Freelands Foundation
Freelands Foundation is a private foundation established in 2015 by Elisabeth Murdoch, with its home in London. It supports art education through grants, awards, fellowships, residencies, exhibitions and other programming.
Freelands Foundation at a glance
In short: Freelands Foundation gave $2.8M across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $59K). 34% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,840,141
- -35.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- -7.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $59,170
- -29.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $41,867
- Total assets
- $68,239,626
- +1.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (16 of 47, 2024)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Freelands Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website describes annual open calls for specified programmes.
- Review Cycle
- The Learning Through Making Fund deadline is 12pm on Friday 11 September 2026.
- Deadline
- The Learning Through Making Fund deadline is 12pm on Friday 11 September 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 100 W Liberty St 750, Reno, NV 89501-1952
Phone: (917) 679-6817
Website: https://freelandsfoundation.co.uk
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Freelands Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Iniva ($298K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
182 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 93 grants of 182 (51%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its open-call opportunities as serving UK-based organisations, universities and practicing artists. Its 2024 grants included recipients such as INIVA, Art UK, Ikon Gallery and Dundee Contemporary Arts.
Is Freelands Foundation open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 47 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $44K; repeat grants $69K. How we count
Medians: $26K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−14%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 176% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.4M (2022) to $4.7M (2020). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $2.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Iniva | The grant shall be used to fund three key areas of the grantee's work over a three and a half year period ending in 2024. These three areas are cultural mapping and organisational review, creating sustainable reach through staff capacity and developing digital resources, and transforming core educational programmes to develop artists and audiences (the project). | $297,861 |
| Public Catalogue Foundation Aka Art UK | Grant to support art uk's superpower of looking project | $287,016 |
| A-N the Artists Information Company | Regranting partnership with a-n to provide small grants to black, asian, brown and/or global majority artists at every stage of their career. | $204,718 |
| Ikon Gallery Ltd | Grant for 'slow boat', an alternative youth program which raises fundemantal questions concerning the definition and relevance of art against a back drop of societal change. | $137,624 |
| Art Fund | Acquisitions Programme for Freelands Award-Winning Artists | $137,438 |
| Mima (Teesside University) | Freelands Award Winner | $121,944 |
| University of Arts London | Support the 20/20 three-year programme to develop the creative practices of 20 emerging/mid-career and ethnically diverse artists of colour, through partnerships with 20 public art collections across the uk | $101,119 |
| New Art Exchange | Power to change. 3 year project to develop a series of programmes that engage with the local community to create life-enhancing opportunities, new audiences for the arts and diverse talent within the arts | $100,969 |
| Dundee Contemporary Arts Ltd | The grants are to be used to fund the work of the print studio, which provides open and affordable access to expertise, equipment and courses for printmaking and related activities | $96,110 |
| Focal Point Gallery | Grant to support focal point gallery, metal and toma as part of the autumn 2023 fund | $96,045 |
Ready to take the next step with Freelands Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $68,239,626 | $1,172,529 | $5,458,029 | $2,840,141 | 48 | $5,868,191 | $1,012,335 | $3,332,590 |
| 2023 | $67,064,875 | $-2,521,075 | $6,519,601 | $4,371,101 | 52 | $6,937,087 | — | $3,243,853 |
| 2022 | $66,141,128 | $13,415 | $5,993,928 | $2,437,766 | 27 | $5,141,552 | — | $3,553,270 |
| 2021 | $92,921,203 | $163,725 | $6,537,241 | $3,291,777 | 33 | $5,950,364 | $844,886 | $4,072,728 |
| 2020 | $97,135,683 | $707,100 | $8,117,342 | $4,741,515 | 22 | — | $76,698,217 | $3,363,925 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Freelands Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says its vision is to increase the status of art education, enable equality of access and promote material literacy. It supports art education in formal education settings, galleries and arts organisations, and through learning by artistic practice. It also commissions action research and offers discussions, workshops, events and art education resources.
Its grantmaking includes support for visual arts organisations’ art education work and projects centred on making and material exploration. The foundation’s website also describes the Freelands Painting Prize, which recognises painting by final-year students at UK art schools and universities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 48 grants totalling $2,840,141. Grant amounts ranged from $634 to $297,861, with a median of $41,866. It reported 52 grants totalling $4,371,101 in 2023 and 27 grants totalling $2,437,766 in 2022.
Among its largest reported grants in 2024 were $297,861 to INIVA for work including cultural mapping, organisational review and educational programmes; $287,016 to Public Catalogue Foundation, also known as Art UK, to support its Superpower of Looking project; and $204,718 to A-N The Artists Information Company for a regranting partnership providing small grants to Black, Asian, Brown and/or Global Majority artists. Other large grants included $137,624 to Ikon Gallery for its Slow Boat youth programme and $137,438 to Art Fund for an acquisitions programme for Freelands Award-winning artists.
The foundation’s website describes annual open calls. Its Learning Through Making Fund offers grants of up to £25,000 to UK-based visual art organisations for projects engaging audiences with making and material exploration. Supported activities may include providing materials, transport, or access to expertise and facilities. The projects are to take place between 1 January and 31 December 2027, with funding provided no earlier than December 2026. The Freelands Awards offer three UK visual art organisations £100,000 each for a recent or ongoing project demonstrating progressive art education approaches and impact. Award funding may support programming, staff or freelance costs, capital development, equipment or materials, and organisational overheads; it may not be used for organisational reserves, on-granting, or lobbying.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elisabeth Murdoch as Treasurer and Director; Paula Wardynski as Secretary and Director; and Nick Pianim as President and Director. It also lists Dr Henry Ward as Creative Director, Mark Devereux, Sarah von Schmidt and Keith Tyson as trustees, and Amy Walker as Chief Operating Officer.
Freelands Foundation is led by Nick Pianim, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 8 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Nick Pianim
President & Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Henry Ward
Creative Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$135K (2020) → $193K (2024)
Elisabeth Murdoch
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Keith Tyson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Devereux
Trustee
On filings since 2020
7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paula Wardynski
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Von Schmidt
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Walker
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$74K (2022) → $149K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Melanie Cassoff (2020–2022) — Managing Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $193K, to Dr Henry Ward (Creative Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Freelands Foundation
How much does Freelands Foundation give each year?
Freelands Foundation gave $2.8M across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.4M across 52 grants.
What is Freelands Foundation's typical grant size?
Freelands Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $41,867, and its average grant was $59,170, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Freelands Foundation that year got $44K on average.
Does Freelands Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 48 grants with a stated purpose on Freelands Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Freelands Studio Fellowship" (6 grants) and "Grant as Shortlisted for Freelands Award" (4 grants).
Who are Freelands Foundation's largest grantees?
Freelands Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Iniva ($297,861), Public Catalogue Foundation Aka Art UK ($287,016) and A-N the Artists Information Company ($204,718), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Freelands Foundation?
Freelands Foundation reported $68.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Freelands Foundation fund?
The foundation says its vision is to increase the status of art education, enable equality of access and promote material literacy. It supports art education in formal education settings, galleries and arts organisations, and through learning by artistic practice. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Freelands Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Freelands Foundation make grants?
The foundation’s website describes its open-call opportunities as serving UK-based organisations, universities and practicing artists. Its 2024 grants included recipients such as INIVA, Art UK, Ikon Gallery and Dundee Contemporary Arts.
What is Freelands Foundation's EIN?
Freelands Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3819627. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Freelands Foundation 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Other open foundation grants in Nevada
Nevada Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Freelands Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Similar funders in Nevada
NV Energy Charitable Foundation
Reno, NV
The foundation supports qualified public charities in the NV Energy service areas, with emphasis on environmental conservation, education, and public safety. Its 2025 grants ranged from $350 to $500,000, with a median of $7,500. It accepts unsolicited requests through a Letter of Interest process, allowing one submission per organization each calendar year.
Assets
$26.6M
Grants
207
Total Given
$4.2M
Community Foundation of Northern Nevada
Reno, NV
The Community Foundation of Northern Nevada supports nonprofits and community projects, including nonprofit capacity-building, mental health access, housing, and watershed protection, primarily in Northern Nevada. Its 2024 grants had a median of $20,000, though amounts varied widely; it accepts applications through specific funding opportunities and RFP cycles, but the profile does not state whether it accepts general unsolicited requests.
Assets
$178.2M
Grants
207
Total Given
$16.0M
Tahoe Community Foundation
Incline Village, NV
Tahoe Community Foundation funds nonprofits serving the Lake Tahoe Basin in areas including the environment, education and youth, well-being, arts and culture, and community engagement. Action Grants typically range from $2,500 to $5,000; its broader 2025 grantmaking had a median award of $25,000. It accepts Action Grant applications on a rolling basis for quarterly review; the Community Fund has an annual competitive cycle.
Assets
$169.9M
Grants
191
Total Given
$26.9M
MGM Resorts Foundation
Las Vegas, NV
The MGM Resorts Foundation funds one-year grants to nonprofits providing essential services, including housing, workforce development, education, food, health, and family support. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,200 to $128,542, with a median of $13,019; funding focuses on communities where MGM employees live and work, especially Nevada. It describes a proposal-review process through regional Community Grant Councils but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$9.9M
Grants
143
Total Given
$3.5M
Dermody Properties Foundation
Reno, NV
The Dermody Properties Foundation funds 501(c)(3) nonprofits focused on arts, education and family, with added emphasis on children, older adults, people with disabilities, substance abuse and homelessness. It typically gives $500–$3,000 to organizations within about 30 miles of a current Dermody project, in communities where the company operates. It accepts online grant requests; the stated annual deadline is August 1, though its 2025 filing gives a different deadline.
Assets
$2K
Grants
137
Total Given
$245K
Nevada Community Foundation Inc
Las Vegas, NV
Nevada Community Foundation supports a broad range of charitable causes, including education, health, youth, arts and community services, with a stated focus on Southern Nevada; its grants also reach organizations outside Nevada. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,150 to $7.5 million, with a median award of $20,000. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$253.5M
Grants
122
Total Given
$16.5M
More similar funders
More Funders in Nevada
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Freelands Foundation'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.
Freelands Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?