The mission of the Niagara Area Foundation (NAF) is to address the philanthropic void in Niagara County through charitable efforts. Established in 2000 by a collective of individuals from the private and nonprofit sectors, NAF aims to support and positively impact the community of Niagara County.
The grant provided by the Oliver G. & Sarah Sloan Bauman Fund for the Arts supports the performance of traditional, classical ballet and opera. Priority is given to Tier 1 Awards for performances in the English, European, or Russian schools that preserve the originality of their compositions—in traditional choreography for ballets and in original languages for operas, with certain exceptions accepted as traditional by the Metropolitan Opera Company of New York. If additional funds are available, Tier 2 Awards support high-quality performances of traditional or classical works in music, theater, or ballet through responsible music or theater nonprofits. The grants are preferably offered as matching funds to encourage contributions from other sources.