National Sculpture Society Inc logo

National Sculpture Society Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker New York, NY EIN: 13-1656673 Website

National Sculpture Society Inc is a New York, New York-based private foundation that supports sculpture through awards, scholarships, grants, exhibitions, educational programs, and publications. The Society describes itself as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization and says it promotes excellence in sculpture inspired by the natural world.

Key facts about National Sculpture Society Inc

In short: National Sculpture Society Inc gave $53K across 36 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
13-1656673
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$53,200
Grants made (2024)
36
Average grant
$1,478
Median grant
$875
Total assets
$18,749,140
Primary geography
California (19% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply
The Society’s 2024 filing says applicants should submit a written application with a brief biography, background in sculpture, and photographs of their work. 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

$18.7M

+6.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$53K

+0.0% YoY

Grant Count

36

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$1K

+0.0% YoY

How National Sculpture Society Inc gives

  • Giving grew 35% from 2021 to 2024. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Society’s stated mission is to promote excellence in sculpture inspired by the natural world. Its 2024 filing describes direct charitable activities including a quarterly publication on contemporary American representational sculpture, sculpture exhibitions including an annual awards exhibition, and awards and scholarships recognizing achievement.

Its website lists grants for sculptors, including awards for animal sculpture, work inspired by nature, and figurative or realist sculpture. The Society’s program descriptions specify that some awards are for mature bodies of work and exclude work created in workshop or instructional settings.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, the Society reported 36 grants totaling $53,200. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $5,000, with a median of $875. The largest reported grants included four $5,000 awards to individual recipients in Indiana, Maryland, New York, and California, all for annual prizes, awards, and scholarships. Chesterwood received $1,500 for the same stated purpose.

The Society’s website describes the Stanley Bleifeld Memorial Grant as an annual $5,000 prize for a sculptor with a mature body of work inspired by nature, and the Alex J. Ettl Grant as an annual $7,500 prize for a figurative or realist sculptor. Both programs require applicants to be U.S. citizens or residents with a Social Security number, and exclude elected Society members. For the Bleifeld Grant, the listed September 21, 2026 deadline has passed; the award is scheduled for June 2027. The Ettl Grant lists an October 19, 2026 deadline and a June 2027 award.

How to Apply

The Society’s 2024 filing says applicants should submit a written application with a brief biography, background in sculpture, and photographs of their work. It reports various submission deadlines, with information announced in arts magazines. The Bleifeld and Ettl program pages direct applicants to submit images and a CV or biography online; both state there is no submission cost. The filing states that there are no restrictions on awards.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in several states. The largest reported shares went to California (19%), New York (17%), Maryland (17%), Utah (11%), and Indiana (9%). The Bleifeld and Ettl grant descriptions require applicants to be U.S. citizens or residents.

Grant Distribution by State

30states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.

Cities

StockbridgeNew YorkAlbemarleAlbuquerqueAstoriaAtlantaBaltimoreBayonneBrooklynBurkittsvilleChapel HillChattanoogaChicagoClaremontColorado SpringsColumbusDartmouthDickersonDurangoEagle Mountain

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K19 grants2020 20 grants2021 37 grants2022 36 grants2023 36 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $33K (2020) to $53K (2024). In 2024 it made 36 grants totaling $53K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2024

Chesterwood: $2KChesterwood$2K

The largest 2024 recipient was Chesterwood ($2K).

Organizations only. It also paid 35 individual scholarships ($51,700), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

148 grants across all recorded years

148<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 148 grants of 148 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
35 individual scholarships Recipients not named —$51,700
Chesterwood Stockbridge, MDAnnual Prizes, Awards and Scholarships$1,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $18,749,140 $1,855,661 $1,027,257 $53,200
2023 $17,576,203 $1,289,306 $919,825 $53,200
2022 $15,961,917 $1,415,805 $884,216 $49,850
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$18,749,140$17,576,203$15,961,917
Revenue$1,855,661$1,289,306$1,415,805
Expenses$1,027,257$919,825$884,216
Qualifying Distributions$675,879$610,244$560,469
Net Investment Income$1,210,407$764,161$842,184

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Gwen Pier as executive director; Gregory Glasson as president; Marc Fields as second vice president; Lee Hutt as secretary; and Robert Jewell as treasurer. It also lists Anne Brown, Nilda Comas, Renee Harper Ardrey, Amy Kann, and Michael Keropian as council directors.

National Sculpture Society Inc is led by Gwen Pier, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 21 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Gwen Pier

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    45 hrs/week

    $95K (2020) → $113K (2024)

  • Gregory Glasson

    President

    Council Director → President, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    2.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Amy Kann

    Council Director

    1st Vice President → Council Director, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Donella Lay

    Council Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kate Brockman

    Council Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Renee Harper Ardrey

    Council Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robin R. Salmon

    Council Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alicia Ponzio

    Council Director

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anne Brown

    Council Director

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Janice Mauro

    Council Director

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Leroy Transfield

    Council Director

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan Morrow Potje

    Council Director

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Basil Watson

    Council Director

    On filings since 2023

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Keropian

    Council Director

    On filings since 2023

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Cheryl Newby

    Council Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeffrey Spring

    Council Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nilda Comas

    Council Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Olga Nielsen

    Council Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lee Hutt

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marc Fields

    2nd Vice President

    Council Director → 2nd Vice President, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Jewell

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (11)
  • Former: Gordon Alt (2020–2023) — 2nd Vice President
  • Former: Kent Ullberg (2020–2023) — Council Director
  • Former: Mark Edward Adams (2020–2023) — Council Director
  • Former: Michel Langlais (2020–2023) — President
  • Former: Richard J. Moylan (2020–2023) — Council Director
  • Former: Wesley Wofford (2020–2023) — Council Director
  • Former: Margaret Nicholson (2020–2022) — Council Director
  • Former: Anthony Antonios (2020–2021) — Council Director
  • Former: Bruner Barrie (2020–2021) — Council Director
  • Former: Carol M. Dauber (2020–2021) — Council Director
  • Former: Tuck Langland (2020–2021) — Council Director

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

Gwen Pier — Executive Director: $113KGwen PierExecutive Director$113K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $113K, to Gwen Pier (Executive Director).

Contact

Application contact: Gwen Pier
Mailing address: 6 E 39Th St 903, New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 764-5645
Website: https://www.nationalsculpture.org

Frequently asked questions about National Sculpture Society Inc

How much does National Sculpture Society Inc give each year?

National Sculpture Society Inc gave $53K across 36 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $53K across 36 grants.

What is National Sculpture Society Inc's typical grant size?

National Sculpture Society Inc's median grant in 2024 was $875, and its average grant was $1,478, across 36 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does National Sculpture Society Inc give grants?

National Sculpture Society Inc's top state is California, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (17%) and Maryland (17%).

Does National Sculpture Society Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on National Sculpture Society Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Annual Prizes, Awards and Scholarships" (36 grants).

How large is National Sculpture Society Inc?

National Sculpture Society Inc reported $18.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $1.9M.

What does National Sculpture Society Inc fund?

The Society’s stated mission is to promote excellence in sculpture inspired by the natural world. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from National Sculpture Society Inc?

The Society’s 2024 filing says applicants should submit a written application with a brief biography, background in sculpture, and photographs of their work. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is National Sculpture Society Inc's EIN?

National Sculpture Society Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1656673. 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 October 2026.

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