• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Scholarship
  • Grants
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Scholarship
  • Grants

Echos Mini-Grants

contentbg-scaled

echo/ekō/verb,
…repeat or reverberate after the original sound has stopped.

WHO MAY APPLY:

Public and Non-Public Schools and Youth Serving 501(c)(3) organizations within the 8 counties of WNY
(Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming)

MINI-GRANT AMOUNT:

May request up to $500

PURPOSE:

Provide financial support of character-based initiatives within the school, organization or community. Programs/projects should ideally seek to be sustainable, ongoing or create a long-lasting outcome much like an echo.

Samples of mini-grant focus areas:

  • Developing a Character Recognition Program.
  • Service project or service learning opportunity for students benefiting their outside community.
  • Integration of Character development into the school’s curriculum. (Example: project that weaves the CCWNY monthly traits into existing curriculum to connect character concepts to the real world.)
  • Action project or initiative that addresses a concern or problem in the school in which the implementation of the character-focused program will make an impact. (Example: an initiative to help students in crisis or building empathy/kindness.)

Priority consideration will be given to projects:

  • In which students have participated in the proposal’s idea and/or in the implementation of the project.
  • That is sustainable over time.
  • That is interactive and/or actively engages students.

Mini-Grant funds are not for:

  • Purchasing stand-alone materials. (i.e. grant is written to provide every student with a folder as its only aspect)
  • Salaries/Stipends/Substitutes
  • Assembly that is not part of an ongoing initiative. (One shot assemblies without follow-up programming do not yield the best outcomes.)

How to apply:

Submit your application online at charactercouncilwny.org/grant along with an itemized budget indicating how the funds will be spent. Grants will be reviewed using the chart below. If your project is selected, we will contact your administrator (if not the applicant) to confirm the project will receive approval to move forward. Please make your administrator aware of your application. You will be able to print a PDF of your application to share and for your own records.

July 1 – October 31
Awarded in November

November 1 – February 28
Awarded in March

March 1 – June 30
Awarded in July

Awards:

If your grant is selected, you will receive an email notifying you of your grant award. We will send a check to the school, club or organization listed on the application. Checks will not be made payable to an individual person. Grant winners will be invited to our Character Excellence Awards Celebration Dinner held in the May following your award. You will be given an opportunity to do a table display at the dinner to showcase your project.

Follow-Up:

We want to see your project come to life! We ask that you send us pictures or a brief reflection of your project and how it went (ideally within 3-6 months of funding.) If you have any evidence (statistics) of the impact the project had in changing your school or organization’s culture, we would love for you to share that as well.

Pictures may be posted on our website, social media and/or shared with Character Council of WNY donors, including but not limited to the Harvest Time Partners Foundation, and other sponsors of our grant program. Schools/organizations seeking additional grants must submit follow-up documentation to be considered. *Member Schools- School must be a Member School at the time of the application.

New single page list of Traits, Definitions and Companion Traits.

mission-image-2

Footer

info@charactercouncilwny.org

Amazon Smile

All Rights Reserved © 2025
Custom WordPress Website Design & Developed By Jmax Media Solutions

Brandon Hafner

Co-Vice President

Brandon Hafner is the current House 1 Principal at Orchard Park High School in the Orchard Park CSD. He was born and raised in Buffalo growing up in a home that was always service centered. From his childhood, Brandon has always been involved in Community and Church related service. This has fostered a lifelong value of continued service and a desire to share and recruit others to a commitment to giving back and exercising good character.
Brandon now resides in Hamburg with his wife Erin where they raised their 5 children. Brandon attended Buffalo State College and earned a Degree in Chemistry Education with a minor in Biology, a Masters Degree in Education and certificates in both School Building and District Leadership. He was a Chemistry teacher for 17 years, most of which he spent at Orchard Park High School. During his time as a teacher, Brandon advised many clubs including Student Government and a community service club called Orchard Park Education Outreach. As an administrator, Brandon chairs the District Character Education Committee for the OP Central School District.
Brandon continues to be focused on the character education of all of the students he comes in contact with. He strives to be a part of community service projects within the school and surrounding areas.

Makenna Payton

Executive Administrative Assistant

Makenna serves the council as their executive administrator. She earned a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Hilbert College and a Masters’s degree from Canisius University in Higher Education and Student Affairs.

Makenna currently serves as the Associate Director for Success and Transitions at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. When not working Makenna enjoys volunteering and every summer is a part of leading a fundraising effort for Camp Good Days and Special Times at a local campground.

Makenna grew up in Pavilion, NY, obtained her education in Buffalo, NY, and currently resides in Rochester, NY.

Spencer Payne

President

Term Expires 2023

Spencer joined the Character Council of WNY Board of Directors in the summer of 2020. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Washington & Lee University, with minors in Education and Mass Communications. After graduation, he accepted a position in the M&T Bank Management Development Program, which brought him to Buffalo, New York.

Spencer is currently a Business Communications Specialist at M&T Bank, where he serves as Editor-In-Chief of the company’s employee newsletter and advises change management teams seeking to implement bank-wide enhancements. A devotion to character education has been a common thread in his personal and professional life. From volunteering with The First Tee of WNY, introducing junior golfers to the organization’s core values, to student-teaching in elementary schools in Virginia and New York State, Spencer is passionate about equipping the next generation to be the leaders of tomorrow. He’s excited to work with his CCWNY colleagues to make that vision a reality.

Spencer grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and currently resides in Buffalo, New York. The city has become home, and he looks forward to giving back to the WNY community that welcomed him just a short time ago.

Job Valluthamannunkal

Board Member/Webmaster

Vanessa Rehac

Corresponding Secretary

Following my Mom’s example, I have always been an active volunteer. Having served in a variety of leadership roles with the Girl Scouts, as a PTA officer and event chair, I was introduced to the Character Council of Hamburg in 2007. During my tenure, the Council expanded to encompass all of WNY, launched several signature events and forged new community partnerships. I am proud to have worked alongside so many dedicated volunteers and see the impact CCWNY has had on the community. Currently my roles include Co-Secretary, chair of the ECHOES Mini-Grant Program and Co-Chair of the Scholarship Program.

A graduate of Villa Maria College, I earned my A.A.S. in Retail Management and Marketing. And returned as a non-traditional student to Empire State University to pursue my BS in Communications. For the past 20 years I have loved working at the Southtown Teacher’s Center, currently in the role of Office Administrator. I enjoy helping support educators, students and the community. In October 2022 I started a small business, Tempus Fugit Services, providing virtual administrative and design services. I have four incredible children, a precocious granddaughter and live in Blasdell, with my husband of more than 35 years and one very spoiled therapy dog.

I believe the power in a simple act of kindness is the fastest way to impact another person’s life for the better.

Peter Simon

Treasurer

Term Expires: May 2024

Peter Simon serves as the Character Council’s Treasurer and Nominations Committee Chairperson. Peter is a retired teacher from the Lake Shore Central School District, where he taught for 33 years. During his time at Lake Shore, Peter coached JV baseball, served as a member of the Teacher’s Union negotiations team as well as on a variety of committees. Peter is a graduate of Buffalo State College, where he earned a BS and Masters of Education degrees. Peter was born in Minnesota and later moved to Buffalo, and currently resides in Hamburg with Paula, his wife of more than 40 years and they have three adult sons, Matthew, Joseph, and John.

Peter’s interest and concern for the development of good character began long before his actual involvement in the Character Council of WNY. During his many years as a sixth grade teacher, Peter always felt that the teaching and recognition of character virtues was just as important as the teaching of Math, Language Arts or Science, and was among the first educators in his district to integrate character education into his daily lessons. Shortly after retirement, Peter was offered the opportunity to join the board of the Character Council of Hamburg. He welcomed this offer as a natural extension of his concern for the development of good character, only now he would be able to share his passion with his community, helping and encouraging a wider range of the population to recognize and practice the various character virtues.

During his eighteen years on the board of the Character Council, Peter has been encouraged by the growth of the board, and the dedicated work of its members that has helped to increase the focus and awareness of the importance of developing a culture of character in the Western New York community. Peter believes…“It’s up to the people who really care about our country to take a more active role in helping to determine the culture in which our children grow up. With perseverance and cooperation this goal is achievable. TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT.”

Dina Ferraraccio

Co-Vice President

Dina Ferraraccio is the Director of School Culture for the Kenmore Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District. Before serving in this role, she was the Assistant Principal at Kenmore West High School in the district. Dina holds a B.S. from the University of Rochester in Cell and Developmental Biology. She also holds a M.S in Science Education from the University of Rochester and a Master’s in Educational Administration from University at Buffalo. Currently, this is Dina’s 22nd year in the field of education. Before becoming an administrator, she taught Biology, Chemistry, and Forensics for 14 years. Dina’s work in education centers on building character in students. She believes that character development is crucial for students because it goes beyond academic achievements and contributes to their overall growth as individuals. Among many other things, character development increases social skills, ethical decision making, resilience, self-awareness, leadership skills, and creates lifelong learners prepared for the future. Dina is honored to be involved in an organization like the Character Council of Western New York that promotes the benefits of good character and facilitates the continual development of character excellence within the community. Dina looks forward to collaborating with fellow board members on many different projects in the future!