The Oliver G. & Sarah Sloan Bauman Fund for the Arts, administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, is a competitive grant opportunity supporting the preservation and appreciation of the fine arts, with a special emphasis on traditional and classical ballet and opera. The fund was established in 1996 by Sarah Bauman Baxter in honor of her father and their shared passion for the classical arts. Through this fund, Mrs. Baxter sought to ensure that future generations could continue to experience and value these art forms as vital parts of cultural heritage.
Grant funding is disbursed in two prioritized tiers. Tier 1 focuses exclusively on nonprofits presenting traditional, classical ballet and opera performances. These must adhere to original choreography and libretto, ideally performed in their original languages unless a work is traditionally rendered in English, such as by the Metropolitan Opera Company of New York. For the purposes of this fund, "classical" refers to works created prior to World War I (1914) and of English, European, or Russian origin.
If funding remains after Tier 1 allocations, Tier 2 will support performances of traditional classical works in music, theater, or ballet through responsible nonprofit organizations. These must uphold a high standard of artistic integrity and preserve classical repertory quality as traditionally defined within their respective mediums.
The total amount available for 2025 is approximately $62,000, and the application must be submitted online via the Foundant Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM). Paper, email, or PDF applications are not accepted. The application opens March 10, 2025, and the deadline is April 14, 2025, at 4:00 PM. Funding decisions will be announced in late May 2025.
Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located in or delivering services within one or more of the eight counties of Western New York: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming. Only one active competitive grant from the Bauman Fund is permitted at a time per organization.
For questions or assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact Darren Penoyer at darrenp@cfgb.org or (716) 852-2857 ext. 206.
