Arison Arts Foundation
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.
Key facts about Arison Arts Foundation
- EIN
- 13-7450689
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $38,751,540
- Grants made (2024)
- 130
- Average grant
- $298,089
- Median grant
- $30,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (41 of 130, 2024)
- Total assets
- $381,157,410
- Primary geography
- Florida (52% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Arison Arts Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Arison Arts Foundation's 130 itemized 2024 grants were Florida (52%) and New York (40%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (59 grants), Brooklyn, NY (14 grants), Miami, FL (11 grants) and Miami Beach, FL (4 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Arison Arts Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 41 of 130 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $52K; repeat grants $412K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $63K repeat.
- 62% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 72% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 176% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Arison Arts Foundation
- How to evaluate Arison Arts Foundation as a funder
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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
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arison Arts Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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
s:**
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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
Share of all 130 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
456 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include New World Symphony Inc ($10,194,000), National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Inc ($5,526,979), Ballet Theatre Foundation Inc ($4,800,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NEW WORLD SYMPHONY INC Miami Beach, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,194,000 |
| NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ADVANCEMENT IN THE ARTS INC Miami, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,526,979 |
| BALLET THEATRE FOUNDATION INC New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $4,800,000 |
| NATIONAL YOUNGARTS FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION Miami, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,590,939 |
| MUSEUM OF MODERN ART New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,894,000 |
| PS1 CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER INC Long Island City, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,822,118 |
| LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,275,000 |
| BARYSHNIKOV ARTS CENTER INC New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,025,000 |
| MIAMI CITY BALLET INC Miami Beach, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| ASPEN ART MUSEUM Aspen, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $665,500 |
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 IRS 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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Arison Arts Foundation fund?
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 g…
How do I apply for a grant from Arison Arts Foundation?
**Grant Process:** 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 Sizes:** • Grant range: $750 to $10,194,000 • Median grant: $25,000 • Most grants stay under $1,000,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** In 2024, the foundation made 40 grants totaling $36,505,422. Notable recent grants include: • New World Symphony: $10,194,000 (General Support) • YoungArts: $5,526,979 (Ge…
Where does Arison Arts Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • New York • Florida • California With particular emphasis on New York City and Miami.
What size grants does Arison Arts Foundation award?
In 2024, Arison Arts Foundation awarded 130 grants totaling $38.8M — an average of about $298K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Arison Arts Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Arison Arts Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Arison Arts Foundation's EIN?
Arison Arts Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7450689. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Arison Arts Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.