irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $160KEvents and public relations to support the local arts - including: Greater Ithaca Art Trail - to support development and appreciation of local art through self-guided tours of working artists studios throughout the community;literary fest; workshops; and other events.
named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist in Community Grant
Supports artists to share their work in an immersive way with a local community of their choosing
Arts Education Grant
Funds artist residencies in K-12 public schools, after-school programs, and closed student groups at community organizations
Arts and Clean Energy Awareness Grant
Joint initiative with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Smart Energy Choices program to fund art projects that promote clean energy awareness and community engagement
Grants for Arts Programs (GAP)
Funds public arts events including theater, music, dance, exhibitions, literary events, and film through the NYSCA Statewide Community Regrant program
Greater Ithaca Art Trail
Self-guided tour of working artists' studios throughout the community to support appreciation and development of local art
Professional Development Workshops
Series of workshops for artists covering career planning, fundraising, marketing, selling work, and studio organization
Strategic Opportunity Stipend (SOS)
Provides funding to Tompkins County artists for career-advancing opportunities; funded through CAP fundraising and partner foundations
activities · 8 groups
What they do
-
Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
- Commissioning and launching public art installationsCommissions site-specific public sculptures that reflect local culture, such as the Enfield installation by Tony Moretti and Gwen Quigley focused on food and agriculture, and is developing a county-wide trail of such works.
-
-
Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
- Delivering immersive arts-education programs in schoolsDevelops and launches educational arts projects in local schools, such as "The Escape Room" at Freeville Elementary School—an immersive, pirate-themed classroom environment integrating puzzles and collaborative learning—funded through a Strategic Opportunity Stipend.
-
-
Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Facilitating artist networking and community engagementHosts quarterly in-person and online networking events for artists and creatives at venues like The Cherry Gallery in Ithaca, using registration systems to manage attendance and foster connections within the local arts community.
-
-
Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Funding arts projects and artist development through grant programsAwards grants to artists and cultural organizations in Tompkins County through multiple programs, including the Strategic Opportunity Stipend, Arts and Clean Energy Awareness Grant, and regranting funds from NYSCA’s Statewide Community Regrant Program. Since 1992, has distributed over $8.5 million, including $259,304 to more than 125 artists and organizations and $50,000 to 54 artists for career advancement.
-
-
Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Operating public arts events and exhibitionsOrganizes and hosts recurring public arts events including the Greater Ithaca Art Trail, Ithaca Artist Market, Spring Writes Literary Festival, CAP-a-Palooza Art Sale, and Gallery Night exhibits at CAP ArtSpace. These include in-person studio tours, multi-day art markets featuring over 80 artists, and 9-day annual art sales of donated works to support operations and grants.
-
-
Arts Education Professional Development 1 activity
- Providing professional development and career planning resources for artistsOffers workshops, panel discussions, and online resources to support artists’ professional growth, including 'Map Your Creative Career' sessions via Zoom, grant writing advice workshops, and recorded materials on fundraising and selling artwork. Provides tools for creating 3–5 year career plans.
-
-
Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 1 activity
- Serving as fiscal sponsor for artist grant recipientsActs as a fiscal sponsor for individual artists receiving external grants, such as two Tompkins County artists who received $10,000 NYSCA "Support for Artists" grants each, enabling them to access funding they could not receive directly.
-
-
Uncategorized 1 activity
- Administering the Tompkins County Poet Laureate programManages the biennial selection and appointment of the Tompkins County Poet Laureate, including soliciting nominations, convening a selection panel, and supporting community integration of poetry. Most recently appointed nicole v. basta as Poet Laureate for 2025–2026.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$588K
Contributions & grants$522K89%
Program service revenue$60K10%
Investment income$3K1%
Other revenue$2K
expenses
Total expenses$540K
Program expenses91%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$151K
Grants paid out$244K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$580K
Cash$352K
Investments$79K
Liabilities$82K
Net assets$498K
Liquid reserves9.6 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +44.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Megan Barber | Executive Director | 40 | $67K |
board members · 9
- Dara Engler — Vice President
- Gladys Brangman — Board member
- Kathy Henion — President
- Nick Goldsmith — Secretary
- Paulina Velazquez Solis — Board Member
- Reid Palmer — Board member
- Ritza Francois — Board Member
- Seth Hiland — Board Member
- Tom Bouman — Treasurer
relationships · 39
Who they work with
- ArtTrail.com Partner — Partner website hosting the Greater Ithaca Art Trail platform.
- Buffalo Street Books Partner — Hosts Spring Writes Literary Festival workshops and events in partnership with CAP.
- Business Leaders of Colors Partner — Gladys Brangman, a board member, founded Business Leaders of Colors, suggesting an affiliation with the organization.
- Community Foundation of Tompkins County Funder — Co-funder of the Strategic Opportunity Stipend program through the Tompkins Today and Tomorrow Fund & Maralyn W. Fleming Fund.
- Community Foundation of Tompkins County Funder — Funder of CAP's Strategic Opportunity Stipend program.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension Partner — Partner in the Arts and Clean Energy Awareness Grant, providing program funding through its Smart Energy Choices program.
- Cornell University Partner — Multiple board members have affiliations with Cornell University, including Whitney Tassie at the Einhorn Center and Carrie Irwin at the Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, indicating institutional connections.
- Coughlin and Gerhart Partner — Annual sponsor of the ArtSpace Gallery
- Crows Nest Artists Partner — Collaborating with CAP to design and install a public sculpture in Enfield.
- East Hill Jazz Group Partner — Provides live music at the Ithaca Artist Market
- Einhard Center for Community Engagement Partner — Board member Whitney Tassie is Grants and Award Coordinator at the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement at Cornell University, indicating a connection between the organizations.
- Enfield Food Pantry Partner — Engaging patrons and leadership in the co-creation of the Enfield public sculpture.
- Freeville Elementary School Partner — Host site for the implementation of The Escape Room arts-education program.
- Freeville Elementary School Partner — Host site for the implementation of the "The Escape Room" immersive arts-education program.
- Gayogohó:nǫˀ Learning Project Partner — Partnering with CAP to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and cultural practices into the public sculpture project.
- Greater Ithaca Art Trail Partner — Collaborates on joint events including Artist Talks and Open Studios.
- Greater Ithaca Art Trail Partner — Collaborates on organizing and promoting the Greater Ithaca Art Trail as a key public arts event.
- Greater Ithaca Art Trail Partner — Operated in partnership with CAP as a public arts program.
- Ithaca Farmers Market Partner — Host site partner for the Ithaca Artist Market
- Marina Gershon Partner — Collaborating artist who developed and implemented "The Escape Room" arts-education project with support from CAP's Strategic Opportunity Stipend.
- Marina Gershon Partner — Collaborator and grantee who developed The Escape Room arts-education project with support from CAP.
- New York Foundation for the Arts Partner — Kelly Olshan, a Senior Learning Program Officer at NYFA, leads professional development workshops for CAP
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Major supporter of CAP and a state agency providing significant funding.
- New York State Council on the Arts Partner — Partner in administering the Statewide Community Regrant program and source of funding for CAP's grant programs.
- Park Foundation Funder — Board member Nick Goldsmith is a program officer with the Park Foundation, indicating a potential funding relationship.
- Spring Writes Literary Festival Partner — Co-hosts literary workshops and events at Buffalo Street Books.
- Spring Writes Literary Festival Partner — Collaborates with CAP as a jointly operated literary festival program.
- SpringWrites.org Partner — Partner website for posting events and applications for the Spring Writes Literary Festival.
- Thaler & Thaler P.C Partner — Business sponsor of the Ithaca Artist Market
- The Cherry Gallery Partner — Host venue for quarterly networking events for artists and creatives.
+ 9 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Artist-Centered Ecosystem Developmentmethodology: community-based arts developmentBy supporting artists through grants, professional development, and public engagement opportunities, we strengthen the local arts ecosystem because building individual artist capacity and visibility leads to a more resilient, diverse, and accessible creative culture.
- Civic Integration of the Artsmethodology: civic-art-integrationBy embedding arts into civic institutions—such as through the Poet Laureate program—we strengthen cultural identity and public engagement because formal recognition of artists elevates their role in community life and fosters ongoing civic dialogue.
- Community-Engaged Public Art Developmentmethodology: community-engaged artBy grounding public art in deep community engagement, especially with historically marginalized groups, we ensure that creative projects reflect community identity and promote equity because authentic representation strengthens ownership and cultural relevance.
- Equitable Cross-Cultural Collaboration via Two Row Wampummethodology: Two Row Wampum collaborationBy structuring collaborative art projects around the Two Row Wampum principles, we foster equitable partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities because this framework centers mutual respect, shared decision-making, and historical awareness.
- Immersive Arts Education for Creative Learningmethodology: immersive-arts-educationBy integrating storytelling, puppetry, and collaborative problem-solving into theme-based arts experiences, we engage students in creative learning because immersive, interdisciplinary methods foster deeper cognitive and emotional engagement in elementary education.