named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
6 Minute Building Stories (6Mbs)
Informal public event featuring 18-image presentations by speakers from diverse disciplines, each讲述 a building story with 20 seconds per slide.
Architecture + Education
Biennial program partnering architects with Buffalo Public Schools to teach math, science, history, art, and technology through architecture, aligned with Common Core standards. Includes classroom sessions and a public exhibit of student work.
Color-in-Buffalo Project
Coloring book featuring illustrations of notable Buffalo architecture by local artists; proceeds support foundation programs.
Design-Build Competitions
Community-oriented competitions such as the Little Free Library and Pollinator House challenges, encouraging innovative design for public benefit with minimal stipends.
Pro Bono Publico Award
Sponsored award recognizing exemplary pro bono design services provided by architects and allied professionals to nonprofit clients in Western New York.
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Museum-Based Educational Outreach 2 activities
- Architecture + Education program for K-12 studentsRuns an in-school educational program in collaboration with local architects and Buffalo Public Schools that uses architecture to teach math, science, history, art, and technology aligned with Common Core standards. Over the past 10 years, the program has engaged 25 schools, 115 architects, 115 classes, and over 3,500 students, culminating in a public exhibit of student work at the CEPA gallery.
- Educational resource development and disseminationDevelops and shares educational resources such as lesson plans and classroom activities created by local architect-teacher teams. Also provides a downloadable recommended reading list for children interested in architecture and supports schools by providing volunteer architects for Career Day presentations in Western New York.
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Historic Site Public Programming 2 activities
- Public storytelling and building history eventsOrganizes 6 Minute Building Stories events—timed presentations where speakers use 18 images, each shown for 20 seconds, to share stories about architecture in unique locations across Buffalo, NY. Also maintains a digital collection of personal stories about architecture and place in Western New York, made accessible through the University at Buffalo Libraries.
- Youth and family educational programmingOffers free youth and family tours in partnership with Explore Buffalo and hosts free workshops in collaboration with the Darwin Martin House to engage children and families in exploring Buffalo’s built environment.
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Public Garden Tours and Events 1 activity
- Annual garden tour eventHosts an annual garden tour in Buffalo, New York, welcoming visitors into private yards, a tradition that has continued for over 25 years.
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Industry-Specific Student Scholarships and Competitions 1 activity
- Architectural student scholarshipsDisburses up to $4,500 in scholarship funding annually to support architectural students from the Buffalo and Western New York region.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Building Stories QR code initiativeOperates the Building Stories program by placing QR codes outside select properties in Buffalo to provide public access to historical and design narratives of buildings and gardens via mobile devices.
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Architecture and Design Public Education Programs 1 activity
- Festival of Architecture – BuffaloHosted the Festival of Architecture – Buffalo, a weeklong public program from September 29 to October 4, 2014, celebrating World Architecture Day and Buffalo’s architectural heritage.
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Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
- Little Free Libraries programOperates a network of Little Free Libraries as small-scale neighborhood book exchanges based on the “take a book, leave a book” model, with six libraries installed in underserved neighborhoods through a 2017 design-build competition, collectively distributing 750 books daily.
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Professional Excellence Awards Programs 1 activity
- Pro Bono Publico Award and community design connectionsSponsors the Pro Bono Publico Award to recognize architects and allied practitioners for exemplary pro bono design services provided to not-for-profit clients. Hosts a biennial Meet and Match event that connects design professionals with community group leaders to facilitate pro bono design services for community organizations.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Color-in-Buffalo ProjectLaunched the Color-in-Buffalo Project in September 2023, a coloring book featuring illustrations of notable Buffalo architecture—such as the Darwin Martin House, Shea’s Buffalo, and the Silos at 50 Elk Street—by local architects and artists. The book is available for purchase at retail locations including Buffalo Shop Craft, Darwin Martin House Bookstore, and Graycliff Visitor Center, with proceeds supporting the foundation’s programming.
- Design-build competitions for community benefitCo-organizes design-build competitions focused on community needs, including the 2017 Little Free Library Design-Build Competition that resulted in six installed libraries distributing 750 books daily in underserved neighborhoods, and the 2019 Pollinator House Design-Build Competition with Gardens Buffalo Niagara, where the constructed pollinator house was auctioned to support both organizations’ programs.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$10K
Contributions & grants$8298%
Program service revenue$5K45%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$8K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$13K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$13K
2 years on record · 2020–2021 · YoY revenue +8.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021
Who runs it
board members · 8
- CHERI WEATHERSTON AIA — BOARD MEMBER
- COURTNEY CREENAN-CHORLEY AIA — BOARD MEMBER
- DENISE JURON-BORGESE AIA — BOARD MEMBER
- KRISTA MACY — BOARD MEMBER
- KYLE HERETH — BOARD MEMBER
- LUKE JOHNSON AIA — BOARD MEMBER
- RACHAEL GOFF — BOARD MEMBER
- WILL BECKER — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 63
Who they work with
- AIA Buffalo/WNY Chapter Partner — Co-administers the scholarship program with the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- AIA New York State Partner — Named as a partner of the Buffalo Architecture Foundation
- American Institute of Architects Partner — Named as a partner of the Buffalo Architecture Foundation
- American Institute of Architects (AIA) Buffalo/Western New York Chapter Partner — Founded with support from AIA Buffalo/Western New York Chapter and maintains cooperative programming with the organization.
- Avalon Document Services Partner — Provided generous support for the Color-in-Buffalo Project.
- Bonadio Partner — Provided in-kind support to the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- Buffalo Barkery Partner — Provided in-kind support to the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- Buffalo Engineering Partner — Provided in-kind support to the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- Buffalo Public Schools Partner — Collaborates with BAF on the Architecture + Education program to integrate architecture into K-12 curriculum.
- Buffalo Public Schools Partner — Collaborates with BAF on the Architecture + Education program to integrate architecture into K–12 curriculum.
- Buffalo Public Schools Partner — Employer of the President of the Buffalo Architecture Foundation, indicating a potential institutional partnership.
- Buffalo Public Schools Partner — Partner in delivering the Architecture + Education in-schools program.
- Buffalo State College Partner — Provides interior design students who participate in the Architecture + Education program.
- Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Partner — Partnered on the 2017 Little Free Library Design-Build Competition by supplying books to the installed libraries for up to two years.
- Buffalo as an Architectural Museum Partner — Named as a partner of the Buffalo Architecture Foundation
- CEPA Gallery Partner — Hosts the public exhibit of student work at the conclusion of the Architecture + Education program.
- CJS Architects Partner — Employer of a past president, indicating a professional connection with the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- CJS Architects Partner — Provided in-kind support to the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- CPL Architecture & Engineering Partner — Employer of two board members, indicating a significant organizational partnership with the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture Partner — Named as a partner of the Buffalo Architecture Foundation
- CannonDesign Partner — Employer of multiple board members, indicating a strong organizational affiliation with the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- Darwin Martin House Partner — Partner organization for youth and family workshops.
- Eat Off Art Partner — Contributed through Edreys Wajed's cover design for the Color-in-Buffalo coloring book.
- Encorus Group Partner — Provided in-kind support to the Buffalo Architecture Foundation.
- Explore Buffalo Partner — Partner organization for youth and family tours.
- Garden Walk Buffalo Partner — Collaborates with BAF on the Garden Stories initiative to expand public access to Buffalo's garden and building narratives.
- Gardens Buffalo Niagara Partner — Co-hosted the 2019 Pollinator House Design-Build Competition to support pollinator awareness and raise funds for both organizations.
- Gardens Buffalo Niagara Partner — Co-organized the 2019 Pollinator House Design-Build Competition with BAF to raise awareness of pollinators and support both organizations’ programs.
- Grassroots Gardens of WNY Partner — Partner organization listed in connection with Garden Walk Buffalo properties and community gardening efforts.
- Hive City / Silo City Partner — Named as a partner of the Buffalo Architecture Foundation
+ 33 more
strategies · 4
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.
- Collaborative Education and Community Design Engagementmethodology: collaborative_education_deliveryBy connecting community groups, educators, and design professionals through pro bono service and collaborative programming, the organization strengthens local investment in architecture because shared creative ownership increases community impact and sustains long-term engagement.
- Digital Extension of Physical Experiencemethodology: digital-extension-of-physical-experienceBy embedding digital access points like QR codes at physical sites, the organization extends public engagement beyond in-person visits because layered, on-demand content deepens understanding and sustains interaction with architecture over time and across platforms.
- Interdisciplinary Education Through Architecturemethodology: interdisciplinary-education-through-architectureBy using architecture as an integrated teaching tool, the organization engages K–12 students in core academic subjects such as math, science, and history because connecting learning to the tangible built environment enhances understanding, retention, and creativity through hands-on, experiential methods.
- Story-Based Public Engagementmethodology: story-based-public-engagementBy collecting and sharing personal narratives and using multimedia storytelling tied to buildings and landscapes, the organization fosters public connection to architecture because human-centered stories create emotional resonance and deepen understanding of the built environment.