Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), now operating as Creative West, is a regional nonprofit arts service organization headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1972, the organization is dedicated to strengthening the financial, organizational, and policy infrastructure of the arts in the western United States. Creative West weaves technology, diverse thought leadership, and innovation to energize, network, and fund public sector arts agencies and communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.7M
-18.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$993K
-1.6% YoY
Grant Count
79
-10.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
+9.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: Creative West weaves technology, diverse thought leadership, and innovation to energize, network, and fund public sector arts agencies and communities.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Creative advancement and preservation of the arts
- Arts touring and performing arts support
- Support for artists and arts leaders from underrepresented communities
- Cultural equity in the arts
Grantmaking
Creative West manages a financially complex network of grants and software services for the arts. The organization offers multiple grant programs:
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $5,150 to $288,858.
How to Apply
** Creative West operates CaFÉ™ (Call for Entry), an online application submission system designed to make art opportunities available to all.
Ready to take the next step with Western States Arts Federation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Creative West serves the largest constituent territory of the six U.S. regional arts organizations, covering:
Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawai'i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Primary grantmaking focuses on California, Arizona, and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Revenue: $9,606,944
- Total Expenses: $11,611,814
- Total Assets: $9,716,714
- Total Liabilities: $2,720,000
- Staff: 51 employees
Federal Support: Creative West received $2,525,040 from the National Endowment for the Arts in FY 2024.
Funding Partners: The organization partners with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Murdock Trust, and relies on generous donations to support its operations.
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, tax-exempt since February 1973. EIN: 23-7255426.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,716,714 | $11,844,624 | $9,116,686 |
| Revenue | $9,606,944 | $7,041,612 | $6,773,845 |
| Expenses | $11,611,814 | $8,341,682 | $7,590,188 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $468,258 | $205,822 | $181,182 |
| 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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
9 open opportunities from Western States Arts Federation
Alumni Professional Development Fund Grant
WESTERN STATES ARTS FEDERATION
Amount
Up to US $500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Creative West Artist Fund Grant
WESTERN STATES ARTS FEDERATION
Amount
US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Living Traditions: Folk Art and Beyond Grant
WESTERN STATES ARTS FEDERATION
Amount
Up to US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Director: Christian Gaines
Financial Contact: Lauren Wilson, Financial Technical Specialist
Board: Governed by a 22-member board of trustees comprised of arts leaders in the West.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BASSEM BEJJANI | VICE-CHAIR | 2 | — |
| TENIQUA BROUGHTON | CHAIR | 4 | — |
| TAMARA ALVARADO | PAST CHAIR | 2 | — |
| ANDRIAN SAN MIGUEL | TREASURER | 3 | — |
| BRANDY REITTER | DEVELOPMENT COMTE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| KARMEN ROSSI | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| AMBER-DAWN BEAR ROBE | EQUITY & INCLUSION COMMITTEE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| CYNDY ANDRUS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LISA BECKER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SUSAN GARBETT | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JAYNE BUTLER GOODMAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MICHELLE LAFLAMME-CHILDS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANTHONY MANFREDI | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| NIKIKO MASUMOTO | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MEGAN MILLER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JESS PENA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BRIAN ROGERS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MAKANANI SALA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KELLY STOWELL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTIAN GAINES | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 37.5 | $250,635 |
| AMY HOLLRAH | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION | 37.5 | $117,608 |
| PAUL NGYUEN | DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY | 37.5 | $134,700 |
| DAVID HOLLAND | DEPUTY DIRECTOR | 37.5 | $113,924 |
| CHRISTINA VILLA | DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS | 37.5 | $105,317 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Announced 2026 Creative West Artist Fund Fellows
Introducing the 2026 Creative West Artist Fund Fellows - Creative WestAnnounced Creative West Walking Together Grantees
Announcing the Creative West Walking Together Grantees - Creative WestAnnounced 2025-26 TourWest Awardees
Big News: Meet the 2025-26 TourWest Awardees! - Creative WestAnnounced Regional Arts Resilience Fund Awardees
WESTAF Announces Regional Arts Resilience Fund Awardees - WESTAFSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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