CNY Arts Inc is a public charity based in Syracuse, New York that serves as a regional arts council and grantmaking organization. The organization connects arts, culture, and community across Central New York by providing grants, capacity-building assistance, education and training, and promotional services to individual artists and arts and cultural organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.1M
+1.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
-18.3% YoY
Grant Count
42
-37.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$50K
+30.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To promote, support, and celebrate arts and culture in Central New York.
CNY Arts operates with the belief that a healthy arts industry is essential to the quality of life and community in the region. The organization focuses on connecting the general public to arts and cultural opportunities and welcomes participation from artists, audience members, participants, venues, educators, and supporters.
Primary Program Areas:
- Onondaga County Grants: Administering grant programs to local arts and cultural organizations in Onondaga County
- New York State Arts Council on the Arts Regional Regranting: Providing program support and local artist assistance with goals to serve the broadest population possible and increase opportunity for underserved communities and areas. This includes support for rural areas, small arts organizations, schools, individual artist-driven projects, ethnic-specific cultural groups, and economically challenged areas including inner-city neighborhoods. The program also provides technical assistance to local artists and statewide arts organizations.
Grantmaking
Arts grants for nonprofits, creative writing, historic buildings, journalism, nonprofit human services, poverty alleviation, and the arts.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CNY Arts serves six counties in Central New York:
- Cortland
- Herkimer
- Madison
- Oneida
- Onondaga
- Oswego
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Financial Overview (2025):
- Total assets: $2,101,838
- Total revenues: $3,493,002
- Total expenses: $3,390,079
- Total giving: $2,644,093
Organization Details:
- EIN: 15-0625350
- NTEE Code: A26 (Arts Council/Agency)
- Staff: 15 employees
- Founded: 1957 (established in 1957; ruling year 1961)
- Formerly known as: Cultural Resources Council of Syracuse and Onondaga County, Inc.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,101,838 | $2,077,415 | $2,290,782 |
| Revenue | $3,493,002 | $4,441,238 | $5,614,573 |
| Expenses | $3,390,079 | $4,298,282 | $5,478,957 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $149,854 | $190,739 | $135,615 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
92 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
13 open opportunities from CNY Arts Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Musical Associates of Central New York (Syracuse Orchestra) ($440,912), Discovery Center of Science & Technology (MOST) ($258,395), Everson Museum of Art ($216,458).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 727 Instrumental Inc Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $9,050 |
| Arts at the Palace Inc Hamilton, NY | Arts & Culture | $5,100 |
| Arts Project Syracuse Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $10,500 |
| Back Home Film Corp Long Island City, NY | Arts & Culture | $98,296 |
| Breadcrumbs Productions Inc Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $8,750 |
| Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation Inc Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $70,253 |
| Community Folk Art Center Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $15,950 |
| CORA Foundation Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $9,500 |
| Discovery Center of Science & Technology (MOST) Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $258,395 |
| Downtown Syracuse Foundation Syracuse, NY | Arts & Culture | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Executive Director: Alexander Korman
- President: Rita Paniagua
- Vice President: Carol Dumka
- Board Secretary: Carmen Sonia Martinez
- Principal Officer: Stephen Butler
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rita Paniagua | President | 3 | — |
| Carol Dumka | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Carmen Sonia Martinez | Board Secretary | 1 | — |
| Nicholas Shires CPA | Board Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Alexander Korman | Executive Director | 40 | $67,050 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
CNY Arts has announced multiple grant funding opportunities and programs in recent years, including:
CNY Arts announces 2026 grant funding for eligible arts, culture ...2026 grant funding announcements for eligible arts and culture organizations
CNY Arts announces 2026 grant funding for eligible arts, culture ...Festival fund and microgrants programs
CNY Arts announces festival fund and microgrants programsRegional regrant funds totaling $510,000
CNY Arts announces $510,000 in regional regrant funds - syracuse.comInaugural winner of the Syracuse Prize, a $10,000 grant program
Inaugural winner of CNY Arts’ Syracuse Prize, $10,000 grant announced – This is CNYThe organization received a $150,000 award through the Market New York program (completed in 2020) to support collaborative marketing of Central New York's arts, entertainment, and cultural events.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CNY Arts Inc fund?
**Mission:** To promote, support, and celebrate arts and culture in Central New York. CNY Arts operates with the belief that a healthy arts industry is essential to the quality of life and community in the region. The organization focuses on connecting the general public to arts and cultural opportunities and welcomes participation from artists, audience members, participants, venues, educators, and supporters. **Primary Program Areas:** • **Onondaga County Grants:** Administering grant program…
How do I apply for a grant from CNY Arts Inc?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $2,644,093 (based on most recent IRS 990 filing) • Typical award range: $5,100–$440,912 • Recent notable grants include: • Musical Associates of Central New York: $440,912 • The Milton J Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology: $258,395 • Everson Museum of Art: $216,458 **Funding Focus Areas:** Arts grants for nonprofits, creative writing, historic buildings, journalism, nonprofit human services, poverty alleviation, and the arts. **Recent Grant Programs:…
Where does CNY Arts Inc make grants?
CNY Arts serves six counties in Central New York: • Cortland • Herkimer • Madison • Oneida • Onondaga • Oswego
What size grants does CNY Arts Inc award?
In 2025, CNY Arts Inc awarded 42 grants totaling $2.1M — an average of about $50K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in CNY Arts Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated June 2026.
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