Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Based in Chicago, Illinois, the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts is a private foundation that makes project-based grants to individuals and organizations working on ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society. Founded in 1956, it also produces exhibitions, events, and publications.
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts at a glance
In short: Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts gave $987K across 105 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $986,924
- +0.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 105
- -7.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,399
- +9.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $48,033,824
- +7.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Illinois (71% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
- How to Apply
The foundation’s filing names Sarah Herda as the contact and refers applicants to an attached statement for application forms and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions; those details are not specified in the…
The foundation’s filing names Sarah Herda as the contact and refers applicants to an attached statement for application forms and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions; those details are not specified in the available filing information. For the Carter Manny Award, candidates must be nominated by their academic department. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The foundation’s website lists November 15, 2026, for the Carter Manny Award and February 25, 2027, for grants to organizations. It states that the deadline for grants to individuals has passed.
- Deadline
- The foundation’s website lists November 15, 2026, for the Carter Manny Award and February 25, 2027, for grants to…
- Contact
Application contact: Sarah Herda Graham Foundation
Mailing address: 4 West Burton, Chicago, IL 60610-1416
Phone: (312) 787-4071
Website: https://grahamfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Carter Manny Award Grant
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Graham Foundation: Grants To Individuals
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Amount
Up to US $20,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Graham Foundation: Grants To Organizations
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Amount
Up to US $30,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Chicago Architecture Biennial ($75K). Together the top 10 received $200K.
Organizations only. It also paid 45 grants to individuals ($372,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
609 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 605 grants of 609 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing shows that 71% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 13% to New York, 3% each to California and Pennsylvania, and 7% to an unidentified recipient-state category. The grants also include recipients in other locations, such as New Orleans, Louisiana. The foundation describes its grantmaking as international, and its 2025 announcement listed funded projects in cities in the United States and abroad.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 105 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 111% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $947K (2020) to $1.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 105 grants totaling $987K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Architecture Biennial Chicago, IL | This is a Rehearsal | $75,000 |
| 21 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $255,000 |
| The Jewish Museum New York, NY | Kiesler's Vision Machines | $20,000 |
| A Project 83 Inc New York, NY | a83 Exhibition Program & Architectural Image-Making in 1980s New York | $15,000 |
| Carnegie Museum of Art Pittsburgh, PA | Tatiana Bilbao: City of Rooms | $15,000 |
| Prospect New Orleans (US Biennials Inc) New Orleans, LA | Prospect.6 | $15,000 |
| Tom Carruthers & Jennifer Newsom Chicago, IL | Pyramidion | $15,000 |
| Lydia Kallipoliti & Areti Markopoulou Chicago, IL | EDIBLE; Or, The Architecture of Metabolism | $12,500 |
| The Center for Independent Documentary Chicago, IL | Artificial Horizon | $12,500 |
| Architectural Association Chicago, IL | Ripple Ripple Rippling | $10,000 |
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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 | $48,033,824 | $1,246,336 | $3,059,873 | $986,924 | 105 | $2,443,668 | $3,483,684 | $2,196,501 |
| 2023 | $44,749,952 | $1,342,615 | $3,001,500 | $979,625 | 114 | $2,221,237 | $880,122 | $2,048,220 |
| 2022 | $41,460,927 | $541,336 | $2,441,068 | $1,157,405 | 143 | $2,268,632 | $751,059 | $2,141,937 |
| 2021 | $51,853,014 | $4,145,472 | $2,611,544 | $1,099,290 | 136 | $2,113,560 | $3,697,860 | $2,428,178 |
| 2020 | $48,452,282 | $687,158 | $2,483,034 | $947,100 | 111 | — | $706,485 | $2,073,937 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts reported a distributable amount of $2.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to foster the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society. It supports projects that investigate the contemporary condition, expand historical perspectives, or explore the future of architecture and the designed environment.
Its stated areas of interest include architecture; architectural history, theory, and criticism; design; engineering; landscape architecture; urban planning and urban studies; visual arts; and related work in the fine arts, humanities, and sciences that expands thinking about architecture and space. It supports practitioners such as architects, scholars, critics, writers, artists, curators, and educators, as well as organizations such as nonprofit galleries, colleges and universities, publishers, and museums.
Examples from 2024 illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. The Chicago Architecture Biennial describes its work as convening people to explore ideas and collectively imagine the future of design through exhibitions and events. A Project 83 describes its work as providing educational access to knowledge and skills related to architectural and artistic representation. The Jewish Museum describes its mission as collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting art and Jewish culture.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 105 grants totaling $986,924. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $75,000, with a median of $10,000. The foundation makes project-based grants to individuals and organizations. The Carter Manny Award supports doctoral dissertation projects focused on architecture and its impact on arts and culture; it offers a Research Award of up to $20,000 for students in the research phase and a Writing Award of up to $25,000 for those in the writing phase. PhD candidates must be nominated by their academic department, have completed required coursework and exams, advanced to candidacy, and received formal approval of their dissertation proposal. A department may nominate up to two candidates per cycle, one for each award type.
The largest reported 2024 grant was $75,000 to the Chicago Architecture Biennial for “This is a Rehearsal.” Other notable awards included $25,000 to an individual recipient for “Contagious Places, Curative Spaces”; $20,000 to an individual recipient for “Swimming Pools, Civil Rights, and the American City in the 1960s”; $20,000 to the Jewish Museum for “Kiesler’s Vision Machines”; and $15,000 to A Project 83 Inc for “a83 Exhibition Program & Architectural Image-Making in 1980s New York.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sarah Herda as executive director; David Brown as president; Monica Chadha as secretary; and Eric McKissack as treasurer. Trustees listed are John Syvertsen, Sean Keller, Brian Black, Amanda Williams, Antonio Torres, and Chandra Goldsmith Gray.
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts is led by Sarah Herda, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sarah Herda
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$179K (2020) → $211K (2024)
David Brown
President
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amanda Williams
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Black
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chandra Goldsmith Gray
Trustee
President → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Syvertsen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sean Keller
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Antonio Torres
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric McKissack
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Monica Chadha
Secretary
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Craig Barton (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Michelle Boone (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Yesomi Umolu (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: John Ronan (2020) — Trustee
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 $211K, to Sarah Herda (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
How much does Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts give each year?
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts gave $987K across 105 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $980K across 114 grants.
What is Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts's typical grant size?
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $9,399, across 105 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts give grants?
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts gives mostly in Illinois: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (30 grants), New York, NY (12 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 105 grants with a stated purpose on Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts's largest grantees?
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts's largest 2024 grantees include Chicago Architecture Biennial ($75,000), The Jewish Museum ($20,000) and A Project 83 Inc ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 45 grants to individuals ($372,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 11% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts?
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts reported $48.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts fund?
The foundation’s mission is to foster the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts?
The foundation’s filing names Sarah Herda as the contact and refers applicants to an attached statement for application forms and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions; those details are not specified in the… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts's EIN?
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2356089. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/graham-foundation-for-advanced-studies-in-the-fine-arts-morg_8f55f20c49f343bd9e15699dcde5a52f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_362356089_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/graham-foundation-for-advanced-studies-in-the-fine-arts-morg_8f55f20c49f343bd9e15699dcde5a52f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts'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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