Help us inspire a deeper appreciation for Buffalo

Buffalo is a city with stories around every corner, and Explore Buffalo helps people discover them. Every year, our tours, school programs, events including Doors Open Buffalo, and speaker programs connect thousands of people with Buffalo’s architecture, history, neighborhoods and people. Your support makes those experiences possible, and helps ensure more people can discover, understand, and appreciate the remarkable place we call home. 

There are many ways to support Explore Buffalo, from making a gift today to becoming an Explorer Pass member, giving through a donor-advised fund or IRA, or creating a lasting legacy through planned or endowment giving.

Make a Gift Today
Help us share Buffalo’s stories with more people

A gift of any size helps Explore Buffalo continue providing opportunities for our community to discover and engage with Buffalo’s history, architecture, and neighborhoods. Your contribution supports the programs that bring these stories to life and helps us reach more people throughout Buffalo and Western New York.

Donate Online

Explore Buffalo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Our federal tax ID number is 81-3080055.

Give by Check

Checks may be made payable to Explore Buffalo and mailed to:
Explore Buffalo
One Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201

Explorer Pass Membership
Experience More. Support More. 

Want to support Explore Buffalo while getting more out of the city yourself? Explorer Pass members receive special benefits and opportunities to experience Buffalo throughout the year while supporting Explore Buffalo’s mission. Whether you’re a longtime Buffalonian or discovering the city for the first time, an Explorer Pass helps you get more out of your Explore Buffalo experience—and helps us continue sharing Buffalo’s stories with our community.

Become an Explorer Pass Member

Louise Bethune Circle
Lead the future of Explore Buffalo

The Louise Bethune Circle recognizes donors whose generosity plays a leading role in advancing Explore Buffalo’s mission. Named for Louise Blanchard Bethune—Buffalo icon, trailblazer, and America’s first woman architect—the Circle brings together supporters who believe strongly in preserving, sharing, and celebrating Buffalo’s extraordinary stories. Members enjoy special opportunities to connect with Explore Buffalo through social and educational experiences while playing a leading role in supporting our work.

Learn More About the Louise Bethune Circle

Donor Advised Funds

A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) can be a simple and flexible way to support Explore Buffalo. Already have a DAF? You can recommend a grant to Explore Buffalo using our federal tax ID: 81-3080055. Your gift can help sustain our educational programs, tours, community events, and efforts to preserve and share Buffalo’s stories. If you have questions about making a DAF gift, please contact us. We are happy to provide the information you need to direct your charitable gift to Explore Buffalo.

Qualified Charitable Distributions

If you are 70½ or older, you may be able to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly from an IRA to Explore Buffalo. A QCD can be an especially meaningful way to support Explore Buffalo’s mission and programs while potentially receiving tax benefits. If you are required to take minimum distributions from your IRA, a QCD may allow you to direct a portion of those funds to a nonprofit you care about. Because individual circumstances vary, please consult your financial or tax advisor to determine whether a QCD is right for you.

To make a QCD to Explore Buffalo, ask your IRA administrator to send the distribution directly to:

Explore Buffalo
One Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
Federal Tax ID: 81-3080055

Please let us know when you have initiated your gift so we can properly acknowledge your generosity.

Planned Giving: Leave a Lasting Legacy

Some of the most meaningful gifts are those that look beyond today. Planned giving allows you to make a lasting commitment to Explore Buffalo while incorporating charitable giving into your long-term financial and estate plans. A planned gift can help ensure that future generations have the opportunity to discover, learn about, and appreciate the places and stories that make Buffalo unique.

There are many ways to create a planned gift, including gifts through a will or trust, beneficiary designations, retirement accounts, life insurance, and other assets. A planned gift can be structured to reflect your personal goals and circumstances while helping secure the future of Explore Buffalo. A gift of any size can make a meaningful difference.

Have you already included Explore Buffalo in your plans? 

If you have already included Explore Buffalo in your estate plans, we would be honored to know about your intentions and recognize your commitment to Explore Buffalo’s future. Please contact Brad Hahn, Executive Director, at brad@explorebuffalo.org to discuss planned giving.

We encourage you to consult with your attorney, financial advisor, or tax professional when considering a planned gift.

Endowment Fund: Invest in Explore Buffalo’s Future

An endowment helps turn today’s generosity into tomorrow’s opportunity. By supporting the Explore Buffalo Endowment Fund, you can help strengthen the organization’s financial foundation for generations to come. Endowment gifts support our goal of establishing a permanent source of financial strength that supports Explore Buffalo’s mission for future generations. Your gift to the endowment will help ensure that Buffalo’s architecture, history, and neighborhoods remain accessible to learners and explorers for years to come. Whether you contribute to the Endowment Fund now or include the Endowment Fund in your long-term giving plans, your support becomes part of Explore Buffalo’s enduring legacy. Please contact Brad Hahn, Executive Director, at brad@explorebuffalo.org to discuss endowment giving.

Help Us Keep Exploring Buffalo

Every Explore Buffalo tour, school program, community event, and educational experience is an invitation to see our city in a new way. Your generosity helps us open more doors, reach more learners, and inspire more people to appreciate the extraordinary place we call home. Whether you make a gift today, become an Explorer Pass Member, establish a planned gift, or invest in Explore Buffalo’s long-term future, your support helps ensure Buffalo’s stories continue to be discovered for generations to come.

Make a Difference: Donate Today

Questions about giving? We’re happy to help. Contact us:
Explore Buffalo
One Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
716-245-3032

Explore Buffalo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Federal Tax ID: 81-3080055. Please consult your financial, tax, or legal advisor regarding your individual circumstances and the tax implications of any charitable gift.