Arts and Letters Foundation Inc
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in East Hampton, New York. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations working in health care, social services, libraries, museums, and the performing arts.
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Arts and Letters Foundation Inc gave $949K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $59K), mostly in New York. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $948,500
- +11.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $59,281
- -2.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $17,729,402
- +0.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (5 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (87% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Arts and Letters Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 71, East Hampton, NY 11937
Phone: (631) 324-6258
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Arts and Letters Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Calvary Hospital ($125K). Together the top 10 received $805K.
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 35 grants of 78 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, reported grant dollars were distributed among recipients in New York (87%), Massachusetts (11%), and New Jersey (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Arts and Letters Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 16 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $70K. How we count
Medians: $35K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2018–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2018 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $210K (2018) to $949K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $949K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Calvary Hospital Bronx, NY | General Purpose | $125,000 |
| Henry Street Settlement New York, NY | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Northwell Health Foundation New Hyde Park, NY | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Smith College Northampton, MA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| The New York Public Library New York, NY | General Purpose | $85,000 |
| Parrish Art Museum Water Mill, NY | General Purpose | $75,000 |
| Highbridge Voices Bronx, NY | General Purpose | $70,000 |
| Ballet Tech School New York, NY | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Free Arts NYC New York, NY | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Mahattan School of Music New York, NY | General Purpose | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Arts and Letters Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $17,729,402 | $1,354,887 | $1,305,946 | $948,500 | 16 | $948,500 | $1,113,901 | $984,403 |
| 2024 | $17,680,461 | $4,150,082 | $1,158,459 | $852,000 | 14 | $852,000 | $3,964,275 | $896,657 |
| 2023 | $14,688,838 | $412,176 | $1,151,103 | $870,000 | 15 | $870,000 | $206,132 | $790,259 |
| 2022 | $15,427,765 | $561,187 | $1,194,153 | $885,000 | 15 | $885,000 | $364,008 | $788,222 |
| 2021 | $16,060,731 | $1,753,739 | $986,766 | $730,000 | 18 | $734,814 | $1,624,812 | $840,534 |
| 2020 | $15,293,758 | $589,758 | $1,151,641 | $910,000 | 19 | — | $457,134 | $780,886 |
| 2019 | $16,105,282 | $442,286 | $634,824 | $410,000 | 11 | — | $332,994 | $797,075 |
| 2018 | $16,049,750 | $15,190,823 | $389,621 | $210,000 | 6 | — | $99,948 | $436,703 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arts and Letters Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $984K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Calvary Hospital describes its work as caring for adults with advanced cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, while Henry Street Settlement says it provides social services, arts, and health care programs. Highbridge Voices says it uses the performing arts to inspire children, and New York Youth Symphony says it inspires and educates young musicians through performance and ensemble activities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $948,500. Grants ranged from $3,500 to $125,000, with a median of $50,000. Among the largest were $125,000 to Calvary Hospital, $100,000 each to Henry Street Settlement, Northwell Health Foundation, and Smith College, and $85,000 to The New York Public Library. Other reported grants included $75,000 to Parrish Art Museum, $70,000 to Highbridge Voices, and $50,000 each to Ballet Tech School, Free Arts NYC, and Mahattan School of Music.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lorne Singh as president, Elizabeth Griffin as vice president, and Mark Ackerman as treasurer. Directors listed are Henry Bear, Gary Katz, and J Timothy Sherman.
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc is led by Lorne Singh, President since 2024 (on filings since 2018); all 6 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lorne Singh
President
Secretary & Treasurer → President, 2024
On filings since 2018
5 hrs/week
$20K (2018) → $30K (2025)
Henry Bear
Director
On filings since 2018
5 hrs/week
$20K (2018) → $20K (2025)
Gary Katz
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$5K (2022) → $20K (2025)
J. Timothy Sherman
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$5K (2022) → $20K (2025)
Elizabeth Griffin
Vice President
On filings since 2018
5 hrs/week
$30K (2018) → $20K (2025)
Mark Ackerman
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$20K (2021) → $23K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Robert Siegel (2018–2024) — Former President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $30K, to Lorne Singh (President). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Arts and Letters Foundation Inc
How much does Arts and Letters Foundation Inc give each year?
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc gave $949K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $852K across 14 grants.
What is Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $59,281, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Arts and Letters Foundation Inc that year got $36K on average.
Where does Arts and Letters Foundation Inc give grants?
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (9 grants) and Bronx, NY (2 grants).
Does Arts and Letters Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Calvary Hospital ($125,000), Henry Street Settlement ($100,000) and Northwell Health Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Arts and Letters Foundation Inc?
Arts and Letters Foundation Inc reported $17.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $949K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $984K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Arts and Letters Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Arts and Letters Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2018–2025.
Does Arts and Letters Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
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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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Arts and Letters Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/arts-and-letters-foundation-inc-morg_f02ed7f76dc54335b94d534cf2b409d2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522069719_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Arts and Letters Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/arts-and-letters-foundation-inc-morg_f02ed7f76dc54335b94d534cf2b409d2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Arts and Letters Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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