Buffalo Niagara Partnership unveils 2026 Advocacy Agenda
Blog Categories
The Partnership
January 13, 2026
The Buffalo Niagara Partnership convened more than 250 business and government leaders for its signature Advocacy Agenda Rollout & Public Officials Reception on Jan. 8 at Jazzboline – one of the few moments each year when employers and elected officials from every level come together for candid, meaningful conversations about our region’s future.
The BNP unveiled its 2026 Advocacy Agenda, highlighting federal, state and local policy priorities designed to grow Buffalo Niagara’s economy by:
- Protecting economic engines
- Igniting community development
- Powering the economy of the future
- Paving the way for tech growth
- Reducing the cost of doing business in New York State
- Enabling economic mobility
The BNP also shared several advocacy wins from the past 12 months, showing what’s possible when goals and collaboration are aligned. Those included:
- Pausing climate policy mandates and the Cap-and-Invest Program
- Extending Brownfield Cleanup Credits at Renaissance Commerce Park
- Paying off unemployment insurance fund and amending the pay frequency law
- Increasing childcare investment and Medicaid reimbursement rates
- Enacting historic federal tax reform
- Strengthening semiconductor investment incentives
“When business and government work together, the public has a much higher degree of trust,” said BNP CEO Dottie Gallagher. “And this is what today is about. We all share the same vision – a vibrant and growing Buffalo Niagara Region.”
The evening brought together 59 elected officials and local representatives, along with BNP members, for face-to-face discussions about workforce, development, healthcare, energy, education and other issues that matter most to employers.
Click here to download the 2026 Advocacy Agenda →
Thank you to the following Government Affairs Series sponsors for making the evening possible:
Title sponsor: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York
Premium sponsor: Philip Morris International U.S.
Presenting sponsors: AT&T, Charter Communications, National Fuel Gas Company, National Grid, O'Donnell & Associates, LLC
Supporting sponsors: Amazon, LaBella Associates
Print sponsor: Zenger Group
In the news
Related Posts
What to know about the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
USMCA shapes how goods, services and investment move across the U.S.-Canada border, and its 2026 review could have important implications for Buffalo Niagara employers. Here’s what local businesses should know about the agreement, the review process and what comes next.
Nominations open for 2026 ATHENA Leadership Award
The ATHENA Leadership Award recognizes an individual whose professional excellence, community service and commitment to advancing women have made a lasting impact throughout Western New York.
A speedy stamp of approval
After Precious Plate spent months spinning its wheels trying to secure the proper permits, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership facilitated an introduction with the growing Niagara Falls manufacturer and FAA to expand its warehouse space.
Grant Loomis: Unifying Buffalo Niagara in one direction
Grant Loomis steps forward as President & CEO, sharing how our region’s quickest economic growth relies on coordinating our efforts and utilizing each of our unique strengths.