CHAPTER INITIATIVES

The NAWBO Buffalo Niagara Chapter has been helping women entrepreneurs thrive since 1994. We are the premier organization for Buffalo-Niagara's diverse range of women-owned businesses.

Here are just some of our past initiatives:

• The first-ever survey of Buffalo-Niagara women business owners was taken by the Niagara Frontier Chapter; results were published in the Report of the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women and by local media in March 1995.
  
  
• In 1997, the chapter spearheaded construction of Buffalo Habitat for Humanity's 50th house. "A Woman's Place" was the first Buffalo-Niagara Habitat house to be built by an all-woman team, and remains a tribute to 300 dedicated female volunteers. Through our efforts, a low-income family — headed by a woman — obtained the home they could not have afforded through conventional means.
  
  
• In 1998, under the auspices of the Federal Reserve Bank, the National Women's Council, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), steering committees were formed to identify solutions that would increase women business owners' access to capital. The Niagara Frontier Chapter was asked to spearhead the Buffalo/Rochester steering committee, one of only eleven nationwide. Six NAWBO members participated as committee members, in addition to the chair.

Our members have been recognized as Western New York’s entrepreneurial and community leaders with honors such as: SBA Women in Business Advocate of the Year, SBA Small Business Person of the Year for the Buffalo District, Avon Women of Enterprise national winner, Everywoman Opportunity Center Award of Excellence, Girl Scout Women of Distinction Award, and YWCA Leadership Award.  NAWBO Buffalo Niagara members have been inducted into the WNY Women's Hall of Fame and honored as Athena Award nominees; as well as receiving the Working Woman Magazine's Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

The chapter itself received the SBA District Director's 2000 Small Business Week Special Recognition Award for nominating — and winning — the highest number of SBA small business awards for the region.