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PRESERVATION BUFFALO NIAGARA
BUFFALO, NY · EIN 222986810 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · preservationbuffaloniagara.org
revenue
$426K
expenses
$1.1M
net assets
$1.5M
employees
6
volunteers
25
program ratio
92%
mission · from form 990

PBN IDENTIFIES, PROTECTS, AND PROMOTES OUR UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC LEGACY, AND CONNECTS PEOPLE TO THE PLACES THEY LOVE IN WESTERN NEW YORK.

profile · synthesized from sources

Preservation Buffalo Niagara identifies, protects, and promotes historic architecture and cultural heritage in Western New York. The organization advocates for preservation policies, educates the public through tours and exhibits, and recognizes outstanding restoration projects through its annual Preservation Awards. It focuses on community engagement, equitable preservation practices, and the economic value of heritage tourism.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

East Side Commercial Building Stabilization Program
Initiative focused on stabilizing and preserving historic commercial buildings on Buffalo's East Side, shared at statewide preservation conferences.
Historic Tax Credit Webinars
Educational workshops guiding homeowners through the New York State Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Credit application process and qualified expenditures.
Lenses: Ways of Seeing Buffalo and Its Architecture
Collaborative exhibition re-examining architectural value through inclusive perspectives, challenging traditional narratives and highlighting underrepresented communities in Buffalo's built environment.
Preservation Awards
Annual awards program recognizing excellence in commercial and residential rehabilitation, neighborhood preservation, craft, and leadership across Western New York.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Home Repair Assistance for Low-Income Households 2 activities
    • Preservation and restoration financing for historic homes
      Provides financing and direct assistance to low-income homeowners in Buffalo for the preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of locally designated historic homes, including guidance on eligibility and application procedures for New York State’s Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Tax Credit, which offers a 20% state tax credit for qualified rehabilitation work.
    • Technical assistance for historic property owners
      Provides technical assistance to low-income property owners in local historic districts in Buffalo, including guidance on historic tax credit applications, preservation planning tools such as historic surveys, and connections to institutions for conducting historic research on buildings.
  • Land Acquisition and Conservation Easements 1 activity
    • Conservation easement program for historic buildings
      Operates a conservation easement program to protect historic buildings in Western New York from demolition and preserve their architectural character in perpetuity.
  • Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
    • East Side Commercial Building Stabilization Program
      Prevents deterioration of vacant historic commercial buildings on Buffalo's East Side through weatherization, structural reinforcement, and community engagement via the East Side Commercial Building Stabilization Fund.
  • Architecture and Design Public Education Programs 1 activity
    • Exhibition and public programming on inclusive architecture
      Co-organized and presented the exhibition "Lenses: Ways of Seeing Buffalo and Its Architecture" at the Lipsey Architecture Center Buffalo from December 16, 2021, to April 10, 2022, and hosted a public speaker series from March to April featuring local, national, and international scholars and practitioners to discuss themes of inclusive architectural value and preservation.
  • Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
    • Historic Preservation Month events
      Hosts tours, events, and educational programs during Historic Preservation Month to highlight Buffalo’s architectural heritage and engage the public in preservation efforts.
  • Industry and Community Recognition Awards 1 activity
    • Preservation Awards program
      Hosts the annual Preservation Awards event, such as the 2026 ceremony on May 28, to recognize achievements in historic preservation across Western New York in categories including commercial and residential projects, neighborhood preservation, and leadership, with photographic documentation of honored projects.
  • Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
    • Publications and communications
      Produces and distributes a weekly electronic newsletter and quarterly print newsletters to members to connect people with preservation efforts and promote awareness of historic places in Western New York.
  • Strategic Planning and Organizational Development 1 activity
    • Strategic planning
      Completed a year-long strategic planning process resulting in a new Strategic Plan for 2023–2026 to guide organizational priorities and preservation initiatives.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Collaborative research on architectural narratives
      Co-developed the "Beyond Hitchcock" component of the Lenses exhibition through collaborative research with University of Buffalo faculty and students, re-examining canonical architectural narratives and advancing inclusive interpretations of architectural history.
    • Historic preservation education and outreach
      Hosts free virtual workshops and webinars to guide homeowners through the New York State Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Credit application process, including eligibility, qualified rehab expenditures, and completion of application parts. Also provides guidance to nonprofit organizations and businesses on accessing historic tax credits and other financial incentives for historic building projects.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$426K
Contributions & grants$309K72%
Program service revenue$117K27%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$944
expenses
Total expenses$1.10M
Program expenses92%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$344K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.64M
Cash$1.50M
Investments$0
Liabilities$107K
Net assets$1.54M
Liquid reserves16.3 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -82.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
BERNICE RADLE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $93K
board members · 20
  • ALLY SPONGR DEGON — BOARD MEMBER/BOARD VICE CHAIR
  • AMITY MANN — BOARD MEMBER
  • ANNE NOBLE — BOARD MEMBER
  • ANNIE SCHENTAG — BOARD MEMBER (FROM 1/1/24)
  • ANTHONY JAMES — BOARD MEMBER
  • BRANDI BARRETT — BOARD MEMBER
  • CHARLES GRIECO — BOARD MEMBER/BOARD CHAIR
  • DAVID LADORI — BOARD MEMBER (TO 12/31/24)
  • FRITS ABELL — BOARD MEMBER (TO 12/31/24)
  • GEORGIA ROBINSON-BRADBERRY — BOARD MEMBER
  • IAN DAVIC — BOARD MEMBER (TO 3/1/24)
  • JOSEPH GRECO TRAPP ESC — BOARD MEMBER (FROM 1/1/24)
  • KATIE MORIARITY — BOARD MEMBER/BOARD SECRETARY
  • LINDA SCHINELLER — BOARD MEMBER (TO 3/1/24)
  • MARGIE PAWLOSKI — BOARD MEMBER (TO 12/31/24)
  • MAUREEN PURCELL — BOARD MEMBER
  • MICHAEL PUMA — BOARD MEMBER
  • MICHAEL QUINNIEY — BOARD MEMBER
  • RAFIQ FLOWERS — BOARD MEMBER (TO 4/1/24)
  • ZACHARY YEHL — BOARD MEMBER/TREASURER
relationships · 24

Who they work with

  • 1772 Foundation Funder — Supports the Historic Home Loan Fund.
  • Albright-Knox Art Gallery Partner — Collaborated on the co-presentation of the Lenses exhibition.
  • BSK Partner — Served as a Robert T. Coles Sponsor for the 2026 Preservation Awards.
  • Buffalo History Museum Partner — Collaborated on the co-presentation of the Lenses exhibition.
  • Buffalo History Museum Partner — Hosted the 2024 Annual Preservation Awards Event.
  • Carmina Wood Design Partner — Served as a Robert T. Coles Sponsor for the 2026 Preservation Awards.
  • East Side Avenues Partner — Collaborated with Preservation Buffalo Niagara on the East Side Commercial Building Stabilization Fund.
  • Empire State Development Government — Partnered with Preservation Buffalo Niagara on the East Side Commercial Building Stabilization Fund.
  • Estate of Paul Maine Funder — Supports the Historic Home Loan Fund.
  • Hodgson Russ Partner — Served as a Robert T. Coles Sponsor for the 2026 Preservation Awards.
  • John R. Oishei Foundation Funder — Sponsored the Lenses exhibition.
  • Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier Partner — Predecessor organization whose work and history PBN continues.
  • Lawley Insurance Partner — Served as a Robert T. Coles Sponsor for the 2026 Preservation Awards.
  • Lipsey Architecture Center Buffalo Partner — Co-presented the Lenses exhibition at its venue.
  • NYSHPO Government — Collaborates with NYSHPO by directing participants to its tax credit program resources and guidelines.
  • New York State Government — Administers the Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Tax Credit program that PBN supports homeowners in accessing.
  • New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Sponsored the Lenses exhibition.
  • New York Statewide Preservation Conference Partner — Presented the East Side Commercial Building Stabilization Program at the conference.
  • PBN Board Partner — Collaborated with staff and community members in developing the 2023–2026 Strategic Plan
  • Preservation Coalition of Erie County Partner — Predecessor organization whose work and history PBN continues.
  • Preservation League of New York State Funder — Sponsored the Lenses exhibition.
  • Richardson Olmsted Campus Partner — Hosted the 2026 Preservation Awards event.
  • University of Buffalo Partner — Collaborated with faculty and students on the "Beyond Hitchcock" research component of the exhibition.
  • info@pbnsaves.org Partner — Email contact point for customer support and assistance with SMS communications.
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.

  • Building Stabilization as Community Anchor Strategy
    methodology: building-stabilization-with-community-engagement
    By stabilizing vacant historic commercial buildings through physical intervention and community engagement, the organization preserves neighborhood character and prevents blight, because maintaining structural integrity of key buildings sustains economic and cultural vitality in underserved areas like Buffalo’s East Side.
  • Community-Centered Preservation Through Legacy and Inclusion
    methodology: community-connection-through-place
    By honoring diverse cultural stories and building on the legacy of historic places, the organization strengthens community connection and investment in shared futures, because inclusive narratives and equitable practices foster broader stewardship and long-term sustainability of preservation efforts.
  • Integrated Support Model for Historic Home Preservation
    methodology: integrated_financing_and_assistance
    By combining low-income financing with technical assistance and education, the organization increases homeowner participation in preservation, because addressing both financial constraints and knowledge gaps leads to higher engagement and successful rehabilitation of historic homes.