodology: community_led_development
    By engaging community members as leaders in planning and development — using micro-grants, valuing lived experience, and supporting self-determined projects — East Buffalo Development Corporation produces more equitable and inclusive outcomes, because local knowledge fosters trust, relevance, and long-term sustainability.
  • Public-Private Partnership with Equitable Focus
    methodology: public_private_partnership
    By leveraging both public and private funding sources in tandem, the organization advances community development at scale, because combining resources increases capital availability while maintaining accountability to public benefit goals through inclusive governance.