The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for the is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 grants went largely to New York organizations, including arts and cultural organizations, with additional grants to recipients in Colorado and Washington, DC.
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for at a glance
In short: The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for gave $334K across 26 grants in 2024 (avg $13K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $333,500
- +21.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 26
- -10.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,827
- +35.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $7,624,279
- +71.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (90% 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 The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Lincoln Center Theater ($50K). Together the top 10 received $180K.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 121 grants of 122 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 7% to recipients in Colorado, and 3% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for gives
- 92% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+14%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 88% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $49K (2022) to $334K (2024). In 2024 it made 26 grants totaling $334K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Center Theater New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| Celebrate the Beat Denver, CO | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| The Actors Fund of America New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Gina Gibney Dance Inc New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| International Center of Photography New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| Public Art Fund Inc New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| DC Wheel Productions Inc Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Discalced Inc Brooklyn, NY | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Haleakala Inc New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Harlem Stage Inc New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $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 | $7,624,279 | $3,591,063 | $419,138 | $333,500 | 26 | $349,695 | $57,622 | $396,125 |
| 2023 | $4,444,354 | $192,469 | $375,647 | $275,500 | 29 | $291,330 | $111,052 | $327,340 |
| 2022 | $4,627,532 | $274,072 | $135,799 | $48,500 | 3 | $63,650 | $201,878 | $333,644 |
| 2021 | $4,481,759 | $425,371 | $380,837 | $291,500 | 30 | $306,650 | $353,484 | $362,529 |
| 2020 | $4,437,225 | $124,181 | $401,490 | $331,500 | 34 | — | $69,941 | $297,136 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for reported a distributable amount of $396K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated here. Its 2024 grants included organizations working in dance, theatre, photography, public art, and arts education, as well as organizations supporting performing-arts professionals and a community college foundation. For example, the International Center of Photography describes its work as advancing understanding and appreciation of photography through exhibitions, collections, and education. Public Art Fund describes its work as presenting free contemporary-art exhibitions in New York City and beyond. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work, not stated foundation priorities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 26 grants totaling $333,500. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest awards included $50,000 to Lincoln Center Theater, $25,000 to Celebrate the Beat, and $20,000 to The Actors Fund of America. Other grants included $15,000 each to Gibney Dance, the International Center of Photography, and Public Art Fund.
Celebrate the Beat says it provides in-school and after-school dance programs for children. The Actors Fund of America describes itself as a national human-services organization that supports performing-arts and entertainment professionals. Gibney Dance describes its work as bringing communities together at the intersection of art and social justice. These descriptions reflect the grantees’ stated missions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joel Treisman as president, Michael Cardozo as secretary, treasurer, and vice president, and Blair Rosenfeld as a director.
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for is led by Joel Treisman, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Joel Treisman
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Blair Rosenfeld
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Cardozo
Secretary, Treasurer & Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for
How much does The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for give each year?
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for gave $334K across 26 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $276K across 29 grants.
What is The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for's typical grant size?
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,827, across 26 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for give grants?
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for gives mostly in New York: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (21 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).
Does The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for give general operating support?
Yes: 96% of The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 26) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for's largest grantees?
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for's largest 2024 grantees include Lincoln Center Theater ($50,000), Celebrate the Beat ($25,000) and The Actors Fund of America ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for?
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for reported $7.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $350K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $396K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated here. Its 2024 grants included organizations working in dance, theatre, photography, public art, and arts education, as well as organizations supporting performing-arts professionals and a community college foundation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for's EIN?
The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1499861. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-and-joan-cullman-foundation-for-the-morg_5d4c3f7db606464eab23be6d7cc6b221
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201499861_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-and-joan-cullman-foundation-for-the-morg_5d4c3f7db606464eab23be6d7cc6b221},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 The Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for'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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