Fund for the Arts

The Art of Collaborative Support


Our Mission

To strengthen Western NY’s arts and cultural sector by investing in sector-wide, capacity-building initiatives through aligned, pooled resources.

We define capacity-building as the continual investment in the ability of the arts sector to serve WNY residents through intentional, coordinated strategies – now and into the future.

Capacity building focuses on building the systems, structures, cultures, skills, resources, and power that the arts sector needs to serve its community. As defined by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO), it is “the funding and technical assistance to help nonprofits increase specific capacities to deliver stronger programs, take risks, build connections, innovate, and iterate.

History

Fund for the Arts (FFA) was convened in 2005 by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo as an emergency response to drastic arts budget cuts in Erie County. The founding funders recognized the importance of not only supporting our arts organizations but finding ways to work together to strengthen them. Since 2005, FFA has supported initiatives ranging from cohort-based capacity building to regional cultural planning. With centralized support, we strive to equip the arts sector with the coordinated and strategic solutions needed to respond to our community’s evolving needs.

Founding Members

Baird Foundation
Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
John R. Oishei Foundation
M&T Charitable Foundation
Margaret L. Wendt Foundation

Why Fund for the Arts?

The arts are a binding thread that weaves through our society, providing critical outlets for creativity, connection, education and hope. And the arts play a crucial role in our region’s economic development and growth, public health, and our quality of life. However, arts organizations are nearing or in financial crisis, facing staff burnout, and still recovering from pandemic-related challenges. Local and national funding sources are re-evaluating their funding priorities and, in some cases, diverting funding away from the arts.

By the Numbers

$3M+ 
To date, FFA has invested $3M+ in the arts and culture sector
$381M+
WNY Arts organizations generated at least $381M in economic impact in 2022
4.3M 
WNY Arts Organizations attracted at least 4.3M attendees to their in-person events in 2022*
73%
 73% of surveyed Americans said that the arts provided meaning in their lives and were a positive experience in a troubled world**

Join Us

As Fund for the Arts looks to the future, we invite all members of our philanthropic community – foundations and individuals – to join us.
·       Help ensure our arts sector has access to the resources it needs to serve the residents of Western New York.
·       Leverage your charitable giving through pooled funds
·       Play an important role in shaping the Fund for the Arts collaborative

Please contact Fund for the Arts Co-Chairs for further information:
Yuki Numata Resnick: yukinr@cfgb.org
Darren Penoyer: darrenr@cfgb.org

*Arts & Economic Prosperity 6: The Economic & Social Impact Study of Nonprofit Arts & Culture Organizations and their Audiences in Western NY (2023)
**Americans for the Arts: Arts + Social Impact Explorer Fact Sheet