Arts and Letters Foundation Inc
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 1997, based in East Hampton, New York. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with limited staffing, functioning primarily through a board of directors rather than a dedicated staff structure.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.7M
+20.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$852K
-2.1% YoY
Grant Count
14
-6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$61K
+4.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arts and Letters Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $897K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated purpose is to provide an additional source of funds for charitable programs. Primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
The foundation maintains a general purpose grantmaking approach rather than highly specialized program areas.
Grantmaking
The foundation indicates it operates on a "preselected only" basis, meaning it does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation identifies and selects grantees directly rather than responding to open calls for proposals.
Grant Range
$2,000–$100,000
Average Grant
amount: $59,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $17,680,461
- Total revenues: $4,150,082
- Total expenses: $1,158,459
- Total giving: $852,000
Asset Ranking: The foundation ranks in the top 10% of foundations by asset size (#8,218 of 159,619 foundations nationally).
Historical Assets (2023):
- Total assets: $14.7 million–$15.4 million
- Total revenues: $412,000–$561,200
- Total expenses: $1.15 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,680,461 | $14,688,838 | $15,427,765 |
| Revenue | $4,150,082 | $412,176 | $561,187 |
| Expenses | $1,158,459 | $1,151,103 | $1,194,153 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $852,000 | $870,000 | $885,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,964,275 | $206,132 | $364,008 |
| Distributable Amount | $896,657 | $790,259 | $788,222 |
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
81 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Brooklyn Museum ($100,000), Calvary Hospital ($100,000), Henry Street Settlement ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BROOKLYN MUSEUM BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| CALVARY HOSPITAL BRONX, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| CLASSICAL SAXOPHONE PROJECT NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $20,000 |
| FREE ARTS NYC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| GREENBURGH ELEVEN EDUCATION FOUNDATION DOBS FERRY, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $5,000 |
| HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| MAHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| NEW YORK YOUTH SYMPHONY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| NORTHWELL HEALTH FOUNDATION NEW HYDE PARK, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| PARRISH ART MUSEUM WATER MILL, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members and Key Personnel:
| Name | Title | Hours/Week | Compensation/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lorne Singh | President | 5 | $28,000 |
| Elizabeth Griffin | Vice President | 5 | $20,000 |
| Mark Ackerman | Treasurer | 5 | $20,000 |
| Henry Bear | Director | 5 | $20,000 |
| Gary Katz | Director | 5 | $20,000 |
| J Timothy Sherman | Director | 5 | $20,000 |
| Robert Siegel | Former President | 10 | $15,000 |
The foundation operates with limited paid staffing, with board members contributing minimal hours to their roles.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIZABETH GRIFFIN | VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | $20,000 |
| ROBERT SIEGEL | FORMER PRESIDENT | 10 | $15,000 |
| LORNE SINGH | PRESIDENT | 5 | $27,500 |
| HENRY BEAR | DIRECTOR | 5 | $20,000 |
| MARK ACKERMAN | TREASURER | 5 | $20,000 |
| GARY KATZ | DIRECTOR | 5 | $20,000 |
| J TIMOTHY SHERMAN | DIRECTOR | 5 | $20,000 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Arts and Letters Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's stated purpose is to provide an additional source of funds for charitable programs. Primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services The foundation maintains a general purpose grantmaking approach rather than highly specialized program areas.
How do I apply for a grant from Arts and Letters Foundation Inc?
**Grant Activity:** • Typical grant range: $2,000–$100,000 • Median grant amount: $50,000–$63,000 • Average grant amount: $59,000 • Recent grant activity: 14–19 grants annually (varies by reporting year) • Total annual giving: Approximately $852,000–$885,000 **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Northwell Health Foundation ($100,000) • Brooklyn Museum ($100,000) • Trustees of the Smith College ($100,000) • Covenant House **Application Process:** The foundation indicates it operates on a "preselected on…
Where does Arts and Letters Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
What size grants does Arts and Letters Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Arts and Letters Foundation Inc awarded 14 grants totaling $852K — an average of about $61K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Arts and Letters Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Arts and Letters Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $897K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's EIN?
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2069719. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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