The Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation focuses on place-based economic revitalization across Chautauqua County, funding municipal infrastructure, downtown redevelopment, tourism/branding, and small business/site redevelopment projects. Grants frequently support public‑private partnerships, cultural assets and event/tourism growth that drive local economic activity, and workforce/manufacturing pipeline initiatives. Their work is highly locally focused—awarding many grants to towns, villages, county agencies and repeat regional intermediaries to execute visible, project‑level improvements.
A 2025 OCR community renewal grant of $89,000 to Ghostfish Brewing in Westfield shows the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation’s pattern: project-level capital for local redevelopment that can be tied to a place, a site, or a district. Across its recent grants, the corporation backs downtown improvements, site reuse, tourism and branding work, and cultural assets that support local economic activity in Chautauqua County. The grant list also shows a strong preference for municipal and community intermediaries. City and village governments, county agencies, development corporations, and local nonprofits appear repeatedly, often in support of specific public-private projects such as gateway improvements, main-street work, park upgrades, and tourism-related planning. The foundation’s support extends to workforce and manufacturing pipeline efforts as well, including programming for entry-level career exposure and advanced manufacturing. Grant sizes in the recent record cluster around modest project awards rather than large, open-ended commitments. The foundation’s funding is local and entirely within New York recipients, with repeated attention to places such as Jamestown, Dunkirk, Westfield, Lakewood, and Fredonia. The overall picture is of a place-based funder using targeted grants to advance visible economic development projects across the county.
In downtown and main-street revitalization, the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation funded the City of Dunkirk with $50,000 for the Lake Shore Drive Complete Streets Project. It also supported the Village of Sherman with $25,000 for the NY Main Street Restoration Project and $17,664 for downtown visioning and design complete streets work. Tourism, branding, and visitor-oriented placemaking appear as another clear line of support. The City of Jamestown received $25,000 for tourism branding and marketing, while the Town of Westfield got $22,000 for the Barcelona Beach Hamlet Gateway project. Cultural and arts venues are part of the same economic-development strategy. The foundation awarded $25,000 to Reg Lenna Center for the Arts for theater seats and auditorium improvements, and $25,000 to the 1891 Fredonia Opera House for seat replacement. Workforce development also shows up through $30,000 to Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier for Dream It Do It projects and $25,000 to Dream It Do It Western New York for an advanced manufacturing program.
$504K
$1.9M
$1.6M
$1.5M
Most grants fall between $12K and $25K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$12K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$25K
RICHARD DIXON
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Moderately concentrated, regionally targeted giving: many mid‑sized grants ($20k–$90k) directed to local governments, regional intermediaries and repeat grantees. Emphasis is on project‑specific, capital or planning grants rather than unrestricted operating support, with multiple awards to the same municipalities and organizations to advance defined economic development projects.
Notable grantees: City of Dunkirk, City of Jamestown (Treasurer), Dream It Do It Western New York / Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, Ghostfish Brewing
Typical recent awards are in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $12,250, a median of $20,000, and a p75 of $25,000. That pattern fits a grantmaker favoring defined project budgets rather than very large, open-ended awards. The recent list also shows repeat support to some recipients over multiple years, including the City of Jamestown, which appears in 2024 and 2024 again for the same tourism branding and marketing grant category, and the Village of Sherman, which appears in 2024 and 2025 for related downtown work. The foundation is a local grantmaker, and the recipient pattern in the record is entirely New York-based.
The grant record is concentrated in western New York communities, with New York recipients accounting for 100% of recent grants. Jamestown appears frequently, along with Dunkirk, Westfield, Lakewood, Bemus Point, Fredonia, Sherman, and Silver Creek. The map of giving is clearly regional rather than statewide, with several awards landing in Chautauqua County municipalities and county-connected organizations. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Recent grants support downtown and main-street revitalization, tourism branding, public-private site redevelopment, cultural venue improvements, and workforce development. Examples in the record include complete streets work, gateway and park projects, theater seating, and advanced manufacturing programming.
The recent distribution centers on small project grants: p25 is $12,250, median grant size is $20,000, and p75 is $25,000. Several awards sit right at $25,000, with some larger project-specific grants above that level.
Yes. The geographic scope is local, and 100% of the recent grants in the record go to recipients in New York. The cities and towns named most often are in Chautauqua County and nearby western New York communities.
The City of Jamestown appears in 2024 with a tourism branding and marketing grant, and the Village of Sherman appears in both 2024 and 2025 for related downtown and complete streets work. That suggests some multi-year support for projects that move through planning and implementation.
The record points to project-specific, time-limited grants for visible local improvements. Awards are frequently tied to named projects, such as streetscape work, site redevelopment, park upgrades, and workforce initiatives, often through municipalities, development corporations, or partner organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GHOSTFISH BREWING | WESTFIELD, NY | $89,000 | 2025 | OCR COMMUNITY RENEWAL GRANT |
| CHQ VENTURES LLC | BUSTI, NY | $66,611 | 2025 | OCR COMMUNITY RENEWAL GRANT |
| VILLAGE OF BEMUS POINT | BEMUS POINT, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; MASTER PLAN:STRATEGIC GROWTH PROJECT, KAYAK AND CANOE LAUNCH |
| VILLAGE OF LAKEWOOD | LAKEWOOD, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; HARTLEY PARK WATERPARK REVITALIZATIO |
| CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AG & FAIR ASSOCIATION | DUNKIRK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT;CHAUT COUNTY FAIR CONCEPTUAL PLANNING |
| CHAUTAUQUA OPPORTUNITIES INC | DUNKIRK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - ARROWHEAD REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT |
| 1891 FREDONIA OPERA HOUSE | FREDONIA, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; SEAT REPLACEMENT PROJECT |
| 42 LAKE ERIE | SILVER CREEK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | OCR COMMUNITY RENEWAL GRANT |
| DREAM IT DO IT WESTERN NEW YORK | JAMESTOWN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PROGRAM |
| REG LENNA CENTER FOR THE ARTS | JAMESTOWN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; THEATER SEATS & AUDITORIUM IMPROV. |
| NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER INC | JAMESTOWN, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; KEY MARKET GROWTH PROJECT |
| CITY OF DUNKIRK | DUNKIRK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; SMART GROWTH ZONING CODE UPDATE |
| VILLAGE OF SHERMAN | SHERMAN, NY | $17,664 | 2025 | DOWNTOWN VISIONING & DESIGN COMPLETE STREETS; PARTIAL REIMB |
| BOUTWELL HILL SKI CLUB INC | JAMESTOWN, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | HOMESTEAD TRAIL DEI EXPANSION PROJECT GRANT AGREEMENT |
| ROBERT H JACKSON CENTER INC | JAMESTOWN, NY | $11,750 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; MUSEM PLANNING & CONCEPTUAL DESIGN |
| TOWN OF CLYMER | CLYMER, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | COMPLETE STREETS REIMBURSEMENT |
| CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | JAMESTOWN, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PROMOTION EFFORTS |
| COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AT FINDLEY LAKE | FINDLEY LAKE, NY | $8,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT;FINDLEY LAKE SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT |
| CHAUTAUQUA REGION MUSIC ALLIANCE | CHAUTAUQUA, NY | $7,500 | 2025 | GRAN FONDO 2024 75% ALLOCATION FROM COUNTY |
| ROGER TORY PETERSON INSTITUTE | JAMESTOWN, NY | $6,250 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; 2024 VIDEO AD CAMPAIGN FOR ANNIV |
| VILLAGE OF WESTFIELD | WESTFIELD, NY | $6,175 | 2025 | COMPLETE STREETS WALKABLE WESTFIELD PROJECT-PARTIAL REIMBURS |
| JAMESTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE | JAMESTOWN, NY | $6,000 | 2025 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT;HEALTHCARE EXPLORATION & IMMERSION DA |
| WB PROVISIONS LLC DBA SPLASH | BEMUS POINT, NY | $45,352 | 2024 | OCR#92SB518-22 |
| NORTHWEST ARENA | JAMESTOWN, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - THE ZONE PROJECT |
| CITY OF JAMESTOWN - TREASURER | JAMESTOWN, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | PARTNER GRANT AGREEMENT W/CCPEG-TOURISM BRANDING & MARKETING |
| CITY OF JAMESTOWN - TREASURER | JAMESTOWN, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | PARTNER GRANT AGREEMENT W/CCPEG-TOURISM BRANDING & MARKETING |
| VILLAGE OF SHERMAN | SHERMAN, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | HIGH PRIORITY PROJECT - NY MAIN STREET RESTORATION PROJECT |
| TOWN OF WESTFIELD | WESTFIELD, NY | $22,000 | 2024 | BARCELONA BEACH HAMLET GATEWAY-PARTNER GRANT AGREEMENT |
| IMAGINE FORESTVILLE | FORESTVILLE, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | FORESTVILLE B-2 DISTRICT GUIDELINES PROJECT |
| TOWN OF MINA | FINDLEY LAKE, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | FINDLEY LAKE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT |
| VILLAGE OF FALCONER | FALCONER, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - MAIN STREET GREEN SPACE |
| CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY | MAYVILLE, NY | $16,250 | 2024 | CREDC MATCHING CODE ENFORCEMENT STUDY |
| VILLAGE OF FREDONIA | FREDONIA, NY | $14,400 | 2024 | V/FREDONIA COMPREHENSIVE WATER SYSTEM EVALUATION PROJECT |
| CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY | MAYVILLE, NY | $13,012 | 2024 | LWRP PROJECT; REVENUE ACCT# H.8020.37968.R208.900 |
| CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | JAMESTOWN, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | HIGH PRIORITY PROJECT - CCCC SHOPLOCAL PHASE II PROJECT |
| CASSADAGA LAKES ASSOCATION | CASSADAGA, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | CCPEG HIGH PRIORITY PROJECT - KAYAK LAUNCH PROJECT |
| DREAM IT DO IT WESTERN NEW YORK | JAMESTOWN, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - DREAM IT DO IT CAREER INITIATIVE |
| WESTFIELD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | WESTFIELD, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - FIRST IMPRESSIONS CONTRACT - 2023 |
| JAMESTOWN RENAISSANCE CORPORATION | JAMESTOWN, NY | $7,500 | 2024 | CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - JAMESTOWN GOES MAIN STREET PROJECT |
| CITY OF DUNKIRK | DUNKIRK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | LAKE SHORE DRIVE COMPLETE STREETS PROJECT |
| MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTHERN TIER | JAMESTOWN, NY | $30,000 | 2023 | DREAM IT DO IT PROJECTS |
| WESTFIELD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | WESTFIELD, NY | $30,000 | 2023 | FIRST IMPRESSIONS: A PATHWAY TO VIBRANT DOWNTOWN PROJECT ($10,000) AND PORTAGE INN SITE DEVELOPMENT ($20,000) |
| LAKEWOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | LAKEWOOD, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | LAKEWOOD HARTLEY PARK IMPROVEMENTS |
| FREDONIA TECHNOLOGY INCUBATOR | DUNKIRK, NY | $20,000 | 2023 | STRATEGIC PLANNING PROGRAM |
| TOWN OF MINA | FINDLEY LAKE, NY | $13,000 | 2023 | FINDLEY LAKE FIRE REUSE STUDY PROJECT |
| CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | JAMESTOWN, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | SHOPLOCALCHQ PROGRAM |
GHOSTFISH BREWING
$89,000OCR COMMUNITY RENEWAL GRANT
CHQ VENTURES LLC
$66,611OCR COMMUNITY RENEWAL GRANT
VILLAGE OF BEMUS POINT
$30,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; MASTER PLAN:STRATEGIC GROWTH PROJECT, KAYAK AND CANOE LAUNCH
VILLAGE OF LAKEWOOD
$30,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; HARTLEY PARK WATERPARK REVITALIZATIO
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AG & FAIR ASSOCIATION
$25,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT;CHAUT COUNTY FAIR CONCEPTUAL PLANNING
CHAUTAUQUA OPPORTUNITIES INC
$25,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - ARROWHEAD REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT
1891 FREDONIA OPERA HOUSE
$25,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; SEAT REPLACEMENT PROJECT
42 LAKE ERIE
$25,000OCR COMMUNITY RENEWAL GRANT
DREAM IT DO IT WESTERN NEW YORK
$25,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PROGRAM
CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; THEATER SEATS & AUDITORIUM IMPROV.
CITY OF DUNKIRK
$20,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; SMART GROWTH ZONING CODE UPDATE
VILLAGE OF SHERMAN
$17,664DOWNTOWN VISIONING & DESIGN COMPLETE STREETS; PARTIAL REIMB
BOUTWELL HILL SKI CLUB INC
$15,000HOMESTEAD TRAIL DEI EXPANSION PROJECT GRANT AGREEMENT
CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; MUSEM PLANNING & CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
TOWN OF CLYMER
$10,000COMPLETE STREETS REIMBURSEMENT
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$10,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PROMOTION EFFORTS
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AT FINDLEY LAKE
$8,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT;FINDLEY LAKE SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT
CHAUTAUQUA REGION MUSIC ALLIANCE
$7,500GRAN FONDO 2024 75% ALLOCATION FROM COUNTY
ROGER TORY PETERSON INSTITUTE
$6,250CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT; 2024 VIDEO AD CAMPAIGN FOR ANNIV
VILLAGE OF WESTFIELD
$6,175COMPLETE STREETS WALKABLE WESTFIELD PROJECT-PARTIAL REIMBURS
JAMESTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$6,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT;HEALTHCARE EXPLORATION & IMMERSION DA
WB PROVISIONS LLC DBA SPLASH
$45,352OCR#92SB518-22
NORTHWEST ARENA
$25,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - THE ZONE PROJECT
CITY OF JAMESTOWN - TREASURER
$25,000PARTNER GRANT AGREEMENT W/CCPEG-TOURISM BRANDING & MARKETING
CITY OF JAMESTOWN - TREASURER
$25,000PARTNER GRANT AGREEMENT W/CCPEG-TOURISM BRANDING & MARKETING
VILLAGE OF SHERMAN
$25,000HIGH PRIORITY PROJECT - NY MAIN STREET RESTORATION PROJECT
TOWN OF WESTFIELD
$22,000BARCELONA BEACH HAMLET GATEWAY-PARTNER GRANT AGREEMENT
IMAGINE FORESTVILLE
$20,000FORESTVILLE B-2 DISTRICT GUIDELINES PROJECT
TOWN OF MINA
$20,000FINDLEY LAKE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT
VILLAGE OF FALCONER
$20,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - MAIN STREET GREEN SPACE
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY
$16,250CREDC MATCHING CODE ENFORCEMENT STUDY
VILLAGE OF FREDONIA
$14,400V/FREDONIA COMPREHENSIVE WATER SYSTEM EVALUATION PROJECT
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY
$13,012LWRP PROJECT; REVENUE ACCT# H.8020.37968.R208.900
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$10,000HIGH PRIORITY PROJECT - CCCC SHOPLOCAL PHASE II PROJECT
CASSADAGA LAKES ASSOCATION
$10,000CCPEG HIGH PRIORITY PROJECT - KAYAK LAUNCH PROJECT
DREAM IT DO IT WESTERN NEW YORK
$10,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - DREAM IT DO IT CAREER INITIATIVE
WESTFIELD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
$10,000CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - FIRST IMPRESSIONS CONTRACT - 2023
CCPEG PRIORITY PROJECT - JAMESTOWN GOES MAIN STREET PROJECT
CITY OF DUNKIRK
$50,000LAKE SHORE DRIVE COMPLETE STREETS PROJECT
MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTHERN TIER
$30,000DREAM IT DO IT PROJECTS
WESTFIELD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
$30,000FIRST IMPRESSIONS: A PATHWAY TO VIBRANT DOWNTOWN PROJECT ($10,000) AND PORTAGE INN SITE DEVELOPMENT ($20,000)
LAKEWOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
$25,000LAKEWOOD HARTLEY PARK IMPROVEMENTS
FREDONIA TECHNOLOGY INCUBATOR
$20,000STRATEGIC PLANNING PROGRAM
TOWN OF MINA
$13,000FINDLEY LAKE FIRE REUSE STUDY PROJECT
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$10,000SHOPLOCALCHQ PROGRAM