Pasadena Art Alliance
Pasadena Art Alliance is a Pasadena, California public charity that supports contemporary visual arts in Southern California through grants to exhibitions, educational programs, and art-oriented nonprofit institutions. It describes itself as an independent volunteer group, formed in 1955 and independent of institutional affiliations since obtaining its own 501(c)(3) status in 1975.
Pasadena Art Alliance at a glance
In short: Pasadena Art Alliance gave $304K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in California. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $304,000
- -3.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- Average grant
- $13,818
- Median grant
- $11,250
- Total assets
- $1,057,362
- +11.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (9 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Pasadena Art Alliance
- How to Apply
-
Submit the grant application through the PAA Portal. The application cycle with a September 15, 2026 deadline is past. For that cycle, grant funds were to be used between March 1, 2027 and March 1, 2028; a different schedule required written approval from the Grants Chair before submission.
- Review Cycle
- September 15, 2026, for the cycle described on the grants page; this deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- September 15, 2026, for the cycle described on the grants page; this deadline has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1028 N Lake Ave 104, Pasadena, CA 91104
Phone: (626) 795-9276
Website: https://pasadenaartalliance.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Pasadena Art Alliance
Who Pasadena Art Alliance funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Armory Center for the Arts ($37K). Together the top 10 received $199K.
Grant Size Distribution
98 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 98 grants of 98 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Alliance awards grants to organizations throughout Los Angeles County and gives preference to those located in the San Gabriel Valley. All 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Pasadena Art Alliance open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 22 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $15K repeat.
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $304K (2025) to $343K (2021). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $304K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Armory Center for the Arts Pasadena, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $37,000 |
| Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $30,000 |
| Pasadena City College - Visual and Media Arts Pasadena, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $20,000 |
| Hammer Museum Los Angeles, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $20,000 |
| Museum Associates Los Angeles, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $20,000 |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $15,000 |
| Side Street Projects Altadena, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $15,000 |
| The Huntington Library San Marino, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $15,000 |
| Santa Monica Museum of Art Santa Monica, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $14,000 |
| Craft Contemporary Los Angeles, CA | Support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs and other art-oriented projects | $12,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Pasadena Art Alliance?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,057,362 | $509,541 | $461,723 | $304,000 | 22 | $68,169 |
| 2024 | $950,943 | $503,004 | $492,003 | $316,500 | Total only | $81,239 |
| 2023 | $930,402 | $454,887 | $472,317 | $324,000 | 24 | $60,194 |
| 2022 | $964,178 | $494,464 | $451,727 | $310,500 | 25 | $-83,846 |
| 2021 | $906,430 | $461,759 | $384,761 | $342,500 | 27 | $15,831 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Alliance’s mission is to foster appreciation for contemporary visual arts in Southern California by supporting artists, exhibitions, educational programs, and art-oriented nonprofit institutions. Its grants are for projects that advance this mission, with applicants expected to explain the project’s connection to contemporary visual art and the specific need for the requested funds.
Recent grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Armory Center for the Arts describes its mission as nurturing its community and young people through creating, learning, and presenting art to advance equity and social justice. ArtCenter College of Design says its mission is to educate, inspire, and empower creative and design leaders. Side Street Projects describes its work as supporting artists of all ages through community-led programming that promotes creativity, well-being, and collective growth. Other 2025 grantees include Craft Contemporary, which challenges established ideas about craft and folk art through exhibitions and programs, and Fulcrum Arts, which provides resources and services to artists, arts and cultural organizations, audiences, young people, and visitors to Pasadena.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Alliance reported 22 grants totaling $304,000. Grant amounts ranged from $7,000 to $37,000, with a median of $11,250. Its largest reported grants included $37,000 to the Armory Center for the Arts, $30,000 to ArtCenter College of Design, and $20,000 each to Pasadena City College’s Visual and Media Arts program, the Hammer Museum, and Museum Associates. The stated purpose for these grants was support for artists, exhibitions, educational programs, and other art-oriented projects.
The website says grants are awarded annually and that site visits are conducted in the fall for institutions meeting the criteria. Applicants must be qualified tax-exempt organizations. Proposals must explain how the funds advance the mission, the specific need for the funds, and the project’s relationship to contemporary visual art; if a project includes more than visual art, the visual art component must predominate. Capital requests, individual artists, student exhibitions, and exhibitions that raise money by selling art are not funded. The Alliance must be credited in published and online communications about the project. A final report is required after project completion; an interim report is required for proposals not completed by September 1, and no further proposals will be considered until that report is received.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Laura O’Connor as president; Gina Knox as vice president; Suzanne Holder as recording secretary; Sarah Deschenes as treasurer; Annie Brose as corresponding secretary; and Bea Trujillo as assistant treasurer. It also lists Patsy Pinney, Bette Cooper, Alfrida King, and Catherine Coquillard as directors.
Pasadena Art Alliance is led by Laura O'Connor, President since 2025 (on filings since 2021); none of the 37 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Laura O'Connor
President
Vice President → Director, 2022
Director → President, 2025
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alfrida King
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bette Cooper
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn Morton
Director
Director → Vice President, 2024
Vice President → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn Siegal
Director
Director → Corresponding Secretary, 2024
Corresponding Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeannie Vaughn
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kris Pilon
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Liza Kerrigan
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lizzie Salvati
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Alexander
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Foster
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patsy Pinney
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robin Banks
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shelley Sackett
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Reynolds
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yvonne Zaro
Director
Corresponding Secretary → Recording Secretary, 2024
Recording Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julie Ward
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Smits
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Urquhart
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carla Walecka
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Coquillard
Director
Assistant Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deedie McCarthy
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Denise Mathews
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Fox
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janice Bea
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gretchen Seager
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lynne Sullivan
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Olga Vanegas
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Polly Wheaton
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terri Miller
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Toi Treister
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Annie Brose
Corresponding Secretary
Director → Corresponding Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bea Trujillo
Assistant Treasurer
Treasurer → Assistant Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Deschenes
Treasurer
Recording Secretary → Director, 2022
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Annaly Bennett
Past President
Vice President → President, 2023
President → Past President, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gina Knox
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Holder
Recording Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (38)
- Former: Betsy Greenberg (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Chandra King (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Clare Tayback (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Erin McDonald (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Gwen Robertson (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Judy Penner (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Kathy Gillespie (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Leslie Prussia (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Patty Zuber (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Rita Flynn (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Sarah Culhane (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Scarlett Osterling (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Sonia Singla (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Diane Wittenberg (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Kirsten Molz (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Mia Dean (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Elsa Behney (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Linda Brownridge (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Barbara Davis (2024) — Director
- Former: Robin Stever (2024) — Director
- Former: Tamara Tolkin (2024) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Baxter (2021–2023) — Past President
- Former: Katy Champ (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Andrea Nagata (2023) — Recording Secretary
- Former: Clara Igonda (2023) — Director
- Former: Clarissa Weirick (2023) — Corresponding Secretary
- Former: Holly Hancock (2023) — Director
- Former: Meg Aldrich (2023) — Director
- Former: R-Lene De Lang (2023) — Director
- Former: Susan Masterman (2023) — Director
- Former: Tina Nieves (2023) — Director
- Former: Sara Pelton (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Amy Lyford (2022) — Director
- Former: Cathy Coquillard (2022) — Recording Secretary
- Former: Katie High (2022) — Director
- Former: Louise Brinsley (2022) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth Berry (2021) — Director
- Former: Shari Boyer (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Pasadena Art Alliance
How much does Pasadena Art Alliance give each year?
Pasadena Art Alliance gave $304K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it reported $317K in grants paid.
What is Pasadena Art Alliance's typical grant size?
Pasadena Art Alliance's median grant in 2025 was $11,250, and its average grant was $13,818, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Pasadena Art Alliance that year got $10K on average.
Where does Pasadena Art Alliance give grants?
Pasadena Art Alliance gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (8 grants), Pasadena, CA (4 grants) and Claremont, CA (3 grants).
Does Pasadena Art Alliance give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Pasadena Art Alliance's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Pasadena Art Alliance's largest grantees?
Pasadena Art Alliance's largest 2025 grantees include Armory Center for the Arts ($37,000), Art Center College of Design ($30,000) and Pasadena City College - Visual and Media Arts ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Pasadena Art Alliance?
Pasadena Art Alliance reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $510K.
What does Pasadena Art Alliance fund?
The Alliance’s mission is to foster appreciation for contemporary visual arts in Southern California by supporting artists, exhibitions, educational programs, and art-oriented nonprofit institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pasadena Art Alliance?
Submit the grant application through the PAA Portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Pasadena Art Alliance's EIN?
Pasadena Art Alliance's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7429349. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pasadena Art Alliance's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Pasadena Art Alliance funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/pasadena-art-alliance-morg_94fbcd53850f49e1b001f8ff947caf7e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237429349_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Pasadena Art Alliance funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/pasadena-art-alliance-morg_94fbcd53850f49e1b001f8ff947caf7e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Pasadena Art Alliance'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.
Pasadena Art Alliance down — hundreds of funders to go?