Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC
Arts Services Inc. (ASI), the Arts Services Initiative of Western New York Inc., is a public charity based in Buffalo, New York. It serves as a resource hub for the Western New York arts and cultural sector, connecting artists and arts organizations with funding, learning opportunities, and community access to the arts.
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC at a glance
In short: Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC gave $143K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $142,500
- -73.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- -63.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,500
- -27.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $640,692
- -12.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026.
How to apply to Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC
- Contact
Mailing address: 2495 Main Street 401, Buffalo, NY 14214
Phone: (716) 833-3004
Website: https://asiwny.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC
Give for Greatness Grants
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC
Amount
Up to $2K
Deadline
Deadline not published
Restart NY Regrants
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC
Amount
$500 - $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
WNY Arts Emergency Relief Fund
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC
Amount
Up to $1,000 (individuals); Up to $5,000 (organizations)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Ade Jembe Fola ($12K). Together the top 10 received $104K.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 56 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
ASI describes its service area as Western New York, including Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties and the Native nations that share this geography. SCR grants are administered for applicants in Erie, Niagara, and Chautauqua counties and the Native nations that share this geography. All 2024 grants listed in the filing went to New York recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC gives
- 27% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $143K (2025) to $535K (2024). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $143K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ade Jembe Fola Buffalo, NY | Arts Programming | $12,000 |
| GWBN Inc DBA Gardens Buffalo Niagara Buffalo, NY | Arts Programming | $12,000 |
| Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective Buffalo, NY | Arts Programming | $10,000 |
| Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation Jamestown, NY | Arts Programming | $10,000 |
| Community Canvases Tonawanda, NY | Arts Programming | $10,000 |
| Momentum Choir Inc Orchard Park, NY | Arts Programming | $10,000 |
| Social Justice Community Education Project Inc Buffalo, NY | Arts Programming | $10,000 |
| Sotto Voce Inc Buffalo, NY | Arts Programming | $10,000 |
| The Collaboration Center for Social Innovation Lancaster, NY | Arts Programming | $10,000 |
| Wahi Studio Inc Newfane, NY | Arts Programming | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The organization’s 2024 filing notes that it holds cash on behalf of unrelated organizations and individuals as client trust funds, reflected as both an asset and a liability.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $640,692 | $1,290,427 | $1,362,204 | $142,500 | 15 | $209 |
| 2024 | $727,865 | $1,463,612 | $1,501,530 | $535,000 | 41 | $702 |
| 2023 | $778,570 | $1,497,829 | $1,341,600 | — | — | $45 |
| 2022 | $734,732 | $692,771 | $680,184 | — | — | $29 |
| 2021 | $751,248 | $576,158 | $552,272 | $222,384 | Total only | — |
| 2020 | $485,274 | $725,353 | $703,574 | $334,099 | Total only | — |
| 2019 | $429,745 | $521,583 | $488,277 | $151,015 | Total only | — |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
ASI’s mission is to empower the region’s artists and arts organizations through connections to funding, learning opportunities, and community access to the arts. Its services include professional development, resources, representation and advocacy, and access, equity, and inclusion.
In its SCR program, ASI administers regrants for community arts, arts education, and individual artist projects. Its Arts Access program connects Western New Yorkers receiving income-based public assistance with partner locations and can arrange transportation to and from events upon request. ASI also offers professional-development workshops on topics including budgeting, grant writing, marketing, and governance.
The organization’s 2024 grants included general operating grants to arts and cultural organizations. Examples of recipients’ work, as described by the recipients, include Buffalo Arts Studio’s affordable studio space, exhibitions, classes, mural programs, and public art; Alleyway Theatre’s new theatre works and artist-development programs; and Buffalo String Works’ music education for diverse youth.
Grantmaking
In 2024, ASI reported 41 grants totaling $535,000. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $20,000, with a median of $10,000. The listed grants all went to recipients in New York. The 2024 filing records no grants in 2023 or 2022. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 15 grants totaling $142,500.
Among the largest 2024 grants, each for $20,000 and designated for general operating support, were awards to David A Howe Public Library in Wellsville; Assembly House 150, Ballet Artists of WNY, Alleyway Theatre, Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo String Works, Young Audiences of Western New York, and Community Music School of Buffalo in Buffalo; Infinity Visual and Performing Arts in Jamestown; Roycroft Campus in East Aurora; Buffalo Maritime Center; and Niagara Arts and Cultural Center in Niagara Falls.
The Give for Greatness program provides capacity-building grants of up to $2,000 to eligible micro and small nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. Eligible applicants must have arts or cultural activity as a primary purpose, have 501(c)(3) or New York State CHAR 500 status, be located in Erie, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, or Niagara County or a Native nation sharing that geography, and have a current operating budget under $500,000. Eligible requests can include strategic planning, board or staff training, software, website updates, and equipment. General operating support and programmatic, event, or project requests are listed as ineligible. The 2026 application deadline is November 13, 2026.
The SCR program supports community-based arts programs and projects presented by eligible nonprofits, government entities or municipalities, tribal nations, and individuals in Erie, Niagara, or Chautauqua County and the Native nations that share this geography. Direct applicants to the New York State Council on the Arts, regardless of funding status, are not eligible. For the 2026 cycle, the final application deadline was March 25, 2026, a past deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Owen O Suilleabhain as board president; Michelle Braswell as vice president; Katherine Trapanovski as secretary; and Heather Warnes as treasurer. It also lists Lindsay Aleshire, Rick Davis, Michael A Defreitas, Michael Farrow, Ryan Flore, and Noah Gooding as board members.
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC is led by Jennifer Swan-Kilpatrick, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jennifer Swan-Kilpatrick
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$65K (2024) → $68K (2025)
Owen O. Suilleabhain
Board Member & President
Vice President → President, 2023
President → Board Member & President, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heather Warnes
B.m & Treasurer
Treasurer → Board Member & Treasurer, 2024
Board Member & Treasurer → B.m & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Trapanovski
B.m. & Secretary
Secretary → Board Member & Secretary, 2024
Board Member & Secretary → B.m. & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Braswell
Board Member & Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2023
Vice President → Board Member & Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Flore
Board Member & Treasurer
Director → Board Member, 2024
Board Member → Board Member & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherine L. Wood Esq.
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael A. Defreitas
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lindsay Aleshire
Board Member & Secretary
Director → Board Member, 2024
Board Member → Board Member & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Farrow
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Schuette
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Noah Gooding
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rick Davis
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Grimm
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: Earl Wells (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jordan Steves (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Carlos Ra Jones (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: David Wedekindt (2019–2023) — Former President
- Former: Michael Jackson (2019–2023) — Former Secretary
- Former: Robert D'alimonte (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Anne M. Janczak (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Brandye Merriweather (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Broderick Cason (2019–2021) — President
- Former: Daniel Montante (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Michelle Watorek (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Erin Ewell (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Craig Pridgen (2021) — Director
- Former: Hal D. Payne (2019) — Director
- Former: John A. Mueller (2019) — Director
- Former: Journey Gunderson (2019) — Director
- Former: Lucille Dadd (2019) — Director
- Former: Michael Hadley (2019) — Director
- Former: Wendy Mednick (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $68K, to Jennifer Swan-Kilpatrick (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC
How much does Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC give each year?
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC gave $143K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $535K across 41 grants.
What is Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC's typical grant size?
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $9,500, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC give grants?
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (6 grants), Tonawanda, NY (2 grants) and Newfane, NY (2 grants).
Does Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Arts Programming" (15 grants).
Who are Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC's largest grantees?
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC's largest 2025 grantees include Ade Jembe Fola ($12,000), GWBN Inc DBA Gardens Buffalo Niagara ($12,000) and Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC?
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC reported $641K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.3M.
What does Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC fund?
ASI’s mission is to empower the region’s artists and arts organizations through connections to funding, learning opportunities, and community access to the arts. Its services include professional development, resources, representation and advocacy, and access, equity, and inclusion. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC?
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check asiwny.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC's EIN?
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4531129. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 24, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 23, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 3, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/arts-services-initiative-of-western-new-york-inc-morg_39d7cb73411b40f6a9d4d9208ad3d0e5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_454531129_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/arts-services-initiative-of-western-new-york-inc-morg_39d7cb73411b40f6a9d4d9208ad3d0e5},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Arts Services Initiative of Western New YORK INC down — hundreds of funders to go?