Arts, Culture & Humanities Foundations & Grantmakers
2,445 grantmakers focused on arts, culture & humanities reported $1.8B in grants on their latest 990s. The largest by giving are Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Borealis Philanthropy and The Center for Education Reform. The list below is sorted by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Giving at a glance
Active grantmakers
2,445
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$1.8B
sum of latest 990s
Typical grant
$17K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$48K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corporation for Public Broadcasting | Washington, DC | $175.8M | 555 |
| 2 | Borealis Philanthropy | Minneapolis, MN | $37.3M | 360 |
| 3 | The Center for Education Reform | Washington, DC | $26.1M | 114 |
| 4 | Fractured Atlas Inc | New York, NY | $20.6M | 432 |
| 5 | National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States | Washington, DC | $16.0M | 279 |
| 6 | Glenstone Foundation | Potomac, MD | $15.3M | 7 |
| 7 | United Arts of Central Florida Inc | Orlando, FL | $13.4M | 71 |
| 8 | Latino Community Foundation of Colorado | Denver, CO | $13.2M | 166 |
| 9 | Artsfund | Seattle, WA | $12.2M | 624 |
| 10 | Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust | Charlotte, NC | $12.1M | 16 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 11 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Where these funders are based
- California 342 · $204.5M
- New York 315 · $126.2M
- Texas 157 · $354.9M
- Florida 120 · $63.3M
- Pennsylvania 102 · $31.0M
- Massachusetts 74 · $18.4M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Showing all 4,153 foundations and grantmakers
Art Bridges Inc
Fort Worth, TX
Assets
$905.0M
Grants
2
Total Given
$278.7M
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Washington, DC
Assets
—
Grants
555
Total Given
$175.8M
Community Business Partnership Inc
Springfield, VA
Assets
$4.0M
Grants
1
Total Given
$52.6M
Atlanta Beltline Partnership Inc
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$28.0M
Grants
3
Total Given
$42.2M
Borealis Philanthropy
Minneapolis, MN
Assets
$78.2M
Grants
360
Total Given
$37.3M
PBS Foundation
Arlington, VA
Assets
$71.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$34.4M
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation
Richmond, VA
Assets
$346.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$30.1M
The Center for Education Reform
Washington, DC
Assets
$5.7M
Grants
114
Total Given
$26.1M
First Look Institute Inc
Los Gatos, CA
Assets
$1.8M
Grants
4
Total Given
$26.1M
American Conservatory Theatre Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$81.6M
Grants
1
Total Given
$21.4M
Fractured Atlas Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$35.4M
Grants
432
Total Given
$20.6M
Artnow International Inc
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$4.0M
Grants
1
Total Given
$17.5M
National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States
Washington, DC
Assets
$527.2M
Grants
279
Total Given
$16.0M
Glenstone Foundation
Potomac, MD
Assets
$3.0B
Grants
7
Total Given
$15.3M
Houston Public Media Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$3.5M
Grants
1
Total Given
$14.0M
United Arts of Central Florida Inc
Orlando, FL
Assets
$19.8M
Grants
71
Total Given
$13.4M
Latino Community Foundation of Colorado
Denver, CO
Assets
$17.0M
Grants
166
Total Given
$13.2M
Friends of PBS Wisconsin Inc
Madison, WI
Assets
$37.1M
Grants
4
Total Given
$12.9M
The Film Collaborative Inc
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$4.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$12.7M
Artsfund
Seattle, WA
Assets
$7.4M
Grants
624
Total Given
$12.2M
Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust
Charlotte, NC
Assets
$228.9M
Grants
16
Total Given
$12.1M
The Foundation of the American Academy
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$182.4M
Grants
1
Total Given
$12.1M
Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$158.7M
Grants
9
Total Given
$11.3M
American Public Media Group
St Paul, MN
Assets
$197.1M
Grants
1
Total Given
$11.1M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Frequently asked questions
What are the largest arts, culture & humanities foundations?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Corporation for Public Broadcasting ($175.8M across 555 grants), Borealis Philanthropy ($37.3M) and The Center for Education Reform ($26.1M). Together the top 10 account for 48% of the $706.4M given by the 609 grantmakers focused on arts, culture & humanities that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical grant from these funders?
The typical grant is about $17K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $48K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Where are these funders based?
Most are in California (342), New York (315) and Texas (157). Many foundations only fund near where they are based, so check each funder's giving geography before you apply.
How do I find which of these funders accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations like these from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.