Learn about visual arts grants by browsing our curated list of top visual arts funders below. Members can also research funding opportunities by using the search tool for GrantFinder. Become a member.
Key Funders
Reynolds Foundation
Trends in Visual Arts Funding
Extraordinarily wealthy individual donors tend to dominate visual arts philanthropy. These individuals have tried to fill the funding gap of retreating governments and corporations. According to SMU DataArts’ 2019 report, average giving from individuals in the arts sector has outpaced inflation. Indeed, more than half of all billionaire donors gave money to arts and culture.
These major donors—and to a large extent, prominent foundations—have been allocating sizable portions of their wealth to large museums that are embarking on ambitious expansion and renovation projects, even in the face of COVID-19 and racial equity work.
Even so, the arts and culture sector was greatly impacted by COVID shutdowns and mandates for reduced capacity. Many local philanthropic resources prioritized basic needs (food, shelter, social services), leaving arts and culture organizations to fend for themselves.
Given this dynamic, the arts community is left to consider to what extent donors—the lifeblood of the arts funding sector—and major foundations will continue to support museum expansion projects at a pre-2020 level or pivot toward more overt justice-oriented giving and historically underfunded organizations.
National Foundations & Regional Foundations for Visual Arts
AG FOUNDATION
The AG Foundation primarily funds visual arts grantmaking related to modern and contemporary art museums, and arts education.
AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
AAS funds fellowships that improve the American people’s understanding of pre-twentieth century history.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN
This funder makes grants to women academics and supports women and girls through activism and empowerment.
AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express supports leadership, historic preservation and the communities served by its parent company in the U.S. and abroad. Funding in the U.S. prioritizes, but is not limited to Phoenix, New York City, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, South Florida and Washington D.C.
THE ANDERSON CENTER
The Anderson Center is an artist community in rural Minnesota that provides opportunities for residencies and retreats. It supports the visual arts in the upper Midwest.
ANNENBERG FOUNDATION
Annenberg is willing to “…take measured risks” in its fine arts grantmaking. We don’t know what the foundation considers to be risky, but at least it presents an open mind in its grantmaking.
ANONYMOUS WAS A WOMAN
Anonymous Was A Woman provides unrestricted grants to female artists over age 40, in recognition of those artists’ accomplishments, growth and quality of work. These grants are a big deal at $25,000 for unrestricted funds.
ARCADIA FUND
The Arcadia Fund supports museums, archives and universities in its visual arts grantmaking.
ARISON ARTS FOUNDATION
The Arison Arts Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to arts education, art museums, and the performing arts.
ARTADIA
Artadia supports the visual arts through grantmaking in the cities of Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York.
ARTS WRITERS
Arts Writers grants support established and emerging writers who write about visual art.
ASTRAEA LESBIAN FOUNDATION FOR JUSTICE
Astraea funds grants for lesbians and queer women, trans and gender non-conforming people, intersex people, and people of color. The foundation also supports rights organizations that advance racial, economic, and gender-related justice.
AYRSHIRE FOUNDATION
The foundation sees “community culture” as a vital aspect of positive change, and visual arts as a key component of community culture. But it only funds in some geographic areas.
BANK OF AMERICA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Provides visuals arts for universities, art museums, performing arts, and work readiness in the arts.
A BLADE OF GRASS
A Blade of Grass seeks social change through the arts. It supports outside-the-box artistic thinkers and artists through fellowship programs.
DEBRA AND LEON BLACK FAMILY FOUNDATION
Most grantseekers won't get far here, but Black is a serious collector and arts philanthropist in New York City and beyond.
BNSF RAILWAY FOUNDATION
The BNSF Railway Foundation funds various artistic and cultural institutions.
BOGLIASCO FOUNDATION
The Bogliasco Foundation, near Genoa in Italy, provides short residencies to scholars and creative artists from all over the world.
LOUIS L. BORICK FOUNDATION
Borick funds nonprofit art organizations that increase access to arts education, art institutions, and museums.
DANIEL AND ESTRELLITA BRODSKY FAMILY FOUNDATION
This couple's foundation backs the arts in New York City, with a particular focus on Latin American art. The foundation supports major New York institutions, including the Met, MoMA and New York Botanical Garden.
BROWN FOUNDATION
The Brown Foundation supports visual arts organizations across the United States with a focus on museums.
MARGARET A. CARGILL FOUNDATION
Cargill supports a variety of arts-related projects; however, it prioritizes projects related to folk and Native American arts.
E. RHODES AND LEONA B. CARPENTER FOUNDATION
The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation invests in local art museums and galleries.
AMON G. CARTER FOUNDATION
This funder makes grants to promote and strengthen Tarrant County, Texas, which includes Fort Worth.
CINTAS FOUNDATION
The Cintas foundation prioritizes grantmaking for creative artists with Cuban citizenship or who have a Cuban parent or grandparent. Its funding areas include architecture and design, music composition, the visual arts, and writing.
STEVEN A. AND ALEXANDRA M. COHEN FOUNDATION
Finance billionaire Steve Cohen and his wife have an interest in art and a vast fortune. And while their foundation mainly funds in Connecticut and New York City, they've recently been reaching westward to Los Angeles.
CRANKSTART FOUNDATION
The Crankstart Foundation’s visual arts grants support museums around the United States.
CREATIVE CAPITAL
Creative Capital grants are limited to $50,000. But getting a Creative Capital grant means that you will get a ton of help with professional development, financial management and marketing—services with immeasurable value for artists.
BARBARA DEMING MEMORIAL FUND
The Barbara Deming Memorial Fund makes modest grants to feminist visual artists, writers, and poets.
DIOGENES CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The Diogenes Charitable Foundation’s visual arts grants typically funds larger, well-known museums.
DOBKIN FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Dobkin Family Foundation awards grants to support a wide variety of arts institutions and projects across the United States.
DORSEY & WHITNEY FOUNDATION
This foundation of a national law firm describes itself as “an enthusiastic supporter of cultural programs and initiatives.” An open application process and its commitment to offering general support to arts organizations are compelling reasons to introduce your visual arts program.
MAX AND VICTORIA DREYFUS FOUNDATION
Funder created upon the death of famed music publisher Max Dreyfus, who worked with American greats like George Gershwin and Cole Porter. The foundation provides modest grants that make a big difference.
DORIS DUKE FOUNDATION
While the foundation doesn’t list the visual arts as a priority, Duke has funded some arts and culture organizations that promote visual arts.
EHRENKRANZ FAMILY FOUNDATION
The couple's arts philanthropy focuses largely on New York City, with a focus on photography and contemporary art. They are huge art collectors.
ENTERGY FOUNDATION
Entergy funds early childhood education organizations that work with low-income and underserved communities.
FIDELITY FOUNDATION
The Fidelity Foundation views arts and culture, including the visual arts (and especially support of museums), as a primary focus of its philanthropic pursuits. It takes a rigorous business-model approach to the types of projects it funds.
FIRSTENERGY FOUNDATION
The FirstEnergy Foundation gives very modest amounts to a long list of organizations, but is a steadfast supporter of visual arts organizations, particularly of museums and arts centers.
FLORA FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Flora Family Foundation supports arts and culture organizations throughout the U.S., and this includes visual arts; however, this is not a significant area of grantmaking for the foundation. Flora does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. Grant proposals are considered by invitation only.
FORD FOUNDATION
With more than $11 billion in assets, the Ford Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. It prioritizes addressing inequality and fostering social change.
FOUNDATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS
The FCA supports a wide range of visual artists, including photographers, sculptors, performance artists, and more. Expect stiff competition for the small number of unrestricted grants offered here.
PHILIP AND IRENE TOLL GAGE FOUNDATION
The Philp and Irene Toll Gage Foundation quietly supports visual arts organizations in the United States and abroad.
DAVID GEFFEN FOUNDATION
The David Geffen Foundation funds a range of visual arts organizations across the United States.
GEORGIA-PACIFIC FOUNDATION
Philanthropic arm of the major paper manufacturer supports visual arts through its community enrichment focus; unique in that all giving funds general operating support.
GETTY FOUNDATION
Visual arts constitute the foundation’s largest area of giving, and its programs and initiatives change frequently. Funding supports the production of public art exhibits at museums and galleries as well as art and architecture conservation and professional development programs for museum professionals.
GILDER FOUNDATION
The Gilder Foundation supports visual arts organizations around the country with strong support going to museums.
GLICK PHILANTHROPIES
Makes modest grants to a wide range of organizations, primarily but not exclusively in the Indianapolis area. No web presence, so best to reach out to the board.
ELIZABETH FIRESTONE GRAHAM FOUNDATION
This funder only supports contemporary visual art, specifically emerging or under-recognized artists, with a focus on promoting their work.
GETTY FOUNDATION
The Getty Foundation's set of initiatives is in constant flux. Some are core to its priorities and are maintained longer than others.
GRAHAM FOUNDATION FOR ADVANCED STUDIES IN FINE ARTS
This funder is about as niche as they come. It backs visual artists and arts organizations engaged with architecture.
ELIZABETH GREENSHIELDS FOUNDATION
The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation supports early career artists in painting, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking.
JOHN SIMON GUGGENHEIM MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
This foundation does not award grants. Rather, it awards a large number of fellowships to fine artists and those working in other disciplines around the world. Guggenheim awarded around 200 fellowships in 2012.
THE YIP HARBURG FOUNDATION
The Yip Harburg Foundation makes grants in support of social and political activism in keeping with its founder’s legacy.
HEARST FOUNDATIONS
Grants from the Hearst Foundations benefit existing, high-achieving organizations with budgets over $1 million. Its focus on culture includes a substantial commitment to visual arts, and museums in particular.
WILLIAM H. HURT FOUNDATION
The William H. Hurt Foundation invests in fine arts institutions.
JAPAN-UNITED STATES FRIENDSHIP COMMISSION
This funder is an independent federal government agency that supports projects that highlight the cultural, educational, and intellectual exchange between the United States and Japan.
ALEX KATZ FOUNDATION
The Alex Katz Foundation was launched to collect contemporary art. Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine is a particular site of philanthropy, as are other university museums and art museum.
ANNA-MARIA AND STEPHEN KELLEN FOUNDATION
Based in New York City, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation supports visual arts organizations across the United States; however; it appears to prioritize organizations located on the East Coast.
F.M. KIRBY FOUNDATION
The F.M. Kirby Foundation support a wide range of visual and performing arts organizations across the country.
KNIGHT FOUNDATION
Knight’s Fostering the Arts Program is big, making over 100 grants to artists in all disciplines around the country. Knight awards grants for a multitude of artistic endeavors including music, exhibitions, lecture series, dance and museums.
MARIE-JOSEE AND HENRY KRAVIS FOUNDATION
The foundation of a billionaire collector couple isn't open to grantseekers, and mainly gives in New York. But the couple's arts philanthropy is expanding.
KRESGE FOUNDATION
The Kresge Foundation supports arts and culture organizations working in low-income areas of major cities across the United States.
LANNAN FOUNDATION
Lannan Foundation prioritizes contemporary artists who are in their “mid- to senior-career stages,” and more generally supports work to create a broader audience and awareness of contemporary art.
LEFKOFSKY FAMILY FOUNDATION
This family’s visuals arts grants tend to fund large visual arts venues and events.
LEON LEVY FOUNDATION
Levy’s Arts and Humanities Program supports multiple disciples of fine art. Almost all of its grants in the arts fund art institutions and museums in New York City and the immediate surrounding area. Unsolicited proposals are not accepted.
HENRY LUCE FOUNDATION
Luce’s American Art Program awards grants in decorative art and fine art as well as scholarly art programs and dissertations in painting, sculpture, prints, drawings, photography and architecture. Luce’s grantmaking is limited to the United States.
MACY'S
Macy’s makes substantial grants in the area of arts and culture, and visual arts are at the forefront of this giving (especially museums). Some of this funding comes from the foundation, but much more is given directly by the corporation.
ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE FOUNDATION
The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation focuses its visual arts grants on photography.
MARTIN Z. MARGULIES FOUNDATION
The Martin Z. Margulies Foundation focuses on presenting exhibitions and educational programs related to the visual arts.
PIERRE AND TANA MATISSE FOUNDATION
The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation funds programs which advance arts education in public, charter, and parochial schools in New York City, supports scholarly research in the arts, loans works of art to museums for special exhibitions, and awards art-related project grants to museums, libraries and universities
MAURER FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Maurer Family Foundation aims to provide financial assistance to those organizations and institutions whose goal is to enrich their communities and the lives of their patrons through programs of cultural value.
ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION
The Mellon Foundation principally funds projects that focus on Art History, conservation, and museums.
MICHELIN CORPORATE FOUNDATION
The Michelin Corporate Foundation supports a wide range of visual arts organizations around the world. It visual arts grantmaking supports work that addresses preserving local heritage.
JOAN MITCHELL FOUNDATION
This funder mostly backs painters and sculptors, with lucrative grants and residencies available for different career phases and professional circumstances. Applications are typically by invitation only.
MOODY'S FOUNDATION
The Moody’s Foundation support larger visual arts organizations across the country.
MORRISON & FOERSTER FOUNDATION
The Morrison & Foerster Foundation supports local and visual arts organizations.
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
NEA is an independent government organization that leads arts funding and invests in art projects that advance artistic American excellence.
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF AMERICAN PEN WOMEN
National League of American Pen Women seeks to increase the visibility of women artists in the art world. It’s funding priorities include music, visual arts, and writing.
NATIONAL YOUNGARTS FOUNDATION
Emerging visual artists 15 to 18 years old are eligible for National Youth Arts Foundation grants. The NYAF’s goal is to cultivate and develop the next generation of artists with mentorship, scholarships, and other opportunities.
OPEN MEADOWS FOUNDATION
Open Meadows grants support women and girls leading and benefitting from art projects that address activism and social justice.
LILLIAN ORLOWSKY AND WILLIAM FREED FOUNDATION
This foundation has a very specific grant focus—American painters aged at least 45, not well known, and in financial need.
PEW CENTER FOR ARTS AND HERITAGE
The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage awards grants exclusively to organizations and individuals in the five-county Southeastern Pennsylvania region. It supports artists and organizations with ambitious, imaginative projects.
POLLOCK-KRASNER FOUNDATION
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation gives grants to painters, sculptors, and artists who work on and with paper, including printmakers.
PUFFIN FOUNDATION
In its grantmaking dedicated to visual arts, Puffin Foundation supports photographers across the United States.
DOROTHEA AND LEO RABKIN FOUNDATION
The Dorothea and Leo Rabkin Foundation invests in visual arts journalists, writers, and critics.
ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG FOUNDATION
Rauschenberg supports small and mid-sized visual arts groups and organizations.
MANUEL RIVERA-ORTIZ FOUNDATION
The foundation offers visual arts grants for photography that centers on photo reportage seeking to act as a catalyst for social change.
ROCHE
Grants from this program prioritize music, but also occasionally support the visual arts and architecture.
ROSENTHAL FAMILY FOUNDATION
Visual arts grants through this funder focus on painting fellowships.
SALESFORCE FOUNDATION
Salesforce takes a broad approach toward its grantmaking and invests in a variety of visual arts-related organizations and projects.
W. EUGENE SMITH FUND
The W. Eugene Smith Fund supports individual photographers developing projects in humanistic photography.
SOCIETY OF CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS
This funder has a wide array of grants and awards for children’s book illustrators.
SPRINT FOUNDATION
Sprint largely awards its visual arts grants to smaller and local museums, arts, and culture centers.
SURDNA FOUNDATION
Surdna's arts support falls under its Thriving Cultures Program, which supports "efforts to encourage teens to explore the arts, involve artists in community development projects and foster the growth and success of local artists as economic engines and agents for social change."
SUSTAINABLE ARTS FOUNDATION
This foundation’s grants and artist residencies support artists and writers with children.
TERRA FOUNDATION FOR AMERICAN ART
The Terra Foundation’s grantmaking largely focuses on visual arts produced in “what is now the geographic United States” circa 1500 to 1980.
CARL AND MARILYNN THOMA ART FOUNDATION
Thoma's visual arts grants support curatorial research and planning, arts writing, publications, exhibitions and performances, lectures, symposia, and educational events.
TRELLIS CHARITABLE FUND
The Trellis Charitable Trust does not outline specific goals for its visual arts grantmaking, but has demonstrated an interest in photographic exhibitions.
EMILY HALL TREMAINE FOUNDATION
Tremaine supports projects that seek to expand career opportunities for visual artists, as well as skills building, networking, and learning programs for curators.
UNION PACIFIC FOUNDATION
This funder places a consistent emphasis on culture and the arts. Funding for the visual arts is at the top of the foundation's arts giving list.
UNITED STATES ARTISTS
United States Artists gives out as many as 50 unrestricted $50,000 grants directly to artistic creators each year. Support for visual artists is at the forefront of this giving. This is a very competitive grant.
U.S. BANCORP FOUNDATION
A significant grantor of visual arts organizations in 25 states—particularly museums. The foundation views arts and culture support as part of a larger context of community development and uplift.
ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts fosters "innovative artistic expression and the creative process by encouraging and supporting cultural organizations that in turn, directly or indirectly, support artists and their work."
WELLS FARGO FOUNDATION
Supports arts and culture in the 44 states where Wells Fargo does business. Support for visual arts (particularly museums) is a major focus.
HELENE WURLITZER FOUNDATION
The Wurlitzer Foundation does not award traditional grants. Its philanthropy consists of three-month residencies for visual artists, writers and musical composers.
VIA ART FUND
The VIA Fund supports individual artists, curators, and small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations working the contemporary arts space.
ZEGAR FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Zegar Family Foundation’s visual arts grants generally focus on museums and historical preservation organizations.
Additional Resources
Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) is the national network of private, public and corporate arts funders focused on providing “leadership and service that advances the use of philanthropic and governmental resources to support the growth of the arts and culture.”
Americans for the Arts, which primarily works to advance the arts in the United States, is an important organization for the dance community. Its website includes white papers and research on fundraising trends and best practices.
SMU DataArts’ mission is “to empower arts and cultural leaders with high-quality data and evidence-based resources and insights that help them to overcome challenges and increase impact.” SMU DataArts provides resources for arts organizations, fundraisers and arts grantmakers.
American Alliance of Museums is a nonprofit association focused on developing standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and advocating on issues of concern to the museum community.
