Gateway Foundation is a family foundation based in Saint Louis, Missouri, dedicated to enriching life and culture in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Established in 1986 and reincorporated in 2004, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private independent foundation with a focus on arts, culture, and community development initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$82.4M
-6.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.4M
+49.4% YoY
Grant Count
15
-16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$359K
+79.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gateway Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Gateway Foundation strives to enrich St. Louis life and culture by supporting efforts to acquire, create, and improve tangible and durable art and urban design. The foundation prioritizes projects involving the acquisition, creation, or improvement of items of a durable, physical nature that enhance the quality of life for residents of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.
Primary funding areas include:
- Arts and culture (visual arts, architecture, performing arts, museums)
- Community and economic development
- Sustainable development and urban development
- Sports and recreation
- Maintenance and conservation of public art installations
- Mural arts programs
- Arts fellowships
- Support for non-profit arts organizations
Grantmaking
The foundation funds maintenance for Kinloch Park, conservation initiatives, mural arts programs, and arts fellowships, in addition to grants to non-profit arts organizations.
Grant Range
$103–$3,370,075
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Missouri, with primary focus on the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, including the cities of Des Peres and St. Louis.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $82,369,167
- Total revenues: $1,368,590
- Total expenses: $7,133,919
- Total liabilities: $3,000,000
- Number of employees: 1
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $88,136,123
- Total expenses: $5,258,734
- Total revenues: $3,879,770
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $82,369,167 | $88,136,123 | $89,513,233 |
| Revenue | $1,368,590 | $3,879,770 | $9,077,826 |
| Expenses | $7,133,919 | $5,258,734 | $3,246,757 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,781,257 | $5,887,299 | $2,803,990 |
| Net Investment Income | $624,435 | $2,653,246 | $7,925,266 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,522,047 | $3,587,593 | $3,942,133 |
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
77 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include City of St Louis ($3,370,075), City of St Louis ($1,594,893), National Park Service ($107,519).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| COUNTERPUBLIC ST LOUIS, MO | INSTALLATION AT THE GRIOT | $29,100 |
| PERENNIAL ST LOUIS ST LOUIS, MO | CRAFTING VAN AND WRAP | $47,122 |
| CRAFT ALLIANCE ST LOUIS, MO | SUPPORT FOR CRAFTING A FUTURE PROGRAM | $15,000 |
| CRAFT ALLIANCE ST LOUIS, MO | SUPPORT FOR MURAL ARTS PROGRAM | $17,500 |
| THE CABARET PROJECT ST LOUIS ST LOUIS, MO | SET DESIGN FOR FUTURE PERFORMANCES | $8,080 |
| REGIONAL ARTS COMMISSION ST LOUIS, MO | GYO OBATA FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| CRAFT ALLIANCE ST LOUIS, MO | SUPPORT FOR ARTS FELLOWSHIP AT SOLDAN SCHOOL; MURAL ARTS PROGRAM | $15,000 |
| ST LOUIS COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION DES PERES, MO | TO FUND KINLOCH PARK MAINTENANCE. | $23,165 |
| PRIDE ST LOUIS INC ST LOUIS, MO | FUNDING FOR THE CIVIL COURTS LIGHTING DISPLAY | $103 |
| NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ST LOUIS, MO | FUND THE COST OF ELECTRICAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE LIGHTING OF THE ARCH | $107,519 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Matthew Fischer (President/Trustee)
- Michael Fischer (Vice-President/Trustee)
- Susan Rava (Secretary/Treasurer/Trustee)
- Heather Sweeney (Administrative Operations, compensation: $50,769)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MATTHEW FISCHER | PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE | — | — |
| MICHAEL FISCHER | VICE-PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE | — | — |
| MARTHA FISCHER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| LISA MELANDRI | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ANDREW NEWMAN | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| MEREDITH MALONE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| HEATHER SWEENEY | DIRECTOR | 40 | $53,077 |
| MICHELLE OHLE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 800 Market Street, Suite 1640, St. Louis, MO 63101-2501
- Phone: 314-241-3337
- Website: www.gateway-foundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gateway Foundation fund?
Gateway Foundation strives to enrich St. Louis life and culture by supporting efforts to acquire, create, and improve tangible and durable art and urban design. The foundation prioritizes projects involving the acquisition, creation, or improvement of items of a durable, physical nature that enhance the quality of life for residents of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Primary funding areas include: • Arts and culture (visual arts, architecture, performing arts, museums) • Community and economic…
How do I apply for a grant from Gateway Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Total giving: $4,385,590 • Number of grants: 15 • Largest grant: $3,370,075 (City of St. Louis Workforce Development Board for Citygarden 9th Street Plaza) • Grant range: $103–$3,370,075 **Program Areas:** • Insurance and maintenance of sculptures on public display • Installation costs relating to sculptures placed on public display The foundation funds maintenance for Kinloch Park, conservation initiatives, mural arts programs, and arts fellowships, in addition to …
Where does Gateway Foundation make grants?
Missouri, with primary focus on the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, including the cities of Des Peres and St. Louis.
What size grants does Gateway Foundation award?
In 2024, Gateway Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $5.4M — an average of about $359K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gateway Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gateway Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gateway Foundation's EIN?
Gateway Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-6294706. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gateway Foundation'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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