Say Yes Buffalo

What Say Yes Buffalo does

Say Yes Buffalo is a non-profit educational support organization founded in 2011 in Buffalo, New York, operating as a local chapter of the national Say Yes to Education initiative. The organization delivers tuition scholarships, wraparound services, early-childhood programming, mental health support, and workforce development to Buffalo Public and Charter School students and their families from birth through 12th grade, with recent expansion into Niagara Falls.

Core programmatic offerings include: (a) tuition scholarships providing last-dollar coverage of SUNY and CUNY tuition at 65-100% depending on grade of entry, plus full private-college tuition coverage for families with household income under $75,000; (b) Say Yes Little Scholars preschool programming; (c) in-school mental health clinics and preventive services; (d) the CareerWise Greater Buffalo youth apprenticeship program connecting students to employer partners; (e) summer camps; and (f) post-secondary success coaching. The organization supports 5,000+ scholars and partners with 150+ higher education institutions.

The business model is non-profit and donor-funded. Revenue is sourced from a mix of private donations, foundation grants (Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, Oishei, Citi Foundation, Cullen, Tower, Gates, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, among others), and government grants (City of Buffalo, Erie County, New York State, NYPA, federal American Rescue Plan funding). Services are provided at no cost to students and families. There is no proprietary technology platform described; the organization operates as a service-delivery non-profit leveraging partner platforms for scholarship administration, case management, and program operations. Cumulative fundraising since 2011 is approximately $84M, against a stated endowment goal of $65M.

Name

Say Yes Buffalo

Legal name

Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship, Inc

Website

https://sayyesbuffalo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Say Yes Buffalo is a non-profit founded in 2011 that provides tuition scholarships, wraparound services, mental health clinics, early-childhood programming, and youth apprenticeships to Buffalo Public and Charter School students from birth through college, recently expanding into Niagara Falls.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Support and Scholarship Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), Youth-to-Adult Bridge & College Readiness (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAK)

Keywords

• Educational support services
• Tuition scholarship programs
• Cradle-to-career services
• Youth apprenticeship programs
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Donations and Philanthropy: Say Yes Buffalo raises funds from individuals, families, businesses and organizations to fund scholarships and programs. The organization has a $65 million endowment goal to fund scholarships in perpetuity. Major donor stories highlight contributions from Morgan Williams Bryant, Robert D. Gioia, Gary Quenneville, and others.
2. Public Funding (Government Grants): Funding from public partners including City of Buffalo, Erie County, New York State, and Buffalo Public School District. CareerWise Greater Buffalo received $1M in ARP funding from the City of Buffalo. Power Authority provided $600,000 to the Youth Apprenticeship Program.
3. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, Oishei Foundation, Citi Foundation, Cullen Foundation, Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation, Celia Lipton Farris & Victor W. Farris Foundation, Blue Fund, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Health Foundation for Western and Central New York.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Say Yes Buffalo provides a tuition scholarship promise to graduates of Buffalo Public and Charter Schools covering remaining college costs after federal and state aid, supplemented by cradle-to-career wraparound services. These services include early childhood preschool (Say Yes Little Scholars), K-12 school-based supports (Family Support Specialists, Mental Health Clinics, Health Homes care coordination, Preventive Services, Saturday Academies), summer camps, paid internships, the CareerWise Greater Buffalo youth apprenticeship program, and Fair Futures coaching for foster and kinship youth.

Product overview

Say Yes Buffalo is a cradle-to-career educational support organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs. The core offering centers on its scholarship promise providing tuition coverage for Buffalo Public and Charter School graduates attending SUNY/CUNY and private colleges. This is supported by early childhood programs (Say Yes Little Scholars for 3-year-olds), K-12 supports (Preventive Services, Mental Health Clinics, Health Homes, Summer Camp, Saturday Academies), workforce development (CareerWise Modern Youth Apprenticeship, Paid Internships), and alumni services. The organization expanded to Niagara Falls in 2025 and was recently recognized nationally in the Education Strategy Group's Keys to Scale report. Programs are funded by public-private partnerships including City of Buffalo, Erie County, NY State, Buffalo Public Schools, and private foundations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CareerWise Greater Buffalo: Modern youth apprenticeship program offering earn-while-you-learn pathways to career pathways in advanced manufacturing, business operations, culinary, financial services, IT, and healthcare.
• Say Yes Little Scholars
• Fair Futures
• Breaking Barriers
• The Future Starts Here
• Mental Health Clinics

Products and services

• Say Yes Buffalo Scholarships Tuition scholarships available to graduates of Buffalo Public and Charter Schools, privately funded by individuals, families, businesses and organizations. Includes SUNY/CUNY Tuition Scholarships (65-100% coverage based on grade of entry), Private College Scholarships, Choice Grants, and Opportunity Grants.
• Say Yes Little Scholars A FREE preschool program for three-year-olds in the City of Buffalo, providing eight classrooms throughout the city for eligible students in partnership with Buffalo Public Schools and Erie County.
• CareerWise Greater Buffalo (Modern Youth Apprenticeship) An earn-while-you-learn model preparing young professionals for career pathways in advanced manufacturing, business operations, culinary, financial services, IT, and healthcare through a 2-3 year program combining part-time college with part-time work.
• Paid Internships Paid internship opportunities for current college students and recent graduates of Buffalo public and charter schools looking for meaningful workforce exposure during summers or academic year.
• Mental Health Clinics Mental health services brought directly into school buildings addressing family conflict, anger, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and self-harming behaviors.
• Health Homes Free care coordination program in partnership with approved children's Health Home available to children in select Buffalo Public and Buffalo Charter schools focusing on behavioral, mental health and medical needs.
• Preventive Services Family Support Specialists stationed within Buffalo schools to support families in addressing underlying issues affecting student attendance, behavior and academics.
• College Access Program (CAP) Helps students complete FAFSA and TAP applications with in-person and virtual appointments available, supporting college access and financial aid completion.
• Summer Camp Summer programming for students with multiple locations throughout Buffalo, running July 6 through August 14, operated through 30+ community partner organizations.
• Fair Futures Partnership with Erie County Department of Social Services to assist foster and kinship youth ages 13-21 with one-on-one coaching in academic enrichment, career exploration, and post-secondary opportunities.
• Breaking Barriers (Boys & Men of Color Initiative) Program focused on supporting young men of color in Buffalo through mentorship, resources, and community engagement.
• Barbering and Cosmetology Scholarships Six scholarships up to $5,000 for Buffalo students to attend Barbering or Cosmetology programs through Erie 1 BOCES.
• Say Yes Niagara Falls Expansion of the Say Yes educational support model to Niagara Falls, NY through public-private partnership, offering tuition scholarships and wraparound services including Saturday academies, apprenticeships, mentoring, and last-dollar scholarships for college and certificates.
• College Kickoff Annual event at SUNY Buffalo State providing college-bound students with laptops, backpacks, and information about transitioning to college life. Over 200 students receive free laptops annually.
• Say Yes Alumni Network Network connecting former Buffalo Public and Charter School graduates who have completed college degrees or program certificates since 2013, providing ongoing community and career support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-point increase in high school graduation rate (from 49% to 79%)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Buffalo Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary K-12 partner providing access to all public school students in Buffalo. Say Yes staff are embedded in schools to deliver scholarship registration, family support services, mental health coordination, and college preparation assistance.
• Niagara Falls City School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpansion partner for 2025 launch of Say Yes Niagara Falls program. Superintendent Mark Laurrie collaborating with Say Yes Buffalo CEO David Rust to bring scholarship and support services to Niagara Falls students.
• Erie County Department of Social ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Fair Futures program supporting foster and kinship youth ages 13-21, and preventive services with Family Support Specialists stationed in schools.
• City of BuffalocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner providing funding and support for social services in schools. Administered $1M in ARP funding to CareerWise Greater Buffalo apprenticeship program.
• New York StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState partner supporting education initiatives and scholarship programs across Buffalo schools.
• 150+ Higher Education InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of SUNY, CUNY, and private colleges/universities (including Harvard, Columbia, Notre Dame, Northwestern, University at Buffalo) accepting Say Yes Buffalo scholarships.
• M&T BankmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner featured in Future Starts Here podcast discussing financial education, Money Mentors program, and collaborative projects with Say Yes Buffalo. Active in community events like Juneteenth.
• Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNYmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner at annual Say Yes Forever Fall Breakfast. Michael Ball from Highmark participated in live podcast discussing importance of supporting education for community well-being.
• Bank on BuffalomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner at Fall Breakfast. Darnell Haywood participated in live podcast discussing healthy communities and education support.
• CareerWise Greater BuffalocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarn-while-you-learn youth apprenticeship program partnership preparing students for careers in advanced manufacturing, business operations, culinary, financial services, IT, and healthcare. Received $1M ARP funding and $600,000 from Power Authority.
• Healing Hub of New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership created after Tops shooting to improve access to mental health clinicians of color. 'Building Capacity for Clinicians of Color' program in first cohort with fifteen mental health professionals of color.
• Summer Camp Partners (30+ organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of community organizations operating summer camps including Police Athletic League, African American Cultural Center, Bethesda World Harvest International Church, Buffalo Commons, community centers, and churches across Buffalo neighborhoods.
• WegmansmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal employer partner providing apprenticeship opportunities through CareerWise program. Jamar Parker featured as Operations Apprentice with Wegmans.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bottom Line: Nonprofit providing college access and success coaching to first-generation students from low-income communities in multiple U.S. cities. Closely comparable to Say Yes Buffalo's College Access Program and postsecondary success coaching functions.
• iMentor: National nonprofit pairing low-income students with college-educated mentors for college access and persistence. Comparable in mentoring component of Say Yes's Breaking Barriers initiative and partner network model.
• Say Yes Cleveland: Say Yes chapter operating in Cleveland Metropolitan School District with last-dollar scholarships and wraparound services. Runs an analogous scholarship-plus-supports model in a peer urban district.
• College Advising Corps: National nonprofit placing recent college graduates as full-time college advisers in underserved high schools. Directly comparable to Say Yes Buffalo's embedded college access staff model in Buffalo Public Schools.
• College Promise Campaign: National initiative supporting tuition-free community college programs at the local, state, and tribal level. Directly comparable to Say Yes Buffalo's last-dollar scholarship model and the broader movement toward universal college access.
• Say Yes Hartford: Say Yes chapter serving Hartford Public Schools with tuition scholarships and college/career supports. Closely mirrors the Buffalo model in a different state, providing a directly comparable intermediary structure.
• Say Yes Syracuse: Sister Say Yes chapter providing last-dollar tuition scholarships and wraparound supports to Syracuse City School District graduates. Operates the same cradle-to-career model in a different New York district and is the closest direct peer to Say Yes Buffalo.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: National nonprofit operating a network of K-12 public charter schools with a college-prep mission. Comparable in college access mission and cradle-to-career orientation, though KIPP directly operates schools while Say Yes Buffalo acts as an intermediary.
• Year Up: National workforce development nonprofit combining technical skills training, college credit, and corporate internships for young adults. Comparable to Say Yes Buffalo's CareerWise apprenticeship and paid internship programs at greater scale and national reach.
• Say Yes to Education (National): National umbrella organization founded by George Weiss that spawned the Buffalo, Syracuse, Hartford, and Cleveland chapters. Operates the broader Say Yes network and shared model infrastructure against which Say Yes Buffalo benchmarks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=Jw-wm_nvStc
• Facebookfacebook.com/SayYesBuffalo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sayyesbuffalo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Say Yes Buffalo