Arts, Culture & Humanities Foundations & Grantmakers
2,590 grantmakers focused on arts, culture & humanities reported grants on their latest 990s. The 596 that made at least 5 grants gave $740.1M. The largest by giving are Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Borealis Philanthropy and Fractured Atlas Inc. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Giving at a glance
Active grantmakers
2,590
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$740.1M
from the 596 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$18K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$47K
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 | Fractured Atlas Inc | New York, NY | $31.8M | 483 |
| 4 | National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States | Washington, DC | $22.2M | 209 |
| 5 | Glenstone Foundation | Potomac, MD | $15.3M | 7 |
| 6 | Art Bridges Inc | Fort Worth, TX | $15.2M | 188 |
| 7 | United Arts of Central Florida Inc | Orlando, FL | $13.4M | 71 |
| 8 | Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation | New York, NY | $11.3M | 9 |
| 9 | Artsfund | Seattle, WA | $10.8M | 434 |
| 10 | Allied Media Projects Inc | Detroit, MI | $10.4M | 58 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 15 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Where these funders are based
- California 359 · $63.2M
- New York 323 · $91.2M
- Texas 172 · $28.0M
- Florida 130 · $27.3M
- Pennsylvania 106 · $14.6M
- Illinois 78 · $16.2M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Showing all 4,222 foundations and grantmakers
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Washington, DC
Assets
—
Grants
555
Total Given
$175.8M
Atlanta Beltline Partnership Inc
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$28.0M
Grants
3
Total Given
$42.2M
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation
Richmond, VA
Assets
$346.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$39.3M
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
Fractured Atlas Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$37.9M
Grants
483
Total Given
$31.8M
First Look Institute Inc
Los Gatos, CA
Assets
$1.8M
Grants
4
Total Given
$26.1M
National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States
Washington, DC
Assets
$562.9M
Grants
209
Total Given
$22.2M
American Conservatory Theatre Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$70.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$21.4M
Dallas Symphony Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$175.2M
Grants
1
Total Given
$20.8M
Artnow International Inc
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$4.0M
Grants
1
Total Given
$17.5M
Remember the Alamo Foundation
San Antonio, TX
Assets
$55.6M
Grants
1
Total Given
$15.5M
Glenstone Foundation
Potomac, MD
Assets
$3.0B
Grants
7
Total Given
$15.3M
Art Bridges Inc
Fort Worth, TX
Assets
$961.2M
Grants
188
Total Given
$15.2M
Houston Public Media Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$3.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$14.6M
United Arts of Central Florida Inc
Orlando, FL
Assets
$19.8M
Grants
71
Total Given
$13.4M
Friends of PBS Wisconsin Inc
Madison, WI
Assets
$37.1M
Grants
4
Total Given
$13.2M
The Film Collaborative Inc
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$4.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$12.7M
The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$182.4M
Grants
1
Total Given
$12.1M
Saint Louis Symphony Endowment Trust
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$278.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$11.9M
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
Artsfund
Seattle, WA
Assets
$9.6M
Grants
434
Total Given
$10.8M
The Nasher Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$105.0M
Grants
1
Total Given
$10.6M
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 Fractured Atlas Inc ($31.8M). Together the top 10 account for 46% of the $740.1M given by the 596 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 $18K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $47K 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 (359), New York (323) and Texas (172). 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.