Roy Lichtenstein Foundation
The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation is a private operating foundation based in New York, NY, chartered in 1998 following the artist's death in 1997 and formally opened in 1999. The foundation operates from a townhouse contiguous to Roy Lichtenstein's West Greenwich Village studio, which serves as its primary office location. The foundation houses research library, administration, rights and reproductions, and catalogue raisonné work spaces.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$55.2M
-19.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.9M
-32.3% YoY
Grant Count
14
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$848K
-42.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
By the wishes of the artist and his family, the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation was established primarily to:
- Facilitate public access to the work of Roy Lichtenstein and the art and artists of his time
- Create a catalogue raisonné of all known Lichtenstein works
- Share information to assist the development and education of the next generations of curators, critics, and scholars concerning the artist Roy Lichtenstein
Over the past fifteen years, the foundation has expanded its activities to include:
- Rescue, organization, and donation of the Shunk-Kender and Harry Shunk Photography Collections to a consortium of five international museums and research centers
- Support of the Aspen Institute National Study of Artist-Endowed Foundations
- Expertise provision to numerous Lichtenstein exhibitions
- Support of outreach and research topics, including artists' materials and postwar art and art history
- Building a Study Collection of early Lichtenstein and later generative sketches, models, maquettes, and artifacts
- Functioning as an image and information database for art, art history, and oral histories
- Working with museums to acquire notable Lichtenstein artworks
The foundation's program areas include:
- Oral history project—recorded interviews with Roy Lichtenstein acquaintances, family, collectors, friends, and staff members
- Creation of catalogue raisonné—multi-volume and electronic comprehensive catalogue documenting all known artworks of Roy Lichtenstein
- Exhibitions of art by Roy Lichtenstein in New York and London
- Sales of works by Roy Lichtenstein to museums or private collectors who then donate works to museums to facilitate public access
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with no public application process.
Grant Range
& Activity:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on national and international recipients, with primary activity in New York, Ohio, and North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $68,343,428
- Total revenues: $9,886,276
- Total expenses: $22,834,038
- Total liabilities: $22,700
Tax Status:
- Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since September 1998
- EIN: 91-1898350
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $55,215,353 | $68,343,428 | $81,285,329 |
| Revenue | $3,194,368 | $9,886,276 | $1,740,770 |
| Expenses | $16,417,331 | $22,834,038 | $4,430,364 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $16,086,797 | $22,468,086 | $4,301,530 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,929,869 | $1,322,468 | $1,643,268 |
| 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
75 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University ($7,239,083), Columbus Museum of Art ($1,946,500), Kunstmuseum Basel ($1,299,200).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NASHER MUSEUM OF ART AT DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NC | ARTWORK CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO BE ADDED TO THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF WORKS BY ROY LICHTENSTEIN. | $7,239,083 |
| KUNSTMUSEUM BASEL | ARTWORK CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO BE ADDED TO THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF WORKS BY ROY LICHTENSTEIN. | $1,299,200 |
| COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART COLUMBUS, OH | ARTWORK CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO BE ADDED TO THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF WORKS BY ROY LICHTENSTEIN. | $1,946,500 |
| WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART NEW YORK, NY | ARTWORK CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO BE ADDED TO THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF WORKS BY ROY LICHTENSTEIN. | $1,213,000 |
| OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY COLUMBUS, OH | ARTWORK CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO BE ADDED TO THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF WORKS BY ROY LICHTENSTEIN. | $8,320 |
| NASHER MUSEUM OF ART AT DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NC | CASH CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO ASSIST IN FUNDING GENERAL OPERATIONS. | $75,000 |
| MORGAN LIBRARY NEW YORK, NY | CASH CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO ASSIST IN FUNDING GENERAL OPERATIONS. | $2,000 |
| SPELMAN COLLEGE ATLANTA, GA | CASH CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO ASSIST IN FUNDING GENERAL OPERATIONS. | $43,206 |
| ASPEN INSTITUTE WASHINGTON, DC | CASH CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO ASSIST IN FUNDING GENERAL OPERATIONS. | $26,000 |
| ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART WASHINGTON, DC | CASH CONTRIBUTED BY THE FOUNDATION TO ASSIST IN FUNDING GENERAL OPERATIONS. | $18,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID H LICHTENSTEIN | VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| MITCHELL W LICHTENSTEIN | PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| WILLIAM JOHN COWART | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $500,000 |
| STEVEN P GOLDGLIT | TREASURER | 5 | — |
| RUTH FINE | BOARD CHAIRMAN | 5 | — |
| LESLIE B SAMUELS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH BAKER | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| MARIA MORRIS HAMBOURG | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| ELIZABETH GLASSMAN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| JOHN W SMITH | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| DOROTHY LICHTENSTEIN DECEASED 2024 | PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation provided a lead gift of over $2,000,000 to the Archives of American Art to support its newly launched digital transformation initiative. The foundation has also made significant contributions to support exhibitions and research related to Roy Lichtenstein's work and legacy.
Roy Lichtenstein FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Roy Lichtenstein Foundation fund?
By the wishes of the artist and his family, the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation was established primarily to: • Facilitate public access to the work of Roy Lichtenstein and the art and artists of his time • Create a catalogue raisonné of all known Lichtenstein works • Share information to assist the development and education of the next generations of curators, critics, and scholars concerning the artist Roy Lichtenstein Over the past fifteen years, the foundation has expanded its activities to inc…
How do I apply for a grant from Roy Lichtenstein Foundation?
**Grant Range & Activity:** • Grant range: $2,000 to $13,828,481 • Median grant: $251,000 • Annual giving: $8.3 million (2023 tax year) • Total giving: $11,878,809 (2023) • Throughout its lifetime, the foundation has awarded over $16 million in grants and facilitated major institutional gifts of artwork totaling more than $100 million **Application Process:** The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with no public application process. **Recent Grants:** • International Friends of the…
Where does Roy Lichtenstein Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on national and international recipients, with primary activity in New York, Ohio, and North Carolina.
What size grants does Roy Lichtenstein Foundation award?
In 2024, Roy Lichtenstein Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $11.9M — an average of about $848K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Roy Lichtenstein Foundation's EIN?
Roy Lichtenstein Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1898350. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Roy Lichtenstein 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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