The Arison Arts Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2005 and based in Coral Gables, Florida. The foundation is dedicated to nurturing and supporting young artists as they pursue their dreams, with a focus on emerging artists in visual, literary, design, and performing arts, as well as the institutions that foster and nurture them.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$381.2M
-6.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$38.8M
+30.6% YoY
Grant Count
130
+19.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$298K
+9.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary focus areas include:
- Supporting emerging artists in underserved communities
- Arts education programs
- Visual, literary, design, and performing arts
- Institutions that foster and nurture artists
Under the leadership of Sarah Arison, the foundation has expanded its priorities to include aggressive support for emerging artists in underserved communities. While the foundation supports organizations of all sizes, large cultural landmarks number significantly among its grantees and receive the largest sums.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates through a private, invitation-only grant-making process. The foundation does not have a public website and does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Grant Range
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- New York
- Florida
- California
With particular emphasis on New York City and Miami.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $381,157,410
- Total revenues: $21,343,622
- Total expenses: $45,858,800
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $407,000,000
- Total revenues: $15,300,000
- Total expenses: $38,600,000
Total Liabilities: $0
Staffing: The foundation operates with 2 employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $381,157,410 | $406,877,897 | $423,109,244 |
| Revenue | $21,343,622 | $15,345,445 | $51,525,223 |
| Expenses | $45,858,800 | $38,635,187 | $41,413,382 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $39,257,917 | $29,969,305 | $29,274,811 |
| Net Investment Income | $14,194,397 | $7,128,103 | $39,925,307 |
| Distributable Amount | $22,353,487 | $21,597,666 | $22,159,479 |
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
250 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
Key Personnel:
- Sarah Arison - President (Co-Afo LLC)
- John J O'Neil - Trustee
- Harry Hersh - Trustee
- Richard Kohan - Principal Officer (Afo LLC)
The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARAH ARISON CO AFO LLC | PRESIDENT | 55 | $97,500 |
| JOHN J O'NEIL CO AFO LLC | AVP/ASSISTANT TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| RICHARD L KOHAN CO AFO LLC | AVP/TREASURER/SECRETARY | 1.5 | — |
| WELLS FARGO BANK NA | TRUSTEE | 5 | $689,587 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
New World Symphony received a $30 million endowment gift from the Arison Arts Foundation
New World Symphony receives $30 Million Endowment Gift from the Arison ArtsAmerican Ballet Theatre received a $500,000 matching gift from the Arison Arts Foundation
ABT News - American Ballet TheatreThe YoungArts Lin Arison Excellence in Writing Award is presented annually through the foundation's support
Honor Giardini Receives 2025 YoungArts Lin Arison Excellence in Writing AwardSubject 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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