CNY Arts Inc
CNY Arts Inc is a public charity based in Syracuse, New York, that supports arts and culture in Central New York. It administers grant programs and regrants funding from public and private sources to artists and arts, culture, and heritage organizations.
CNY Arts Inc at a glance
In short: CNY Arts Inc gave $2.1M across 42 grants in 2025 (avg $50K), mostly in New York. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,082,061
- -18.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 42
- -37.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $49,573
- +30.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $11,075
- Total assets
- $2,101,838
- +1.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (13 of 42, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to CNY Arts Inc
- How to Apply
-
CNY Arts announces application windows after securing program funding, then publishes guidelines and opens an application portal. For the Statewide Community Regrants program, applicants are reviewed for guideline compliance and then evaluated by an independent peer panel. CNY Arts says it is rarely able to fund off-cycle requests or unsolicited proposals outside designated application windows.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 Statewide Community Regrants application deadline was March 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
- Deadline
- The 2026 Statewide Community Regrants application deadline was March 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 421 Montgomery Street, Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 435-2125
Website: https://cnyarts.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
16 open opportunities from CNY Arts Inc
1st Annual Syracuse Prize
CNY Arts Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
City of Syracuse Arts & Culture Recovery Fund
CNY Arts Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
CNY Arts Impact Fund
CNY Arts Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who CNY Arts Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Musical Associates of Central New York (Syracuse Orchestra) ($441K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 139 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CNY Arts’ stated service area comprises Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Onondaga, Oneida, and Oswego Counties. Its 2026 Statewide Community Regrants program guidelines specify that funded projects take place in those counties. The organization says it designates regional funds among counties relative to population.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
Cities
Is CNY Arts Inc open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 42 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $46K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2021) to $4.8M (2023). In 2025 it made 42 grants totaling $2.1M.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Musical Associates of Central New York (Syracuse Orchestra) Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $440,912 |
| Discovery Center of Science & Technology (MOST) Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $258,395 |
| Everson Museum of Art Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $216,458 |
| Plainclothes LLC Baldwinsville, NY | Arts & Culture | $127,352 |
| SU Theatre Corporation (Syracuse Stage) Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $103,835 |
| Redhouse Arts Center Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $99,577 |
| Back Home Film Corp Long Island City, NY | Arts & Culture | $98,296 |
| Syracuse Area Landmark Theatre (Landmark Theatre) Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $94,144 |
| Young Men's Christian Association of Central New York Inc Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $93,412 |
| Syracuse City Ballet Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $71,591 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,101,838 | $3,493,002 | $3,390,079 | $2,082,061 | 42 | $149,854 |
| 2024 | $2,077,415 | $4,441,238 | $4,298,282 | $2,548,425 | 67 | $190,739 |
| 2023 | $2,290,782 | $5,614,573 | $5,478,957 | $4,811,692 | Total only | $135,615 |
| 2022 | $3,639,990 | $4,131,478 | $4,244,032 | $3,747,834 | Total only | $-118,120 |
| 2021 | $2,791,491 | $2,282,044 | $2,035,669 | $1,449,536 | 30 | $232,669 |
"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 September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
CNY Arts’ mission is to promote, support, and celebrate arts and culture in Central New York. Its funding can support individual artists and nonprofit organizations through community arts projects, arts education, artist commissions, and other program-specific opportunities. The organization says grant priorities and eligibility can vary according to the guidelines set by its funders.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. Redhouse Arts Center describes its work as presenting and producing theatre, film, visual art, and music. Syracuse City Ballet says it provides ballet and dance performances for the public, while Skaneateles Festival describes itself as a summer music festival with concert programming, education, and outreach. Other grantees include Light Work Visual Studies, which encourages appreciation of photography and other visual media, and Syracuse Children’s Theatre, which provides theatrical experiences and classes for children.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, CNY Arts reported 42 grants totaling $2,082,061. Grant amounts ranged from $5,100 to $440,912, with a median of $11,075. The largest awards included $440,912 to Musical Associates of Central New York (Syracuse Orchestra), $258,395 to Discovery Center of Science & Technology (MOST), and $216,458 to Everson Museum of Art. Other notable grants were $127,352 to Plainclothes LLC, $103,835 to SU Theatre Corporation (Syracuse Stage), and $99,577 to Redhouse Arts Center. All were listed for Arts & Culture.
CNY Arts says most grants it administers are regrants: it receives funds from government entities and other grantmaking bodies, then awards them locally. Its 2026 Statewide Community Regrants guidelines describe funding for projects in arts, culture, history, and heritage, with a stated total of $228,089 to be distributed to individual artists and nonprofit organizations. The guidelines list Community Arts Projects and microgrants, Arts Education Projects, and Artist Commissions among the eligible project types. The 2026 program’s application process included staff review for eligibility, followed by evaluation by an independent peer panel using a published scoring rubric; staff used panel recommendations to determine final allocations.
CNY Arts also lists an Onondaga County MicroGrant and a Young Artist Scholarship Program among its current offerings. The scholarship is for young or student artists in the region; the available program description does not specify an award amount or deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rita Paniagua as President, Carol Dumka as Vice President, Carmen Sonia Martinez as Board Secretary, Nicholas Shires CPA as Board Treasurer, and Alexander Korman as Executive Director.
CNY Arts Inc is led by Alexander Korman, Executive Director on the 2025 filing; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alexander Korman
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$67K (2025)
Rita Paniagua
President
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas Shires CPA
Board Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carmen Sonia Martinez
Board Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carol Dumka
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Anastasia Urtz (2021–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Stephen Butler (2021–2024) — Executive Director
- Former: Nancy Ketz (2021–2022) — Board Secretary
- Former: Catherine Gerard (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Daniel Hammer (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Dori Bailey (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Elizabeth Dunbar (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Honora Spillane (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Jane Malin (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Jefferson Dedrick (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Leroy Collins (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Phylisa Clark-Sova (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Sonia Martinez (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Tracy Tajbl (2021) — Board Member
- Former: William Fisher (2021) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $67K, to Alexander Korman (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about CNY Arts Inc
How much does CNY Arts Inc give each year?
CNY Arts Inc gave $2.1M across 42 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.5M across 67 grants.
What is CNY Arts Inc's typical grant size?
CNY Arts Inc's median grant in 2025 was $11,075, and its average grant was $49,573, across 42 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from CNY Arts Inc that year got $46K on average.
Where does CNY Arts Inc give grants?
CNY Arts Inc gives mostly in New York: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Syracuse, NY (34 grants) and Dewitt, NY (2 grants).
Does CNY Arts Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 42 grants with a stated purpose on CNY Arts Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Arts & Culture" (42 grants).
Who are CNY Arts Inc's largest grantees?
CNY Arts Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Musical Associates of Central New York (Syracuse Orchestra) ($440,912), Discovery Center of Science & Technology (MOST) ($258,395) and Everson Museum of Art ($216,458), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is CNY Arts Inc?
CNY Arts Inc reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.5M.
What does CNY Arts Inc fund?
CNY Arts’ mission is to promote, support, and celebrate arts and culture in Central New York. Its funding can support individual artists and nonprofit organizations through community arts projects, arts education, artist commissions, and other program-specific opportunities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from CNY Arts Inc?
CNY Arts announces application windows after securing program funding, then publishes guidelines and opens an application portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is CNY Arts Inc's EIN?
CNY Arts Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 15-0625350. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 31, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 9, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work CNY Arts Inc funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in CNY Arts Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Central New York Community Foundation Inc
Syracuse, NY
The foundation funds nonprofit projects in arts and culture, education, health, human services, the environment and other community priorities, primarily serving residents of Onondaga, Cortland and Madison counties, New York; its outdoor recreation fund also covers Cayuga and Oswego counties. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,100 to $2,462,750, with a median of $16,000. Community Grant applicants must discuss their request with foundation staff before applying; the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
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The Rosamond Gifford Charitable
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The Rosamond Gifford Charitable supports community quality of life through neighborhood projects, sponsorships, and capacity-building for local organizations, with a focus on Syracuse and Central New York. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $3,000 (ranging from $400 to $213,500); the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
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The Dorothy and Marshall M
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The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation primarily funds arts, education, health, and human services organizations in Central New York. Its 2026 grants ranged from $100 to $250,000, with a median of $7,500. It accepts unsolicited proposals through its website.
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The Duke Malavenda Foundation Inc
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The Duke Malavenda Foundation’s 2023 grants supported New York charities working in areas such as housing, community services, education, health, legal aid, and culture. It made 26 grants totaling $401,500, ranging from $500 to $200,000, but its 2023 filing was a final return indicating it transferred its assets and appears to have stopped grantmaking. It accepted no unsolicited requests, funding only preselected organizations.
Assets
—
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Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation Inc
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The foundation funds programs for children in need in Central New York and cancer research and advocacy, including projects run by eligible nonprofits. Recent grants ranged from $5,200 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000. Its guidelines do not specify whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
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Total Given
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). CNY Arts Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cny-arts-inc-morg_7378a78b92af45a6baeddfab7288da91
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_150625350_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{CNY Arts Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cny-arts-inc-morg_7378a78b92af45a6baeddfab7288da91},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 CNY Arts 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.
CNY Arts Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?