Every year, regions across the state have the opportunity to decide which projects should be considered for state funding through a process led by the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs). Projects from communities across WNY submit proposals through a Consolidated Funding Application (CFA). The overall goal of the CFA Project Development Technical Assistance Initiative is to build a more robust pipeline of projects that embody strategies of the WNY REDC and prepare municipalities with the tools to better access state dollars awarded to Western NY. UBRI and their partners Highland Planning, Roxanne Kise Consulting, and Watts Architecture and Engineering worked with ESD to provide technical assistance to the communities of Dunkirk, Fredonia and Salamanca to help them build capacity to plan for and implement projects that enhance their communities and align with WNY REDC priorities.