Purple Plume Foundation
Purple Plume Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. It reported 15 grants totaling $160,000 in filing year 2025, supporting organizations that include arts and theater groups, a student aid fund, and other New York-area nonprofits.
Purple Plume Foundation at a glance
In short: Purple Plume Foundation gave $160K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in New York. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $160,000
- +65.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +15.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,667
- +43.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,747,942
- +0.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (4 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Purple Plume Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 240 West End Avenue Apt 13Cd, New York, NY 10023
Phone: (914) 522-5547
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Purple Plume Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Powerhouse Arts ($25K). Together the top 10 received $144K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 60 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 3% to recipients in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Purple Plume Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 15 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $16K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 72% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 69% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $58K (2019) to $1.3M (2021). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $160K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Powerhouse Arts Brooklyn, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $25,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Brooklyn, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $25,000 |
| Entertainment Community Fund New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $15,000 |
| Tectonic Theater Project New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $15,000 |
| SDC Foundation New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $14,000 |
| Mamaroneck-Larchmont Student Aid Fund Larchmont, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $10,000 |
| National Alliance for Musical Theatre New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $10,000 |
| New York Civil Liberties New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $10,000 |
| Page 73 Brooklyn, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $10,000 |
| Your Kids Our Kids New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant for Donee's Exempt Purpose. | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Purple Plume Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,747,942 | $204,411 | $181,501 | $160,000 | 15 | $164,338 | $187,113 | $236,960 |
| 2024 | $3,725,032 | $198,744 | $117,451 | $96,550 | 13 | $100,490 | $182,112 | $219,509 |
| 2023 | $3,648,739 | $141,469 | $116,549 | $94,000 | 13 | $98,555 | $123,455 | $196,171 |
| 2022 | $3,634,819 | $117,429 | $612,458 | $581,000 | 11 | $584,883 | $99,242 | $200,434 |
| 2021 | $4,118,848 | $1,308,382 | $1,353,271 | $1,331,840 | 8 | $1,334,428 | $625,966 | $238,834 |
| 2020 | $4,158,737 | $128,960 | $177,587 | $140,000 | 8 | — | $110,495 | $215,079 |
| 2019 | $4,214,364 | $491,223 | $76,403 | $58,000 | 11 | — | $478,975 | $198,934 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Purple Plume Foundation reported a distributable amount of $237K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for arts organizations, theater and performing arts groups, a student aid fund, and other nonprofits. For example, Powerhouse Arts describes its work as supporting creative expression through fabrication shops, membership studios, exhibitions, and events. Tectonic Theater Project describes itself as developing and producing stage works that explore theatrical language and form. Mamaroneck-Larchmont Student Aid Fund says it provides need-based college scholarships to eligible students.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $160,000 through 15 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among the largest grants were $25,000 each to Powerhouse Arts and Planned Parenthood; $15,000 each to Entertainment Community Fund and Tectonic Theater Project; and $14,000 to SDC Foundation. Other grants included $10,000 each to Mamaroneck-Larchmont Student Aid Fund, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, New York Civil Liberties, Page 73, and Your Kids Our Kids.
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Barbara Whitman was listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
Purple Plume Foundation is led by Barbara Whitman, Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Barbara Whitman
Trustee
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Purple Plume Foundation
How much does Purple Plume Foundation give each year?
Purple Plume Foundation gave $160K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $97K across 13 grants.
What is Purple Plume Foundation's typical grant size?
Purple Plume Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,667, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Purple Plume Foundation that year got $16K on average.
Where does Purple Plume Foundation give grants?
Purple Plume Foundation gives mostly in New York: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (10 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (3 grants).
Does Purple Plume Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Purple Plume Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Purple Plume Foundation's largest grantees?
Purple Plume Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Powerhouse Arts ($25,000), Planned Parenthood ($25,000) and Entertainment Community Fund ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Purple Plume Foundation?
Purple Plume Foundation reported $3.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $164K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $237K (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 Purple Plume Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for arts organizations, theater and performing arts groups, a student aid fund, and other nonprofits. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Purple Plume Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Purple Plume Foundation's EIN?
Purple Plume Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-1144326. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Purple Plume Foundation 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 20, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 24, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Purple Plume Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Purple Plume Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Purple Plume Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/purple-plume-foundation-morg_7c537493e9f941e8b6db3476b9682cd8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_571144326_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Purple Plume Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/purple-plume-foundation-morg_7c537493e9f941e8b6db3476b9682cd8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Purple Plume Foundation'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.
Purple Plume Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?