The Alexa Rose Howell Cultural Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Boise, Idaho, established in January 2015. The foundation was created in honor of Alexa Rose Howell (1947-2013), a longtime Boise resident, teacher, and artist who worked across multiple artistic disciplines including painting, poetry, theater, dance, and puppetry. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization dedicated to supporting artists and arts leaders in the Pacific Northwest region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.3M
-8.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$176K
+26.3% YoY
Grant Count
32
-34.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+93.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on supporting individual artists and advancing transformative arts leaders while building their capacity to grow opportunities within the artistic community. The foundation operates from the belief that art has inherent benefit to communities and that artists should be treated as working professionals with valuable skill sets.
Primary funding areas include:
- Arts and Culture & Humanities
- Education
- Fund Raising and Fund Distribution
- Support for individual artists across all artistic disciplines
- Professional development and capacity building for arts leaders
Grantmaking
The foundation makes merit-based awards to established artists demonstrating extraordinary dedication to their creative practice and a track record of community impact, mentorship, and giving back.
Grant Range
approximately $11,000
Average Grant
approximately $11,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds cultural projects in:
- Idaho (primary focus, including Boise, Caldwell, and Eagle)
- Alaska
- Oregon (including Portland)
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $1,375,524
- Total Revenue: $216,670
- Total Expenses: $341,701
- Total Liabilities: $74,800
Revenue Breakdown (2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $15,431
- Net rental income: $60,688
- Total grants, contributions: $0
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $1,260,042
- Total Giving: $176,204
The foundation's primary revenue source is rental income from not debt-financed property used for exempt purposes.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,260,042 | $1,375,524 | $1,490,125 |
| Revenue | $220,582 | $216,670 | $208,754 |
| Expenses | $402,699 | $341,701 | $278,957 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $176,204 | $139,563 | $137,221 |
| Net Investment Income | — | $14,532 | $67,018 |
| Distributable Amount | — | $25,757 | $28,864 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
231 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Alex Davis – Director Davis brings extensive experience in arts, education, and community development. She served as co-producer and moderator of the James Castle House Inaugural Symposium, Board Chair of The Cabin literary arts center, and co-creator and executive producer of The Ed Sessions. She has led significant public initiatives including Boise's Livable City campaign and the Go On, Idaho statewide education campaign with the Albertson Family Foundation. From 2020-2022, she served as Managing Director for TRICA creative arts.
Meridian Negilski – Artist Services Coordinator A multidisciplinary artist, choreographer, and educator.
Kenneth Howell – Trustee Serves without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KENNETH HOWELL | Trustee | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has actively awarded fellowships and grants to artists in the Treasure Valley region. Recent fellowship recipients include Grant Olsen (2024 Fellow). The foundation has supported multiple artists through its grant programs, with recipients affiliated with Boise State University's School of the Arts and other regional arts organizations.
Six artists see the 'Light of Day,' thanks to the Alexa Rose Foundation |Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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—
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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