The Lannan Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1960 by J. Patrick Lannan, an entrepreneur and financier. Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the foundation supports contemporary artists, writers, and Native American activists through grants, fellowships, and awards. The foundation is designated as a 501(c)(3) organization and is steered by Lannan's descendants.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$29.2M
+142.3% YoY
Grant Count
93
-15.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$314K
+186.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Lannan is dedicated to cultural freedom, diversity, and creativity through projects, organizations, and movements of exceptional contemporary artists and writers, as well as inspired Native activists in rural indigenous communities.
The foundation recognizes the profound and often unquantifiable value of the creative process and is willing to take risks and make substantial investments in ambitious and experimental thinking. Understanding that globalization threatens all cultures and ecosystems, the foundation is particularly interested in projects that encourage freedom of inquiry, imagination, and expression.
Primary grantmaking areas:
- Contemporary visual art
- Literature and creative writing
- Indigenous communities
- Cultural freedom
Grantmaking
The Lannan Foundation provided support to non-profit organizations for a variety of contemporary art projects. The vast majority of support was given to exhibitions of work by contemporary artists in a mid-to-senior career position and in support of monographic exhibition catalogues.
How to Apply
**
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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
Most Recent Financial Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $115,085,829
- Revenue: $6,734,286
- Expenses: $15,893,382
Prior Year Data (2022):
- Total Assets: $122,117,432
- Revenue: $21,792,027
- Expenses: $24,969,474
Additional Data (2024 IRS Filing):
- Total Assets: $94,991,981
- Total Giving: $29,237,204
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 Los Angeles County Museum of Art ($3,390,900), Denver Art Museum ($692,712), Dia Art Foundation ($497,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABU TOHA MOSAB SANTA FE, NM | CULTURAL FREEDOM FELLOWSHIP | $75,000 |
| ACLED ANALYSIS INC GRAFTON, WI | GENERAL SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| ADDISON GALLERY OF AMERICAN ART ANDOVER, MA | ART DONATION | $6,510 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF FONDATION BEYELER NEW YORK, NY | ART DONATION | $80,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| AMON CARTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART FORT WORTH, TX | ART DONATION | $418,700 |
| ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | ART DONATION | $142,381 |
| ASIAN ART MUSEUM OF SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CA | ART DONATION | $1,600 |
| ATAKORA AFIA SANTA FE, NM | LITERARY FELLOWSHIP - FICTION | $50,000 |
| BASSICHIS MORGAN SANTA FE, NM | CULTURAL FREEDOM AWARD | $200,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Brenda Coughlin serves as Executive Director.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWRENCE P LANNAN JR | PRESIDENT, TREASURER | 40 | $274,430 |
| DAVID L UNGERLEIDER | VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| FRANK C LAWLER | VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY | 50 | $274,430 |
| MARY M PLAUCHE | DIRECTOR, ASST SECY, ASST | 5 | $35,000 |
| PENN SZITTYA | DIRECTOR | 7.5 | $37,500 |
| KAREN HETHERINGTON | DIRECTOR | 10 | $37,500 |
| MARIAN P DAY | DIRECTOR | 5 | $35,000 |
| ANDREA TUCH | DIRECTOR | 5 | $35,000 |
| BRENDA COUGHLIN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 5 | $274,430 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Lannan Foundation fund?
Lannan is dedicated to cultural freedom, diversity, and creativity through projects, organizations, and movements of exceptional contemporary artists and writers, as well as inspired Native activists in rural indigenous communities. The foundation recognizes the profound and often unquantifiable value of the creative process and is willing to take risks and make substantial investments in ambitious and experimental thinking. Understanding that globalization threatens all cultures and ecosystems…
How do I apply for a grant from Lannan Foundation?
The Lannan Foundation provided support to non-profit organizations for a variety of contemporary art projects. The vast majority of support was given to exhibitions of work by contemporary artists in a mid-to-senior career position and in support of monographic exhibition catalogues. **Application Process:** The Lannan Foundation is no longer accepting letters of inquiry in any of its grant-making programs. Unsolicited proposals and letters of inquiry will not be considered. However, the founda…
What size grants does Lannan Foundation award?
In 2024, Lannan Foundation awarded 93 grants totaling $29.2M — an average of about $314K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Lannan Foundation's EIN?
Lannan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6062451. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lannan 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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