John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its principal program, the Guggenheim Fellowship, supports exceptional individuals pursuing scholarship or creative work under the freest possible conditions.
Key facts about John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
In short: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation gave $11.4M across 286 grants in 2024 (avg $40K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 13-5673173
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,409,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 286
- Average grant
- $39,893
- Median grant
- $32,500
- Total assets
- $383,572,670
- Primary geography
- New York (27% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Foundation describes a standard application, with materials specified for the applicant’s field. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$383.6M
+9.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.4M
-4.0% YoY
Grant Count
286
+0.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$40K
-4.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+20%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to support exceptional individuals pursuing scholarship in any field of knowledge and creation in any art form, under the freest possible conditions. Its fellowships span the creative arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and interdisciplinary areas. The Foundation describes its awards as based on merit and intended to encourage free inquiry, original thought, and intellectual autonomy.
The Foundation’s website says it supports individuals rather than institutions or organizations through its Fellowship program. Its 2024 filing also lists grants to organizations; for example, the New York Historical Society received a grant that year. The Society describes its own mission as collecting, preserving, and interpreting material relevant to the history of the United States, New York State, and New York City.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 286 grants totaling $11,409,500. Individual grants ranged from $5,000 to $200,000, with a median of $32,500. The Fellowship program is a mid-career award for individuals with notable contributions in their fields; grant amounts vary.
Review Cycle
September 15.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Ready to take the next step with John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Fellowship eligibility is limited to citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Canada. In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were New York (27%), California (14%), Pennsylvania (6%), and Illinois (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 286 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $9.5M (2020) to $11.9M (2023). In 2024 it made 286 grants totaling $11.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was New York Historical Society ($200K).
Organizations only. It also paid 285 grants to individuals ($11,209,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,393 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 970 grants of 1,393 (70%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New York Historical Society New York, NY | Exhibition Installment Fee | $200,000 |
| 49 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $3,247,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $383,572,670 | $23,486,326 | $19,415,991 | $11,409,500 | 286 |
| 2023 | $351,703,079 | $13,494,516 | $19,353,460 | $11,882,500 | 284 |
| 2022 | $330,238,281 | $18,493,825 | $19,434,870 | $11,469,002 | 286 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $383,572,670 | $351,703,079 | $330,238,281 |
| Revenue | $23,486,326 | $13,494,516 | $18,493,825 |
| Expenses | $19,415,991 | $19,353,460 | $19,434,870 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $18,309,461 | $17,692,370 | $16,766,644 |
| Net Investment Income | $17,509,348 | $9,173,694 | $12,601,504 |
| Distributable Amount | $18,056,683 | $16,506,432 | $16,413,435 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 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
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Edward Hirsch as president and trustee; Andre Bernard as vice president and secretary; Sari Sharaby as chief financial officer and treasurer; Susan D Mellin as chief advancement officer; and Laura Auricchio as vice president and secretary. Trustees listed include Lawrence D Bobo, Emery Brown, Robert Allan Caro, Risa L Goluboff, and Adele Chatfield-Taylor.
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation is led by Edward Hirsch, President & Trustee on every filing since 2020; 5 of 24 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Edward Hirsch
President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$584K (2020) → $761K (2024)
Dwight E. Lee
Chairman & Trustee
Chairman & Trustee → Chairman, 2023
Chairman → Chairman & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adele Chatfield-Taylor
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin Taylor
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Sherman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emery Brown
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric S. Maskin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Schwartz
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
G. Gabrielle Starr
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lawrence D. Bobo
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lili Lynton
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Allan Caro
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra S. Wijnberg
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stacy Schiff
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven D. Lavine
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William P. Kelly
Trustee
Chairman & Trustee → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Siskin
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Hess
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Risa L. Goluboff
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andre Bernard
V.p. & Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$313K (2020) → $255K (2024)
Sari Sharaby
C.f.o. & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$187K (2022) → $250K (2024)
Susan D. Mellin
Chief Advancement Officer
Director of Advancement → Chief Advancement Officer, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$245K (2022) → $265K (2024)
Laura Auricchio
Vice President & Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$50K (2024)
Former officers (4)
- Former: Dorothy Tapper Goldman (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: E. Wayne Nordberg (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Julie R. Klein (2020–2021) — C.f.o. & Treasurer
- Former: Joel Conarroe (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 $761K, to Edward Hirsch (President and Trustee). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fdtn
Mailing address: 90 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 687-4470
Website: https://www.gf.org
Frequently asked questions about John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
How much does John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation give each year?
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation gave $11.4M across 286 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $11.9M across 284 grants.
What is John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $32,500, and its average grant was $39,893, across 286 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation give grants?
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation's top state is New York, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (14%) and Pennsylvania (6%).
Does John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 6% of John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 286) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Fine Arts" (44 grants), "Photography" (33 grants) and "Film-Video" (26 grants).
How large is John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation?
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation reported $383.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $18.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $18.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to support exceptional individuals pursuing scholarship in any field of knowledge and creation in any art form, under the freest possible conditions. Its fellowships span the creative arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and interdisciplinary areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation?
The Foundation describes a standard application, with materials specified for the applicant’s field. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation's EIN?
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-5673173. 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 September 2026.
Here's the math on researching John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation by hand.
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