Funding Priorities

Brief Summary of Target Issues

Through our Community Profile, we have identified the following target issues for Western New York:

1.     Lack of Education on Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Services – Many women, particularly in the rural communities of Cattaraugus County and the City of Buffalo, are uninformed about the importance of screening and about risk factors for breast cancer.  Among women who do seek screening, there is uncertainty about how often they should be screened, what treatment options exist, and how to access follow-up care. There are targeted programs in the City of Buffalo that reach out to medically underserved populations but they exist only in limited numbers. Since mortality rates for African American women are significantly higher, more programs are needed as a means of connecting with these women to ensure they seek regular screening and understand patient navigation resources when treatment is necessary.  In the rural areas of Cattaraugus County, programs are needed to increase access to information and screening services that are not easily accessible.

2.     Transportation Barriers – There are significant transportation barriers for residents of Buffalo and Cattaraugus County. In Buffalo, the transit system is not streamlined and travelling small distances can require a great deal of time and preparation. As a result, many women are not comfortable using mass transit or travelling to unfamiliar neighborhoods. Outside of metro Buffalo, there is no option for mass transit.  Women living in rural areas may need to travel long distances to get mammograms and/or treatment services and those without transportation or lodging are less likely to seek out breast cancer services.  More programs are needed to investigate and address transportation barriers in both the urban and rural areas of Western New York.            

3.     Clinician/Provider Information and Screening Protocol– Many primary care physicians and OB/GYNs do not proactively communicate Komen-approved breast health recommendations or administer clinical breast exams. Often, older women are not told to get screened and in some cases are told they no longer need screening, even when they are healthy enough to bear most treatments if diagnosed. Programs are needed to reach and educate health care providers on recommended guidelines and/or offer continuing medical education (CME) credits on the importance of promoting breast health and breast cancer screening.

Grant applications that address one or more of the following target issues will receive priority in the review process. More information on our target issues can be found in the Community Profile.

Community Profile

The Community Profile is a needs assessment document that provides an overview of Komen’s grant-making priorities and the breast health needs in our service area. Please familiarize yourself with this document before developing your applications.

Click here to view the Community Profile. 

Click here to view the Executive Summary.