Concordia Foundation Inc

   Formed in 1859, Concordia Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Western New York and one of only 4 that still remain in the City of Buffalo. The historic cemetery is listed on both the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places and its buildings are designated Buffalo Landmarks.

    Originally it was founded by three German Protestant churches to be shared as their burial ground: the term “concordia” means harmony, and is a reference to the coming together of the 3 congregations to share this property.

    Encompassing over 15 acres, the cemetery is the final resting place for thousands of early residents of Buffalo, including over 500 war veterans. There are over 21,000 people of all ethnic backgrounds, cultures and religions reflecting this area's vast diversity at rest here. This includes thousands of Black Americans who came to WNY during the Great Migration. This place is indeed an important part of WNY’s story and is a living museum.

    Staffed entirely by volunteers, this historic site was saved from abandonment in 2003 and relies on donations and grants. The Concordia Foundation, Inc. is a 501-C3 non-profit organization and donations are tax-deductible. The NYS Department of Cemeteries uses Historic Concordia Cemetery as an example of what can be accomplished by a dedicated team of volunteers.

    A team of volunteers has taken on the huge task of finding, unearthing, cleaning and resetting sunken tombstones which will help people seeking information on their ancestors and family members. We teach the proper methods to find and care for these historic and sometimes fragile relics, and we have found hundreds of previously unknown stones. Our efforts and successes are reported on our Facebook page “Friends of Concordia Cemetery” and have been featured on WKBW channel 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fY6db3nisA.

    We need your support to continue to provide this service and ensure the safety of our volunteers. We are in need of a device that will enable us to lift larger stones and our goal is to acquire a tripod with winch that will cost $3500.00. Thank you for your help in meeting our goal.

To support historic Concordia Cemetery in preserving the heritage of the cemetery, its grounds and buildings through promotion, community outreach, education and events, and to assist Concordia Cemetery with the restoration, preservation, and protection of the cemetery through community engagement and the acquisition of grants and charitable donations.