The Jerome Robbins Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY, established in 1958 to honor Jerome Robbins' mother. The foundation supports dance, theater, and their associative arts, carrying forward the legacy of the renowned choreographer, director, and theater innovator.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$25.1M
+11.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+13.6% YoY
Grant Count
99
+2.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
+11.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jerome Robbins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation was established to support dance, theater, and their associative arts. Jerome Robbins directed foundation resources almost exclusively to the AIDS crisis during the 1980s. In letters left to the board, he conveyed his wish that the Foundation extend its resources once again to the performing arts—dance and theater especially.
The foundation currently supports programs including:
Project Springboard: Designed to encourage collaboration among theater artists in which the choreographer plays an integral role and develops new musicals with dance fully integrated into storytelling. The program addresses existing financial and practical obstacles to developing these ideas in early stages of development.
Floria V. Lasky Symposium Project: Convenes a group of not-for-profit cultural organizations in NYC to explore transformational change, its best practices, and the potential for building new connections both internally and externally.
Grantmaking
The Foundation is not considering new applications for 2026, with hopes to do so in the following year. Current Foundation grantees are encouraged to keep the foundation updated with new information.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds performing arts and dance projects across the United States, with significant activity in major cultural hubs including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The foundation has particular focus on New York City-based cultural organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $22,509,021
- Total revenues: $2,285,679
- Total expenses: $2,297,692
- Number of employees: 3
Assets (2024):
- Total assets: $25,146,958
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $25,146,958 | $22,509,021 | $22,565,709 |
| Revenue | $4,778,595 | $2,285,679 | $1,299,865 |
| Expenses | $2,388,158 | $2,297,692 | $2,482,592 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,994,858 | $1,971,580 | $2,148,291 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,420,269 | $1,959,248 | $922,633 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,187,116 | $1,182,804 | $1,184,349 |
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
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jerome Robbins Dance Division Nypl for the Performing Arts ($201,000), Brooklyn Academy of Music ($50,000), Baryshnikov Arts Center ($43,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 92ND STREET Y NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| ALVIN AILEY DANCE AMERICAN FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY KENNESAW, GA | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $2,500 |
| AMERICAN DANCE MACHINE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $8,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF BATSHEVA NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| ARTS ARENA - AMER UNIVERSITY OF PARIS DENVER, CO | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $4,000 |
| ATLANTIC THEATER NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $7,500 |
| BALLET HISPANICO NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| BALLET TECH SCHOOL NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $6,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Ellen Sorrin (Director)
- Christopher Pennington (Director)
- Allen Greenberg (Director)
- Daniel Stern (In Memoriam)
- Floria V. Lasky, Esq. (In Memoriam)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALLEN GREENBERG | DIRECTOR | 28 | $231,202 |
| CHRISTOPHER PENNINGTON | DIRECTOR | 35 | $185,224 |
| ELLEN SORRIN | DIRECTOR | 10 | $75,100 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Jerome Robbins Foundation fund?
The Foundation was established to support dance, theater, and their associative arts. Jerome Robbins directed foundation resources almost exclusively to the AIDS crisis during the 1980s. In letters left to the board, he conveyed his wish that the Foundation extend its resources once again to the performing arts—dance and theater especially. The foundation currently supports programs including: • **Project Springboard**: Designed to encourage collaboration among theater artists in which the chor…
How do I apply for a grant from Jerome Robbins Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts:** • Total grants made: $3,147,144 (2023) • Total giving: $1,286,500 (2024) • Typical award range: $500–$300,000 • Recent grants include $100,000 to New York City Ballet and $50,000 to Brooklyn Academy of Music (2023) • American Dance Machine for the 21st Century received $8,000 (2023) **Application Status:** The Foundation is not considering new applications for 2026, with hopes to do so in the following year. Current Foundation grantees are encouraged to keep the fo…
Where does Jerome Robbins Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds performing arts and dance projects across the United States, with significant activity in major cultural hubs including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The foundation has particular focus on New York City-based cultural organizations.
What size grants does Jerome Robbins Foundation award?
In 2024, Jerome Robbins Foundation awarded 99 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Jerome Robbins Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Jerome Robbins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Jerome Robbins Foundation's EIN?
Jerome Robbins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6021425. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jerome Robbins 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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