Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts is a 501(c)(3) private foundation located in the Madlener House at 4 West Burton Place in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. Founded in 1956, the organization makes project-based grants to individuals and organizations while producing exhibitions, events, and publications that advance discourse around architecture and design.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$48.0M
+7.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$987K
+0.7% YoY
Grant Count
105
-7.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+9.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Graham Foundation fosters the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society.
The foundation supports innovative investigations in:
- Architecture and architectural history, theory, and criticism
- Design and engineering
- Landscape architecture and urban planning
- Urban studies
- Visual arts
- Related fields in the fine arts, humanities, and sciences that expand understanding of architecture and the designed environment
The foundation is particularly interested in projects that investigate the contemporary condition, expand historical perspectives, or explore the future of architecture and the designed environment.
Grantmaking
The Graham Foundation offers multiple grant programs:
Grant Range
s:**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $48,033,824 (2024)
Total Revenue: $1,246,336 (2024)
Total Expenses: $3,059,873 (2024)
Total Liabilities: $545,000 (2023)
Staff: 6 employees
Tax-Exempt Status: Designated 501(c)(3); tax-exempt since July 1959
EIN: 36-2356089
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $48,033,824 | $44,749,952 | $41,460,927 |
| Revenue | $1,246,336 | $1,342,615 | $541,336 |
| Expenses | $3,059,873 | $3,001,500 | $2,441,068 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,443,668 | $2,221,237 | $2,268,632 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,483,684 | $880,122 | $751,059 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,196,501 | $2,048,220 | $2,141,937 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
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
Rolling / Open
Graham Foundation: Grants To Individuals
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Amount
Up to US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Graham Foundation: Grants To Organizations
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Amount
Up to US $30,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Graham Foundation's 11-member Board of Trustees selects the annual cohort of grantees. Current and former board members include John Ronan and Theaster Gates.
The foundation was created in 1956 by a bequest from Ernest R. Graham (1866–1936), a prominent Chicago architect and protégé of Daniel Burnham. Charles Murphy, Ernest Graham's associate and executor, organized an initial planning conference in Aspen, Colorado in 1955 that helped shape the foundation's development.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Contact Information
Address: 4 West Burton Place, Chicago, Illinois 60610
Phone: 312-787-4071
Email: info@grahamfoundation.org
Website: www.grahamfoundation.org
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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